MANILA - Mang Inasal has rebounded from the effects of the pandemic and a lot of stores are now reporting that sales are better than pre-pandemic levels.

Business-minded people who want a piece of the popular chicken barbeque chain however will need to come up with a good business location and be prepared for its franchise costs.

Mang Inasal president Mike Castro said a Mang Inasal store needs a very good site with high foot traffic, at least 250 square meters of space which can accommodate 20 to 25 tables, or around 80 to 100 seating capacity.

"We make sure that you have a good site so that you can pay back your investment," Castro said in an interview with ANC.

While the return on investment is almost guaranteed because of the popularity of the brand, Castro said the investment is still substantial.

"In Mang Inasal, depending on the size and the location, you will spend around 15-22 million (pesos) to put up a store," said Castro.

UNLI RICE TO STAY?

Mang Inasal said its network has grown to around 570 stores across the country since it was founded in Iloilo 20 years ago.

The restaurant chain now serves around half a million chicken inasals every day, according to Castro.

The menu has also grown from just chicken inasal to include pork barbeque, halo-halo, pancit palabok and many more.

But a staple offering of the restaurant chain will not change.

"Unlimited rice will always be part of our offer," Castro said.

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