Golden Corral vs Browns Socialhouse Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Golden Corral vs Browns Socialhouse including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Golden Corral Franchise
Browns Socialhouse Franchise
Investment $2,700,795 - $7,037,915$2,000,000 - $2,500,000
Franchise Fee $50,000$50,000
Royalty Fee 4%6%
Advertising Fee 2.4%-
Year Founded 1973-
Year Franchised 1986-
Term Of Agreement 15 years-
Term Of Agreement 15 years-
Renewal Fee 15 years (plus two, 5-year renewal options)-


Business Experience Requirements

 
Golden Corral Franchise
Browns Socialhouse Franchise
Experience
  • Industry experience
  • (or must have partner with industry experience.)
  • A PROVEN TRACK RECORD + EXPERIENCE in the restaurant and hospitality industry. Passionate + highly motivated about running a business. That's how serious we are about partnering with only the best. We don't compromise on this because it's what our guests deserve.


    Financing Options

     
    Golden Corral Franchise
    Browns Socialhouse Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/No-/-
    Start-up Costs No/Yes-/-
    Equipment No/Yes-/-
    Inventory No/No-/-
    Receivables No/No-/-
    Payroll No/No-/-

    Training & Support

     
    Golden Corral Franchise
    Browns Socialhouse Franchise
    Training On-The-Job Training: 665 hours Classroom Training: 8.5 hours Additional Training: At company training location-
    Support Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform-
    Marketing National Media Regional Advertising Social media SEO Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app-
    Operations International franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses; 80% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 100

    Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. (90% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

    -

    Expansion Plans

     
    Golden Corral Franchise
    Browns Socialhouse Franchise
    US Expansion YesYes
    Canada Expansion NoYes
    International Expansion Yes-

    Company Overviews

    About Golden Corral

    Golden Corral restaurants began as budget steakhouses located principally in small cities from Virginia to Texas. In the mid-1980s, guest requests prompted Golden Corral to reinvent itself by introducing the Buffet & Grill Metro unit that features 160 hot and cold items, a carving station, and the Brass Bell Bakery, which offers rolls, muffins, cookies, pies and pizza made from scratch. The buffet was expanded in 2001 to include cooked-to-order sirloin steaks.

    The total investment necessary to begin operation of a restaurant ranges from $2,700,795 to $5,340,215 for the less expensive restaurant design, and from $3,453,379 to $7,037,915 for the more expensive restaurant design. This amount includes $51,400 to $4,482,285 that must or may be paid to the franchisor or its affiliates.

    #90 in Franchise 500 for 2020.

    About Browns Socialhouse

    Browns Restaurant Group offers a variety of partnership opportunities. We are uniquely social.
    Browns Socialhouse is designed to be highly competitive in smaller urban and suburban markets. We're big and aspirational enough to appeal to dedicated urbanites, yet small and "familiar" enough to ensure everyone feels welcome. We have a "secret formula" and below you'll get a sneak peek. Our main competitive advantages include: 1. Site Placement: because of our smaller footprint, Browns Socialhouses can pop up in places where many other brands simply won't fit. Being smaller, we can target "A" locations without the burden of a huge rental factor. For Guests, Browns' smaller footprint provides for a much warmer overall experience. How many people would rather see a band play in a stadium than a club? Exactly. At Browns, our Guests and team members come together and are all part of the action. This makes for a truly social eating, drinking and working experience! 2. Efficiency: building and up-keep costs stay relatively low because of Browns' smaller footprint, and Socialhouses are efficiently designed to require less staff (which lowers labour costs). 3. Kitchen + Menu: Regular menu updates keep our offerings fresh while ensuring solid margins for franchisees and excellent perceived value for Guests. Our Culinary Mission is to produce great-looking menu items with delicious, approachable flavour profiles that can be prepared consistently and cost-effectively across the system. Our Chefs embrace the role of "part menu developer" and "part quality controller," and they're constantly tasting, testing and re-evaluating current menu items for quality, consistency and Guest acceptance. 4. Bar + Lounge: Central to the Socialhouse concept is a signature bar that brings life and energy to the entire operation. Our great selection of drinks delivers great value to Guests. As with our Menu Program, drink pricing is set aggressively to enable financial targets. 5. Owner-Operator Focus: We ensure every Socialhouse we open is owned and operated by someone dedicated to the community it serves. We are able to deliver excellent product and service required to provide a "WOW Experience" to our Guests. Each and every time. Using sophisticated systems and partnering with savvy Franchisees, Browns Restaurant Group successfully competes with independent restaurants and larger chains in local markets.