Abbott's Frozen Custard vs Happy Joe's Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Abbott's Frozen Custard vs Happy Joe's including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
Abbott's Frozen Custard Franchise
Happy Joe's Franchise
Investment $332,254 - $571,634$24,470 - $1,030,625
Franchise Fee $37,000$15,000 - $17,000
Royalty Fee 5.5%4.5%-5%
Advertising Fee 0.19Cents/Gal.1.5%
Year Founded 19021972
Year Franchised 19771973
Term Of Agreement 10 years15 years
Term Of Agreement 10 years15 years
Renewal Fee -10% of fee or $2K


Business Experience Requirements
 
Abbott's Frozen Custard Franchise
Happy Joe's Franchise
Experience -
  • General business experience
    		•

    Financing Options
     
    Abbott's Frozen Custard Franchise
    Happy Joe's Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/NoNo/Yes
    Start-up Costs No/NoNo/Yes
    Equipment No/NoNo/Yes
    Inventory No/NoNo/Yes
    Receivables No/NoNo/Yes
    Payroll No/NoNo/Yes

    Training & Support
     
    Abbott's Frozen Custard Franchise
    Happy Joe's Franchise
    Training 3 days at Scoop School and 10 days of on-site training at your location, where we teach you everything you need to know to operate and manage an Abbott's Frozen Custard store.On-The-Job Training: 300 hours Classroom Training: 40 hours
    Support Grand opening, Internet, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperativesPurchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software
    Marketing Co-op advertising, Ad slicksCo-op Advertising Ad Templates Regional Advertising Social media Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app
    Operations

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 4 - 6

    Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (80% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

    		 33% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 45

    Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

    Expansion Plans
     
    Abbott's Frozen Custard Franchise
    Happy Joe's Franchise
    US Expansion -Yes
    Canada Expansion NoNo
    International Expansion YesYes

    Company Overviews

    About Abbott's Frozen Custard

    Abbott's Frozen Custard has stood for quality for over 100 years in Upstate New York. Back in the 1920s, people started treating themselves to Abbott's Frozen Custard down at Charlotte Beach on Lake Ontario. Today, the company has grown with franchises spreading out in Rochester, Syracuse and New York's Finger Lakes region. No matter where our stores are located, success has come about because our driving principle is to make the best frozen custard on earth .

    The total investment necessary to begin operation of an Abbott’s Frozen Custard franchise is between $332,254 and $571,634. This includes an initial franchise fee of $37,000, and other initial fees of $138,354 to $156,801 that must be paid to the franchisor or affiliates for your first Abbott’s Store.
    If you choose to enter into a Development Agreement, you must open a minimum of three stores. The total investment necessary under the Development Agreement is between $996,762 to $1,714,902. This includes $111,000 and other initial fees of $415,062 to $470,403 that must be paid to the franchisor or affiliates to open three stores.

    About Happy Joe's

    Lawrence Joseph Whitty had worked in the bakery business for years before becoming an assistant manager at a Shakey's pizzeria. He decided to combine his baking skills with the experience he had gained from working at a pizza restaurant, where he would often hear families decide to go out for ice cream for dessert. Combining pizza and ice cream, Whitty opened the first Happy Joe's Pizza & Ice Cream Parlor in East Davenport, Iowa, in 1972. His signature item was the Happy Joe's Special, a pizza with Canadian bacon and sauerkraut that Whitty created from leftovers in his mother's kitchen. After a franchisee suggested adding tacos to the menu, Whitty created the restaurant's best-selling product, the Taco Pizza.

    Seeking new franchisees in the following regions/states:

     Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota and Wisconsin

    The total investment necessary to begin operations of a Happy Joe’s Full Size Restaurant or Happy Joe’s PizzaGrille Restaurant is $279,750 to $1,030,625. This includes $0 to $16,500 that must be paid to the franchisor or an affiliate.
    The total investment necessary to begin operations of a Happy Joe’s DELCO Facility is $164,500 to $423,000. This includes the $0 to $16,500 that must be paid to the franchisor or an affiliate.
    The total investment to begin operations of a Happy Joe’s Satellite ranges from $24,470 to $132,340. This includes the $0 to $16,500 paid to the franchisor or an affiliate.
    The total investment necessary to begin operations of a Happy Joe’s Area Developer business ranges from $17,625 to $94,100. This includes the development fee ranging from $15,000 to $45,000 that must be paid to the franchisor.