Golden Corral vs Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants Franchise Comparison

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

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Golden Corral Franchise
Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants Franchise
Investment $2,700,795 - $7,037,915$49,789,087 - $70,127,050
Franchise Fee $50,000$75,000
Royalty Fee 4%5%
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
Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants Franchise
Experience
  • Industry experience
  • (or must have partner with industry experience.)
  • -

    Financing Options

     
    Golden Corral Franchise
    Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants 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
    Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants 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
    Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants Franchise
    US Expansion YesYes
    Canada Expansion No-
    International Expansion YesYes

    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 Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants

    "Kimpton

    At Kimpton, it’s always personal. We focus on what it means to be human and an individual. You’ll quickly learn  Kimpton’s not just a hospitality job. Here, you’ll join a mission to make lives better. No biggie. The real you is a job requirement; your diverse background, talents, and quirks are what help our company connect meaningfully with our guests. You’ll lead your own personal career path while you help make each guest’s journey feel more personal. You won’t just punch a clock and count the hours; you’ll make it count.
    That’s why FORTUNE magazine has put  Kimpton on its “Best Companies To Work For” list nine times. It’s why we score 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index every year. Our guests feel it too - it’s why we’re consistently ranked as a best-loved hospitality company. Our thriving company culture, numerous hospitality career tracks, and rich benefits and perks also make us one of the best places to work. We take care of all of our people with great benefits, like paid time off; medical, dental, and vision plans; life, short-term, and long-term disability insurance; 401(k) with employer matching; 6 weeks paid paternity/maternity leave; back-up child and elder care; robust professional and personal development through our own  Kimpton University; and employee discounts at our 60+ hotels nationwide.
    Plus, we throw in some extra Kimpton-style perks, like wellness programs and, of course, pet insurance. We’re a best place to work because we’re driven by our passion for unscripted, heartfelt care. From the first whirl of a hula hoop at your employee orientation (yes, it happens) to every  Kimpton Moment thereafter, you’re going to love it here as much as our guests do.