Third-Generation Family Business Shares Chicago’s Iconic Sandwich Through Franchising
Joe Buonavolanto had a wife and kids, and job security with the local gas company. But Joe was an entrepreneur at heart. He took an early retirement, got a second mortgage on the house and, in 1981, he and wife Peggy founded Buona Beef, a modest restaurant in Berwyn, Ill., specializing in Chicago-style Italian beef sandwiches. Sons Carlo, John, Joe Jr., Jim and Don supported the family business from day one, doing everything from washing floors to working in the kitchen to running the organization.
Now franchising since 2022, with 31 corporate-owned fast-casual restaurants and 17 Italian beef franchise locations in development with two opening this year, Buona is a third-generation family business with Joe’s and Peggy’s sons and more than a dozen grown grandchildren now involved in daily operations. Peggy has since passed away, but Joe Sr., now 89, still goes to work every day. “He just loves to be in the office surrounded by his family. He’s literally living his dream of building a lasting legacy. He’s very happy to see two generations working together and is proud of the growth we’ve experienced,” says grandson Johnny Buonavolanto who serves as director of sales.
In addition to Buona restaurants, the Buona Companies portfolio includes Authentic Brands of Chicago, the company’s USDA production facility, which supplies prepared foods to Buona restaurants, and The Original Rainbow Cone, Chicago’s iconic 99-year-old frozen dessert brand. Express versions of the ice cream shop can be found inside newer Buona restaurants.
Third-Generation Family Business
Buona’s specialty, Italian beef, originated as an iconic Chicago street food that’s been popularized in the Hulu series “The Bear” starring Jeremy Allen White and featured in other shows including “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” which aired a mouth-watering clip from the show.
Buona’s premium, all-natural, slow-roasted and perfectly seasoned beef is served on Italian bread with Buona’s all-natural beef gravy, and served “hot” (with spicy giardiniera vegetables) or “sweet” (with roasted bell peppers). Buona is among a few restaurants serving an authentic version of this Chicago classic – and is the only restaurant group that’s been able to replicate the original method on a large scale, enabling it to take the Italian beef franchise to locations across the U.S.
“Our Italian beef is our brand, our passion. We love our beef,” Johnny says. “I mean, you should see us when somebody orders a beef sandwich for lunch. We’re all just looking at it, talking about it, analyzing it. We are obsessed with the perfect beef sandwich.”
Buona also serves Chicago-Italian classics including meatballs marinara, Italian sausage, and Italian beef and Italian sausage “combo” sandwiches. In addition, the company serves fresh pasta, burgers and salads. “We pride ourselves in having a menu for everybody,” Johnny says. “We even have gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options. We grabbed a ton of headlines with our vegan beef. We actually sold out on the first or second day we launched it.”
Franchisee Support
The Buonavolantos have a heart for franchise owners because of the family’s 40-plus years as owner-operators. The corporate team, comprised of more than 50 people, is dedicated to supporting franchisee success, Johnny says. He points out that Buona Restaurants’ average unit volume (AUV) is $3.4 million, with new market stores in Wisconsin and Indiana outperforming initial projections.
Family-Centric Culture
As a family business, Buona has emphasized the importance of staying true to traditions of quality and maintaining a supportive family-like culture. QSR Magazine has named The Buona Companies to its list of best brands to work for because of its exceptional employee benefits including tuition reimbursement, 401(k) eligibility, health insurance, a wellness program and more. The magazine also cited Buona’s career growth opportunities and culture that values its people, noting that 65% percent of managers have been promoted from hourly positions.
Buona also celebrates team members’ achievements outside of work, such as sports victories and scholarships, and is committed to community involvement through benefit nights at restaurants, QSR reported.
Commitment to Responsible Franchising
Johnny says it was a family decision to franchise in order to continue growing the brand at a national level. Ideal franchisees should have relevant restaurant and/or entrepreneurial experience, he says. “We believe the best way to impact a new market is by having an owner-operator in the store who knows the market, who’s going to work it and pay attention to all the details,” he says. “With franchising, we want to make sure that we have the right partners in the right markets with the right locations. There’s a real discipline in our growth plan that we are sticking to.”
To learn more about Buona franchising opportunities, go to its website.
