Cafe Fondue vs Au Bon Pain Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Cafe Fondue vs Au Bon Pain including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
Cafe Fondue Franchise
Au Bon Pain Franchise
Investment $136,000 - $307,000$2,000,000 - $3,000,000
Franchise Fee $35,000$30,000
Royalty Fee 4%5%
Advertising Fee -2% Marketing commitment
Year Founded 1996-
Year Franchised 2003-
Term Of Agreement Varies-
Term Of Agreement Varies-
Renewal Fee $2.5K-


Business Experience Requirements
 
Cafe Fondue Franchise
Au Bon Pain Franchise
Experience
  • General business experience
    		• -

    Financing Options
     
    Cafe Fondue Franchise
    Au Bon Pain Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees Yes/No-/-
    Start-up Costs No/No-/-
    Equipment No/Yes-/-
    Inventory No/No-/-
    Receivables No/No-/-
    Payroll No/No-/-

    Training & Support
     
    Cafe Fondue Franchise
    Au Bon Pain Franchise
    Training --
    Support Newsletter, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives-
    Marketing Co-op advertising-
    Operations

    Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed.

    		-

    Expansion Plans
     
    Cafe Fondue Franchise
    Au Bon Pain Franchise
    US Expansion --
    Canada Expansion No-
    International Expansion No-

    Company Overviews

    About Cafe Fondue

    Caf� Fondue was founded by Jae and Glenn Ford, in Merrillville, IN in 1997. Jae who had lived in Europe for over 12 years, had a passion to enable those who have had fondue while in Europe, to once again remember the ambience and taste experience here at home. She also believed that others would appreciate fondue as it was meant to be served and enjoyed. Since opening in 1997 Caf� Fondue has expanded it menu to over 36 selections, and we are continuing to evaluate new additions to our menu. Caf� Fondue offer’s a unique dining experience in which our guests, can relax and enjoy the European atmosphere, friendly service and an unforgettable taste experience. At Caf� Fondue quality service and customer satisfaction are our primary objectives. We encourage any potential franchisee to come and experience Caf� Fondue. You won't be disappointed. Contact us today to setup your visit.

    About Au Bon Pain

    Because we want to prepare our franchise partners for optimal success from the beginning, we only sign Area Development Agreements (ADA) based on a territorial market with a minimum unit potential of 10-20 locations. (We do not sell single unit agreements.) This ADA multi-unit potential enables our franchisees to build a significant business in an area with solid earnings potential. In order to be considered for an Au Bon Pain franchise, you must have the financial and management resources necessary to develop multiple cafes
    Criteria include: * Open cafes in one of the listed expansion areas. * Offer quality real estate sites in the selected territory. * Sign an ADA for a minimum of 10 units. * Have a liquid net worth of $350k per unit, or approximately $2-3M. * Provide poof of financing from a bank or other financial institution. * Offer multi-unit restaurant business experience. * Offer an established management infrastructure within the market you wish to franchise. * Willingness to adhere to the Au Bon Pain system. * A strong desire to succeed, work hard and be part of a winning team.