Craving a business venture with massive flavor and proven success? Join the Uncle Sam's family today and franchise your own piece of the American dream!
Our History
Fresh off the grill since 1971 when Uncle Sam’s Hamburger Express opened in Brighton, the only spot in the whole of the South of England where you could get a proper, freshly-made American hamburger. Uncle Sam’s Hamburger Express is today the second oldest burger brand in the UK after Wimpy. McDonald’s did not arrive until 1974!
More than fifty years on, Uncle Sam’s is still there. Still cooking every burger fresh to order. Still making milkshakes with real dairy. Still drawing queues of loyal customers who have been coming back since their childhoods — and bringing their own children and grandchildren with them for the taste, service, and memories!
The Franchise Opportunity
Uncle Sam’s has grown to 13 franchised shops, primarily across Sussex and the Southeast. Now, under new dynamic, experienced, ownership, Uncle Sam’s is ready to go national.
We are looking for entrepreneurial franchise partners who recognise opportunity delivered through a quality product and 55 years of heritage — ambitious, grounded individuals who want to build a genuinely exceptional business on the foundation of one of the UK's most beloved food brands.
The Franchise Package
- Franchise Licence Fee: £15,000 + VAT (Total investment circa £80-£100,000)
- Royalty Fee: 6.75% of turnover (before VAT)
- Marketing Fund: 1.25% of turnover (before VAT)
- 10-year franchise agreement with right to renew
- Protected exclusive territory
- Comprehensive 4-week training programme
- 7-day operational support
- Full launch package: branding, equipment guidance, marketing and more
- Funding assistance available — typical loans cover 50–75% of setup costs
- Launch in as little as 3–6 months from signing
Why Partner With Uncle Sam's?
The fast-food market is crowded. So why Uncle Sam’s? Because what we offer cannot be manufactured from scratch, no matter how much money you spend. We have something money cannot buy; authentic heritage, genuine customer love, and half a century of proof that our model works.
Our secret? We cook every single burger fresh when you order it. No hot lamps. No pre-cooked patties sitting in a box. Every beef burger, every chicken burger, every veggie option — made from quality ingredients, selected first, then prepared with care, and handed over with a smile. In 55 years, we have never compromised on that. We never will.
Our menu spans generously sized beef burgers, crispy chicken, satisfying vegetarian options, proper fries, onion rings and triple-thick real dairy milkshakes that customers drive miles for. Add a brand-new ordering app, delivery platform integration and a marketing engine being rebuilt for national scale — and you have a genuinely formidable business proposition.
Your Territory
As an Uncle Sam’s franchisee, you will operate within an exclusive protected territory, trading under one of the most trusted burger brands in the South of England — and soon, the whole country.
Franchises Requirements
You do not need experience in food or catering. You do not need prior business ownership.
What you need is:
- Drive
- Good people skills
- And the ambition to build something outstanding.
Training & Support
You will receive in depth and comprehensive initial training at our head office kitchen in Sussex. You will have a dedicated Launch Support Manager and Ongoing support which includes daily head office assistance on request and weekly meetings to analyse previous week’s activity and lessons learned. Training at head office for new staff for ever and regular menu refreshes and continuous review of marketing or best practise to boost sales.
The new owners bring over 30 years of senior leadership experience from franchised blue-chip organisations — with an unrivalled focus on sales growth, operational performance and developing people to achieve their best. The precision and passion that has defined careers at Head Office are a cultural match for Uncle Sams’s standards over generations.
Your Next Step
The enviable heritage of Uncle Sam’s and the commercial experience of the new Head Office has created a franchise model built on four principles: quality, support, transparency and mutual success. Your success is our success — and that alignment is the bedrock of everything Uncle Sam’s franchise stands for.
Get in touch today to get started on your franchise journey:
Available Locations:
Opportunities available across the UK
Business Type:
Franchise
Minimum Investment:
£35,000
Financing Assistance
3rd Party