Hardee's vs Whataburger Franchise Comparison

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

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
Hardee's Franchise
Whataburger Franchise
Investment $1,454,000 - $2,046,000$1,200,000
Franchise Fee $25,000 - $35,000N/A
Royalty Fee 4%-
Advertising Fee 5.5%-
Year Founded 19611950
Year Franchised 19620
Term Of Agreement 20 years-
Term Of Agreement 20 years-
Renewal Fee Varies-


Business Experience Requirements
 
Hardee's Franchise
Whataburger Franchise
Experience
  • Industry experience
  • General business experience
  • Preferable operational experience in a restaurant, but will consider people who have owned their own business
    		• -

    Financing Options
     
    Hardee's Franchise
    Whataburger Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/No-/-
    Start-up Costs No/No-/-
    Equipment No/No-/-
    Inventory No/No-/-
    Receivables No/No-/-
    Payroll No/No-/-

    Training & Support
     
    Hardee's Franchise
    Whataburger Franchise
    Training Available at franchisee's location, 8 weeks management training & at grand opening-
    Support Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives-
    Marketing Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, National media, Regional advertising-
    Operations Franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses; 100% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed.

    		-

    Expansion Plans
     
    Hardee's Franchise
    Whataburger Franchise
    US Expansion Yes-
    Canada Expansion No-
    International Expansion Yes-

    Company Overviews

    About Hardee's

    Hardee's was founded in 1960 by Wilbur Hardee and has grown to more than 2,000 restaurants around the world. CKE Restaurants acquired Hardee's in 1997 and now, along side Carl's Jr., Hardee's is part of one powerful concept with two global banners. Hardee's is a platform for success for operators around the world. Over the years, Hardee's has continued its growth with an emphasis on quality, service, and cleanliness, pioneering concepts such as partial table service and self-serve beverage bars. The introduction of our Fresh Baked Buns™ in 2013 and our All Natural Burger™ in 2015 confirm our constant emphasis on product innovation and represent our focus on satisfying the tastes of young, hungry consumers.

    ""    "Entrepreneur

    "franchiserankingscom"
    #74 on Franchise Rankings.com
    #79 in Franchise 500 for 2020.
    #269 in Franchise 500 for 2021.






    About Whataburger

    A Great Company, A Great Burger. Those simple ideas have guided us through more than 70 years of Whataburger history, which began in 1950 when Harmon Dobson opened the first Whataburger in Corpus Christi, Texas. From day one, Harmon believed that valuing his employees would ensure the success of the company, and he was right. What was once a two-man burger stand has grown to over 650 Whataburger locations across 10 states. We are an uncommon company within the burger industry, because we've never compromised the quality of our products and we genuinely respect our people. We are a family owned and operated company and everyone who works at Whataburger - from the home office to the restaurants - is referred to as a Family Member.

    Whataburger doesn’t demand any kind of royalty fee.