Quick seeks franchisees for its autonomous convenience stores

Quick is seeking new franchisees in Argentina to expand its network of autonomous convenience stores: small shops with no staffed checkouts or customer service staff, open 24 hours a day. The franchise concept is technology-led and designed for locations with regular customers, from gated residential communities to apartment buildings and workplaces.

How autonomous shopping works

The Argentine chain uses Scan & Go technology. Customers enter, scan their products, pay and leave without going through a traditional checkout. According to the company's marketing materials, the operation relies on a proprietary app and a computer vision system.

Round-the-clock availability is central to the concept: stores operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Rather than organising service around staff shifts, the format allows customers to complete the shopping process themselves.

Quick dates the launch of its autonomous stores to 2021 and the start of its franchise expansion to 2023. This makes it a relatively recent addition to Argentina's franchise market, although it already has both company-owned and franchised outlets.

Investment, fees and contract terms

According to the GAF Franquicias franchise profile published by L’Express Franchise on 6 October, the stated initial investment ranges from US$50,000 to US$65,000, depending on the model chosen.

The same profile lists an initial franchise fee of US$10,000 or US$20,000 and opening stock worth US$12,000–US$20,000, depending on the premises. Before comparing this format with other options, prospective franchisees should request an itemised quote clarifying how these costs relate to the advertised investment. The amounts should not automatically be added together, nor should they all be assumed to fall within the initial investment range.

The stated royalty rate is 5%. There is also a fixed advertising contribution, adjusted quarterly. The contract runs for five years and, under the published terms, no previous experience is required to become a franchisee.

When assessing the opportunity, these recurring commitments should be considered alongside the opening investment. It is also important to understand how the advertising contribution is adjusted before forecasting operating costs over the contract term.

Small premises and specific location requirements

The minimum space required is 30 m². The profile also refers to an area comprising 250 residential plots, a requirement particularly relevant when assessing locations in gated communities. For other settings, prospective franchisees should ask the brand how it assesses the potential customer base and what criteria it uses to approve each site.

Quick envisages stores in gated communities, apartment buildings, offices, business premises, clubs, universities and schools. These locations share a community of regular users, whom the brand aims to offer convenient local shopping throughout the day.

Although the concept is marketed as a staff-free store, prospective franchisees should clarify who is responsible for restocking, cleaning, maintenance and resolving problems. When assessing the investment, the absence of a staffed checkout should not be confused with the absence of management duties.

A network in Argentina and abroad

Quick's franchise website reports more than 50 stores across various Argentine cities. GAF Franquicias, meanwhile, lists 32 company-owned outlets, 17 franchises in Argentina and nine international franchises. These figures cover different scopes and should be read separately, rather than combined into a single total for Argentine stores.

The company is based in Puerto Madero, in the city of Buenos Aires, and is looking to recruit more operators for its autonomous format.

Practical takeaway: before proceeding, request a comprehensive quote, confirm the location's suitability with the brand and put in writing who is responsible for each operational task and for technological support.