Hardee's vs Hot Fries Franchise Comparison

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

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
Hardee's Franchise
Hot Fries Franchise
Investment $1,454,000 - $2,046,000$166,997 - $374,900
Franchise Fee $25,000 - $35,000$30,000
Royalty Fee 4%-
Advertising Fee 5.5%-
Year Founded 1961-
Year Franchised 1962-
Term Of Agreement 20 years-
Term Of Agreement 20 years-
Renewal Fee Varies-


Business Experience Requirements
 
Hardee's Franchise
Hot Fries Franchise
Experience
  • Industry experience
  • General business experience
  • Preferable operational experience in a restaurant, but will consider people who have owned their own business
    		• Strong Sales and Client Service Abilities • Good with Timing and Schedule Management • High Personal Standards • Able to Meet Initial Investment Requirements • Strong Sense of Integrity in Corporate and Client Relationships • A Willingness and Commitment to Excellent Service Targeted experiences for potential franchise owners may include: • Franchise Operations or Hospitality Service Industry Experience • Business Owner and/or Managerial Experience • Entrepreneurial team who wants to start a business

    Financing Options
     
    Hardee's Franchise
    Hot Fries 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
    Hot Fries Franchise
    Training Available at franchisee's location, 8 weeks management training & at grand opening2-3 Weeks of training at Hot Fries HQ in Southern California beginning approximately 8 weeks before the franchise is scheduled to open for business • 1 week of training at your location to get your business started • 2 sessions per year, which can be up to 2 days of refresher/update training or meetings in each session • Ongoing support and guidance in building and operating your business
    Support Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperativesWhen you join the Hot Fries team as a franchise owner, you will receive outstanding support in a number of different exciting areas: • Operational Support • Marketing Support • Purchasing Support • Accounting and Legal Support • Ongoing Research and Development
    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
    Hot Fries Franchise
    US Expansion YesYes
    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 Hot Fries

    Never heard “gooder” before? That’s okay, you’ve never seen an opportunity like this before, either. Maybe we’ve let all that seasonings go to our heads, but we like to stay on top of the trends by offering an extensive menu with a local edge that includes regionalized fries, chicken and drinks. Hot Fries is hot because we’re everything that mega corporations aren’t. Passionate people instead of cold-hearted committees. Cooked-with-care instead of made-by-
    machine. Got-your-back instead of stab-in-the-back. If this sounds like your kind of business, we’ll be proud to have you.

    We start with the finest potatoes, slice them for maximum crispiness, flash-fry them to a perfect golden brown, and hand-season them while they’re hot.
    That’s what turns regular fries into Hot Fries!

    Hot Fries came into existence in order to offer to the world the best potatoes ever. Beside the fries, we have formulated a variety of special seasonings to enhance your experience when enjoying our fries. Our packaging, in which we serve the fries, has been designed so that you can eat the fries while walking around or enjoy them while sitting. It is our goal that you enjoy the tastes offered by Hot Fries as well as the experience of choosing, ordering and consuming our specialties that feature no trans fat oils & support sustainable farming!