Captain Tony's vs Culver Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Captain Tony's vs Culver including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Captain Tony's Franchise
Culver Franchise
Investment $197,550 - $389,800$2,349,000 - $5,356,000
Franchise Fee $10,000 - $20,000$55,000
Royalty Fee 4.5% w/cap4%
Advertising Fee 2%2.5%
Year Founded 19721984
Year Franchised 19851988
Term Of Agreement 20 years15 years
Term Of Agreement 20 years15 years
Renewal Fee -$30K


Business Experience Requirements

 
Captain Tony's Franchise
Culver Franchise
Experience --

Financing Options

 
Captain Tony's Franchise
Culver Franchise
  In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
Franchise Fees No/YesNo/Yes
Start-up Costs No/YesNo/Yes
Equipment No/YesNo/Yes
Inventory No/YesNo/Yes
Receivables No/YesNo/Yes
Payroll No/YesNo/Yes

Training & Support

 
Captain Tony's Franchise
Culver Franchise
Training On-The-Job Training: up to 168 hours-
Support Purchasing Co-ops Toll-Free Line Online Support Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform Newsletter, Meetings, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives
Marketing Social media SEO Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app Ad slicks, National media, Regional advertising
Operations Absentee Ownership Allowed

Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 5 - 10

100% of current franchisees are owner/operators

30% of all franchisees own more than one unit

Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 40 - 50

Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators)


Expansion Plans

 
Captain Tony's Franchise
Culver Franchise
US Expansion -Yes
Canada Expansion NoNo
International Expansion YesNo

Company Overviews

About Captain Tony's

Michael J. Martella always believed his father's pizza was the best in the world. When the elder Martella, Antonio, opened the first Captain Tony's Pizza & Pasta Emporium in 1972, everyone in the family pitched in. When Michael graduated from college and began a career as a stockbroker, the pizzas he tried as he traveled around the country just didn't measure up to his father's. Realizing they had a superior product and concept, Michael tried to convince his father to expand the company, but Antonio wasn't interested. In 1987, Michael founded Captain Tony's Inc. and began franchising the restaurant. Each Captain Tony's location serves a variety of entrre and dessert pizzas, submarine sandwiches, pastas and salads. The franchise has restaurants in Great Britain as well as the United States.

Seeking new franchisees throughout the U.S. , Asia, Canada, Central America, Middle East, Mexico, Philippines, South America and Western Europe

About Culver

After working with his parents in their restaurants, Craig Culver decided it was time to open one for himself. In 1984 Culver, with the help of his wife Lea and parents George and Ruth, transformed the A&W his parents owned since the sixties into Culver's Frozen Custard. Its founder's family inspired the menu for the initial Sauk City, Wisconsin, restaurant. When Culver's mother made hamburgers, she would put a dab of butter on the crown of the hamburger buns before toasting them; something her children felt made them taste better. Today, employees at each Culver's location use the same technique when making their ButterBurgers. There are Culver's locations in twelve states. All Culver's franchisees are owner/operators.
 
We’re looking for leaders with the initiative and skills to take a team of people and operate a Culver’s according to our high standards. You need energy and enthusiasm. You have to be willing to work hard. You have to love people and believe, as we do, that having a great heart is also good business.

Culver’s has grown to over 500 restaurants in 22 states.

Culver's is leading the way in the industry and in our communities. If you are craving a restaurant business made to order for you, where your financial success is directly related to how well you and your team execute against Culver’s mission that every guest who chooses Culver’s leaves happy, we invite you to consider becoming a Culver’s franchisee.

Seeking new franchise units in: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming

"Entrepreneur


#9 in Franchise 500 for 2020.
#5 in Franchise 500 for 2021