2008 Woodie Awards
Pretzel perfect
Campus Auntie Anne's franchise named to top 5 percent in company
Katie Gregowicz
Issue date: 10/2/07 Section: News
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The "Pretzel Perfect Award" is awarded to the top 5 percent of all Auntie Anne's in the country. There are 950 stores in the United States and some overseas as well said Penny Aldrich, manager of Auntie Anne's.
"To win this award, you must meet pretzel perfect standards," Food Service Administrator Francine Polich-Burns said.
"Auntie Anne's has a three-fold philosophy when it comes to being pretzel perfect; serve fresh hot golden-brown pretzels, friendly courteous service and a sparkling clean store" Polich-Burns said.
Every six to eight weeks, the store is evaluated and receives a grade. These grades, in addition to feedback from secret shoppers and customer comment cards help to decide the winners.
"Store operations help weigh the criteria," said Polich-Burns.
If a store fails to meet the criteria or falls behind, the staff must retrain or risk getting their franchise pulled.
In 2003 when this Auntie Anne's opened, Polich-Burns and Aldrich received two weeks of training in Gap, Penn., where the national headquarters of the store is located and they have not had to retrain since.
The store received the award at the Auntie Anne's Rally in Nashville, Tenn., on Sept. 25. The rally is a convention that is held every other year.
When the store won the Pretzel Perfect award in 2005 the award was called the "Better than the Best" award, but in April of 2005 a new owner bought the franchise and did a "brand relaunch" in 2006. In addition to the new ownership, this relaunch included a new look and image. The Auntie Anne's logo of a pretzel with a halo over it was established during that time.
Winners receive a crystal award engraved with the store name, a plaque and $1,000. The award money will be donated to the foundation for the Student Academic Success Center on behalf of the staff, Polich-Burns said.
Polich-Burns also said that not only did our Auntie Anne's win this award because it was in the top 5 percent; it was also in the top 5 percent of the top 5 percent, which means that out of 950 stores, it ranked about 47.5. And out of that 47.5, it ranked about 2.375.
Mary Robinson, director of the Morris University Center, said she is "elated" about the award.
"The staff here is very hard working, and for them to receive recognition is wonderful. Corporate really likes to hold them up as an example," Robinson said.
Auntie Anne's has 13 student workers, without whom Aldrich and Polich-Burns said the store would not have received the award.
"They're the reason we've won the award. It's quite a team I've got here," Aldrich said.
Polich-Burns said that the staff impresses her every day of the week with their commitment to everything that Auntie Anne's is founded on.
In addition to the two "Pretzel Perfect" awards, Aldrich was runner up for manager of the year for the Midwest region in 2004.
"We absolutely run the best Auntie Anne's in the area," said Polich-Burns.
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