A & W Restaurants vs Char-Hut Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of A & W Restaurants vs Char-Hut including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
A & W Restaurants Franchise
Char-Hut Franchise
Investment $269,000 - $1,213,000$250,000 - $500,000
Franchise Fee $15,000 - $30,000$30,000
Royalty Fee 5%-
Advertising Fee 5%-
Year Founded 19191976
Year Franchised 19251976
Term Of Agreement 20 years-
Term Of Agreement 20 years-
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements
 
A & W Restaurants Franchise
Char-Hut Franchise
Experience
  • Industry experience
  • General business experience
  • Marketing skills
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    Financing Options
     
    A & W Restaurants Franchise
    Char-Hut 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
     
    A & W Restaurants Franchise
    Char-Hut Franchise
    Training Before your restaurant opens, we provide six weeks of intensive in-store training for you and, in some instances, your key management people. The training takes place at an established A&W restaurant, usually in the same province where the restaurant will be located. From being shown the secrets of battering and breading A&W's handmade onion rings, to learning detailed information about how to create an efficient operation and positive work environment, you'll gain the knowledge and the confidence to achieve success in your own restaurant.

    Our development program begins at Char-Hut headquarters in South Florida where we train you on everything you'll need to build a solid foundation in the specialty burger business using the proven-successful methods that have made Char-Hut prosper for over 30 years. Additionally, we give you extensive ongoing training in your own location and market on effective and precise operational procedures. Most importantly, our senior staff will personally stand by your side to assist you in implementing our proven methods for operations management, hiring procedures and regional business development through networking and direct interaction with community leadership and influential consumer groups in your area. We will teach you all the skills you need to build a strong regional and local presence for your business which translates to more business for your Char-Hut!
    Support The moment you become an A&W franchisee, you can expect complete and unrivaled support for your business and the A&W brand, all with the sole purpose of helping you to succeed. Operational support As your A&W restaurant settles into its regular routine, A&W business managers provide ongoing guidance with operational aspects of your business such as staffing, cost management and local marketing. Our business managers are an extraordinarily experienced team of senior managers whose job is to help you succeed. You'll also be invited to attend regular regional meetings and national conventions, where you'll gain new knowledge and share ideas with senior management and other A&W franchisees. In no time, you'll become a part of our energetic, results-oriented A&W team. Internal communication With over 50 years of experience as a franchise company in Canada, we have learned that communication is a crucial element of any successful franchise organization. The A&W Xchange, a private intranet site developed exclusively for the use of A&W operators and Head Office personnel, provides an outstanding vehicle for daily, real-time communication within the A&W family. You will also have access to a toll-free line for use in contacting Head Office. Internal standards boards and councils Decisions about ongoing operating standards and menu content are conducted through our Standards Board, an executive body comprised of franchisees elected in their region and a number of senior corporate managers. In a similar way, decisions about advertising expenditures and national promotional programs are made by a group of elected franchisees and corporate personnel who serve on our National Advertising Advisory Council. These two bodies give strong evidence of how, by working together, we develop marketing and operational programs that will help grow your business.

    *Operations management and support *Senior staff onsite support *Direct business management *Corporate website management *SEO for your territory and location *Toll-free technical support *Networking with other system owners *Co-op marketing *Operations manuals *Technical data and forms *New prospect leads *Strategic vendor relationships

    Marketing

    Local store marketing is not just a catchphrase around the A&W family, but a way of life. Each restaurant is unique, and will have a marketing plan tailored to fit it. We understand that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. The A&W Marketing Team and each restaurant's Franchise Growth Leader work one-on-one with Franchise Partners to help develop a marketing strategy, budget, and implementation tactics.

    *Char-Hut has defined and developed a proven local, community-oriented marketing and business development systems. *Our web marketing and local advertising campaigns create loyal customers that produce high margin, repeat business. *Our brand, business model and community-oriented approach will help you develop your local market presence and community relationships that will support and build your business.

    Operations Franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses

    Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed.

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    Expansion Plans
     
    A & W Restaurants Franchise
    Char-Hut Franchise
    US Expansion -Yes
    Canada Expansion No-
    International Expansion Yes-

    Company Overviews

    About A & W Restaurants

    In 1919, our founder Roy Allen set up a roadside drink stand in Lodi, California to introduce a new beverage called "root beer" at a parade honoring returning World War I veterans. With his creation an instant success, Allen and partner Frank Wright named the beverage we know today as A&W Root Beer. Allen and Wright started franchising roadside stands, making A&W Restaurants the oldest franchise restaurant chain in the country. We are proud to stick to our roots and honor the past, while still growing with the changing times. We are committed to making it right, every time. Laughter, simple pleasures, and celebrations are all vital to A&W. Ask around, everyone has an A&W memory: first dates, baby mugs of Root Beer, high school sweethearts, and that perfect burger. We're more than just a place for a frosty mug of Root Beer and a great meal. We're A&W Restaurants, and we're inviting you to be part of something bigger than just owning a business. We're inviting you to be part of the A&W family. Create your very own A&W memories for yourself and your community. Consider this a unique opportunity to join a 96-year-old iconic American brand being run with the entrepreneurial spirit of a startup company. Since December 2011, when A&W was purchased by a partnership of domestic and international franchisees, A&W set its sight on becoming a world class franchise organization. Over the last 3 years, we've invested our resources in defining a competitive brand strategy that impacts all consumer touch points and has us well-positioned to capitalize on our heritage while remaining relevant to today's consumer. From new menu launches like our delicious Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders and right-sized Mini Polar Swirls to our flexible localized marketing strategies, we are committed to innovation that will bring us another successful 101 years.

    The total investment necessary to begin operation, not including rent or land costs, is $886,000 to $1,397,000 for a Freestanding Restaurant;  416,000 to $977,000 for a Inline Restaurant; and $276,000 to $680,500 for a Captive Restaurant. This includes $15,000 to $30,000 plus an additional $35,000 if you agree to develop 3 restaurants or $50,000 if you agree to develop 5 restaurants that must be paid to the franchisor or its affiliates.

    "Top   ""
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    #7 in Canada's Top franchises.
    In Franchise Business Reviews Top 200.
    #290 in Franchise 500 for 2020.






    About Char-Hut

    Char-Hut is a recognized regional innovator in the specialty burger industry throughout Southern Florida. Our reputation has been built on our service, amazing product quality, the customer experience and commitment to creating a truly memorable experience for every customer who visits a Char-Hut location. We do this by striving to provide the best customer service in the specialty burger industry and treating our customers like we would our own family members when they come to see us. Char-Hut has built the company based on focusing on the specialty burger market in addition to differentiating itself as a true, family-based burger restaurant using natural, genuine specialty burger meat and products that are chosen to offer only the best tastes, smells and experience for the customer.Char-Hut provides highly successful business opportunities for QSR high-end burger operations and food service entrepreneurs and business professionals who would like to start a business in this thriving industry. We are looking for motivated individuals interested in owning and operating a high volume, high margin specialty burger restaurant operation in their market. Once a Char-Hut franchise is located, our senior staff becomes 100% committed to that individual location and store's success. When you join the Char-Hut family, we consider our senior staff's accessibility and directly accountability to be good business for us simply because it is the only way we derive revenues, financial growth and overall success for the brand. We MUST make you successful as part of the Char-Hut family.Char-Hut products and specialty cooking process are in very high demand as more Specialty Burger Franchisepeople are choosing to spend the extra dollars on higher quality food products and want more from their burgers than ever before. According to US Foods, "Burger consumption up considerably since 2009, with nearly half of today's consumers saying they eat a burger at least once a week, compared with fewer than four out of 10 two years ago. This growth is seen across all restaurant segments. Out of all of the top entree categories, burgers were represented by the greatest number of new items. Quick-service value menus are certainly a big part of this increase in burger consumption. But the specialty burger craze has also driven growth despite - or perhaps even because of - the higher prices these burgers command. Quick-service chains have begun to respond to the growing demand for premium burgers." We provide customers with a comfortable and inviting environment along with menu items and product lines to create the perfect specialty burger experience. Our franchisees will be successful due to our proven operational methods and effective marketing models. Through superior training, technical guidance and in-territory support, we will help you in building your own Char-Hut business.