HuHot Mongolian Grill vs Pokeworks Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of HuHot Mongolian Grill vs Pokeworks including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
HuHot Mongolian Grill Franchise
Pokeworks Franchise
Investment $984,000 - $1,219,000$263,000 - $1,968,000
Franchise Fee $40,000$25,000 - $35,000
Royalty Fee 5%6%
Advertising Fee 0.5%1.5%
Year Founded 19992015
Year Franchised 20012016
Term Of Agreement 15 years-
Term Of Agreement 15 years-
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements

 
HuHot Mongolian Grill Franchise
Pokeworks Franchise
Experience

# Have a proven track record of business ownership & restaurant ownership that can contribute to the development of our brand

# Have local knowledge and expertise in the areas of consumer preferences, real estate, government regulations, labor, and distribution issues in the area in which you'll be franchising

# Have access to adequate capital

# Philosophically aligned

-

Financing Options

 
HuHot Mongolian Grill Franchise
Pokeworks Franchise
  In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
Franchise Fees No/No-/-
Start-up Costs No/No-/-
Equipment No/No-/-
Inventory No/No-/-
Receivables No/No-/-
Payroll No/No-/-

Training & Support

 
HuHot Mongolian Grill Franchise
Pokeworks Franchise
Training -On-The-Job Training: 40 hours Classroom Training: 40 hours Additional Training: At training center
Support Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluationsMeetings/Conventions Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, Regional advertisingCo-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social media SEO Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app
Operations 50% of all franchisees own more than one unit

Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 50

Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (50% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

Absentee Ownership Allowed Number of Employees Required to Run: 12

Expansion Plans

 
HuHot Mongolian Grill Franchise
Pokeworks Franchise
US Expansion -Yes
Canada Expansion No-
International Expansion NoYes

Company Overviews

About HuHot Mongolian Grill

HuHot Mongolian Grills, L.L.C. started with a Mongolian BBQ grill called Mongos Mongolian Grill in Missoula, Montana in June 1999. Since then, the concept has proven to be very successful and the company plans to rapidly expand. The name HuHot (the ancient capital of inner-Mongolia) was chosen for future and franchised restaurants. It’s trampling old notions of full-service dining. Warming lamps and steam tables lie smashed in its wake. At HuHot, diners customize their own meals by choosing from dozens of fresh vegetables, meats, noodles and sauces.

About Pokeworks

Pokéworks is a ground-breaking, healthy fast-casual restaurant concept that began on a rainy day in December of 2015 in a tiny location in Midtown Manhattan.  Today, it has grown into one of the largest and fastest growing poke brands in the nation and one we can proudly say is anchored almost entirely with multi-unit institutional franchisees.
Pokéworks was born on that quiet Winter day with a trickle of curious New Yorkers that wondered in to experience poke for the first time.  Weeks later, hundreds stood in line outside our tiny restaurant willing to wait 45 minutes or more to build their own poke burrito or bowl.  While more than 700 New Yorkers were enjoying our poke per day, our ground breaking “The ‘Sushi Burrito’ has hit NYC and its amazing” video went viral and received more than 42 million views. As a result, Pokéworks quickly became known worldwide as one of the leading poke franchise brands.

Media consensus is that Pokéworks’ extraordinary consumer appeal is fueled by the exceptional quality, efficiency and affordability of our healthy chef-driven menu.  Restaurateurs on the other hand marvel at our easy to execute menu as well as the simplicity of our kitchens with no hood, no deep frying and no in-ground grease trap requirement. While growing quickly with experienced multi-unit franchisees, Pokéworks has joined forces with Toridoll Holdings Corporation. The agreement with the $1.6 billion publicly traded restaurant giant (TYO: 3397) was specifically designed by both parties to leverage Toridoll’s considerable expertise in global brand development while allowing Pokéworks to maintain its successful founder-led focus and control. Our goal is to further solidify Pokéworks’ high-quality and affordable brand as the leader in the fast-growing poke segment world-wide.

The total investment necessary to begin operation of a Pokéworks franchised restaurant ranges between $263,000 to $661,000. This includes $35,000 that must be paid to the franchisor or its affiliates. If you enter into a Multiple Unit Development Agreement, you must commit to develop at least three restaurants for which the total investment necessary ranges between $774,000 to $1,968,000. This includes $90,000 that must be paid to the franchisor or its affiliates. The initial fee for each additional restaurant you commit to develop is $25,000.
Veteran Incentives  10% off franchise fee
#272 in Franchise 500 for 2021.   Not in Franchise 500 for 2020.