Burger King vs A & W Restaurants Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Burger King vs A & W Restaurants including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Burger King Franchise
A & W Restaurants Franchise
Investment $333,100 - $3,398,600$269,000 - $1,213,000
Franchise Fee $50,000$15,000 - $30,000
Royalty Fee 4.5%5%
Advertising Fee 4%5%
Year Founded 19541919
Year Franchised 19611925
Term Of Agreement 20 years20 years
Term Of Agreement 20 years20 years
Renewal Fee $50K-


Business Experience Requirements

 
Burger King Franchise
A & W Restaurants Franchise
Experience
  • Industry experience
  • General business experience
  • Marketing skills

  • Industry experience
  • General business experience
  • Marketing skills

  • Financing Options

     
    Burger King Franchise
    A & W Restaurants Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/NoNo/No
    Start-up Costs No/NoNo/No
    Equipment No/NoNo/No
    Inventory No/NoNo/No
    Receivables No/NoNo/No
    Payroll No/NoNo/No

    Training & Support

     
    Burger King Franchise
    A & W Restaurants Franchise
    Training Before the opening of the Restaurant, franchisees must successfully complete the franchisor's training program. The training program is held in Miami, Florida or other locations specified by the franchisor. In-Restaurant Training will be held in various Restaurant locations that have been authorized as Training Restaurants. The franchisor may require additional training programs for individual Owner/Operators or Managing Directors to implement current operations, standards, and procedures and to facilitate the growth and changes of the franchisee. The franchisor also makes available and sometimes requires periodic workshops and seminars for managers, which include management courses and updating of operational skills. The franchisor will provide Pre-opening and Restaurant opening assistance as it deems appropriate. The franchisor also provides continuing operations training programs, which franchisees (as an Operating Partner, Managing Director, Director of Operations, or Managing Owner, as applicable) may be required to attend. For certain training courses, franchisees must pay a course or materials fee to the franchisor or third parties. The franchisor may make changes and revisions to the training program, locations or materials at any time.Before your restaurant opens, we provide six weeks of intensive in-store training for you and, in some instances, your key management people. The training takes place at an established A&W restaurant, usually in the same province where the restaurant will be located. From being shown the secrets of battering and breading A&W's handmade onion rings, to learning detailed information about how to create an efficient operation and positive work environment, you'll gain the knowledge and the confidence to achieve success in your own restaurant.
    Support Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluationsThe moment you become an A&W franchisee, you can expect complete and unrivaled support for your business and the A&W brand, all with the sole purpose of helping you to succeed. Operational support As your A&W restaurant settles into its regular routine, A&W business managers provide ongoing guidance with operational aspects of your business such as staffing, cost management and local marketing. Our business managers are an extraordinarily experienced team of senior managers whose job is to help you succeed. You'll also be invited to attend regular regional meetings and national conventions, where you'll gain new knowledge and share ideas with senior management and other A&W franchisees. In no time, you'll become a part of our energetic, results-oriented A&W team. Internal communication With over 50 years of experience as a franchise company in Canada, we have learned that communication is a crucial element of any successful franchise organization. The A&W Xchange, a private intranet site developed exclusively for the use of A&W operators and Head Office personnel, provides an outstanding vehicle for daily, real-time communication within the A&W family. You will also have access to a toll-free line for use in contacting Head Office. Internal standards boards and councils Decisions about ongoing operating standards and menu content are conducted through our Standards Board, an executive body comprised of franchisees elected in their region and a number of senior corporate managers. In a similar way, decisions about advertising expenditures and national promotional programs are made by a group of elected franchisees and corporate personnel who serve on our National Advertising Advisory Council. These two bodies give strong evidence of how, by working together, we develop marketing and operational programs that will help grow your business.
    Marketing Co-op advertising, National media, Regional advertising

    Local store marketing is not just a catchphrase around the A&W family, but a way of life. Each restaurant is unique, and will have a marketing plan tailored to fit it. We understand that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. The A&W Marketing Team and each restaurant's Franchise Growth Leader work one-on-one with Franchise Partners to help develop a marketing strategy, budget, and implementation tactics.

    Operations - Franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses

    Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed.


    Expansion Plans

     
    Burger King Franchise
    A & W Restaurants Franchise
    US Expansion --
    Canada Expansion NoNo
    International Expansion YesYes

    Company Overviews

    About Burger King

    In 1954, James McLamore and David Edgerton opened the first Burger King restaurant in Miami; selling 18 cent broiled hamburgers and milkshakes. Three years later, the company's signature Whopper was introduced, selling for 37 cents a piece. Today Burger King restaurants serve chicken nuggets, salads, a breakfast menu and kids meals. In 1998, the company opened its 10,000th location in Sydney, Australia.

    The franchise granted can be operated at one of three locations and facility types:
    1. Institutional Locations: “Institutional locations” include government buildings and facilities, medical facilities, airports, train and bus stations, sports facilities, factories, corporate campuses, turnpikes, limited access toll roads, theme parks, zoos and educational facilities.
    2. Traditional Burger King Restaurant Facility: A self-contained, full size Burger King Restaurant which is located and operated on a site as a freestanding building or within another building structure such as a shopping mall. A Traditional Burger King Restaurant does not share any common areas with any other businesses and serves the standard approved menu for Burger King Restaurants.
    3. Non-Traditional Burger King Facility: A Burger King Restaurant may be located at a site which includes other businesses, such as retail, food service, gas stations, convenience stores, other franchised businesses or restaurants or other similar facilities.
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    #37 in Canada's top franchises.



    About A & W Restaurants

    In 1919, our founder Roy Allen set up a roadside drink stand in Lodi, California to introduce a new beverage called "root beer" at a parade honoring returning World War I veterans. With his creation an instant success, Allen and partner Frank Wright named the beverage we know today as A&W Root Beer. Allen and Wright started franchising roadside stands, making A&W Restaurants the oldest franchise restaurant chain in the country. We are proud to stick to our roots and honor the past, while still growing with the changing times. We are committed to making it right, every time. Laughter, simple pleasures, and celebrations are all vital to A&W. Ask around, everyone has an A&W memory: first dates, baby mugs of Root Beer, high school sweethearts, and that perfect burger. We're more than just a place for a frosty mug of Root Beer and a great meal. We're A&W Restaurants, and we're inviting you to be part of something bigger than just owning a business. We're inviting you to be part of the A&W family. Create your very own A&W memories for yourself and your community. Consider this a unique opportunity to join a 96-year-old iconic American brand being run with the entrepreneurial spirit of a startup company. Since December 2011, when A&W was purchased by a partnership of domestic and international franchisees, A&W set its sight on becoming a world class franchise organization. Over the last 3 years, we've invested our resources in defining a competitive brand strategy that impacts all consumer touch points and has us well-positioned to capitalize on our heritage while remaining relevant to today's consumer. From new menu launches like our delicious Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders and right-sized Mini Polar Swirls to our flexible localized marketing strategies, we are committed to innovation that will bring us another successful 101 years.

    The total investment necessary to begin operation, not including rent or land costs, is $886,000 to $1,397,000 for a Freestanding Restaurant;  416,000 to $977,000 for a Inline Restaurant; and $276,000 to $680,500 for a Captive Restaurant. This includes $15,000 to $30,000 plus an additional $35,000 if you agree to develop 3 restaurants or $50,000 if you agree to develop 5 restaurants that must be paid to the franchisor or its affiliates.

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    #7 in Canada's Top franchises.
    In Franchise Business Reviews Top 200.
    #290 in Franchise 500 for 2020.