Kingribs seeks franchisees in Belgium: a look at two outlets

Kingribs is looking for motivated franchisees in Belgium. A business profile published on Franchise.be on 21 October 2026 offers an insight into the day-to-day running of the franchise. Silke and her partner Ismail operate outlets in Mechelen and Leuven, employ around twenty people and remain hands-on in both businesses.

From an escape game to two food businesses

Kingribs was not Silke and Ismail’s first business venture. After studying organisation and business management, they set up an escape game together. A mutual acquaintance later introduced them to the head of Kingribs. At the time, the franchise was expanding and looking for new franchisees across Belgium.

The couple chose Mechelen as the location for their first outlet. As Silke explained in the interview, their previous business experience helped them take the plunge. They already owned a business and were still relatively young, so the risks of starting a new venture did not hold them back for long.

A second outlet in Leuven followed. The profile therefore describes not just a move into food service, but also the operation of several outlets within the same franchise. Silke and Ismail do not simply manage the businesses remotely: they still work on the shop floor themselves.

For prospective franchisees considering the Belgian market, their story provides a practical example. This is a couple who added a food business to an existing entrepreneurial venture, then took on a second location under the same brand.

One brand, different ways of serving customers

The profile describes Kingribs as a franchise concept focused primarily on home delivery. Its menu includes ribs, burgers, loaded fries and snacks. One feature of its cooking method is that the ribs are cooked on a lava rock grill.

Silke and Ismail’s two outlets do not operate in exactly the same way. In Mechelen, customers can also eat in. According to the interview, the Leuven outlet offers takeaway meals only. This distinction matters for anyone researching the franchise: different service formats are being used under the same brand.

In this business story, then, the brand’s focus on delivery does not mean that every outlet serves customers in the same way. Mechelen offers an eat-in option, while Leuven is described as a takeaway. The profile provides a concrete picture of two local approaches without establishing a standard model for all Kingribs outlets.

For a prospective franchisee, the service format best suited to a proposed location is therefore a natural point to discuss. Above all, this couple’s experience shows that the format needs specific consideration alongside the choice of brand itself.

Twenty days of training before opening

Before opening their first Kingribs, Silke and Ismail completed twenty days of training at another outlet. Their previous experience running an escape game was therefore supplemented by preparation within the restaurant franchise.

The length of that training is one of the specific details provided about their start-up journey. It shows how the couple prepared for a different kind of day-to-day business. The interview describes their own experience before opening; it is not a general guarantee of the support every future franchisee will receive.

Their involvement after opening is also notable. Despite running two outlets, both remain active in day-to-day operations. Their story is therefore not just about increasing the number of businesses they own, but also about the personal commitment involved in how they run them.

Staffing and opening hours in practice

Silke works with around twenty staff, from kitchen workers to delivery drivers. According to the profile, they are all students or workers employed under Belgium’s flexi-job scheme. This staffing mix is an important part of the day-to-day operation described.

The interview also states that franchisees have a say in opening hours. The profile mentions opening from 4.30 pm to 9 pm, usually closing on Mondays. These hours relate to the businesses featured and should not automatically be taken as the arrangement for every outlet.

This practical example gives substance to Kingribs’ recruitment drive, bringing together previous business experience, training in an existing outlet, two different service formats and a hands-on approach to operations.

Practical takeaway: as a prospective franchisee, discuss not only the menu and location, but also the service format, training, staff planning and your own day-to-day involvement. Silke and Ismail’s experience provides concrete starting points for those conversations.