McDonald's vs Cousins Subs Franchise Comparison

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

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
McDonald's Franchise
Cousins Subs Franchise
Investment $1,314,500 - $2,306,500$119,200 - $300,800
Franchise Fee $45,000$25,000
Royalty Fee 4%6%
Advertising Fee 4%+2%
Year Founded 19551972
Year Franchised 19551985
Term Of Agreement 20 years10 years +10
Term Of Agreement 20 years10 years +10
Renewal Fee $45K-


Business Experience Requirements
 
McDonald's Franchise
Cousins Subs Franchise
Experience
  • Industry experience
  • General business experience
  • Marketing skills

  • Industry experience
  • General business experience
  • Marketing skills
  • People skills
    		•

    Financing Options
     
    McDonald's Franchise
    Cousins Subs Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/NoNo/Yes
    Start-up Costs No/NoNo/Yes
    Equipment No/YesNo/Yes
    Inventory No/NoNo/Yes
    Receivables No/NoNo/No
    Payroll No/NoNo/No

    Training & Support
     
    McDonald's Franchise
    Cousins Subs Franchise
    Training On-The-Job Training: 500 hours Classroom Training: 72 hours Additional Training: At local McDonald's restaurant On-The-Job Training: 185 hours Classroom Training: 53 hours Additional Training: 21 days training total
    Support Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Franchisee Intranet Platform
    Marketing Co-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social media SEO Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app Co-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social media SEO Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app
    Operations 82% of all franchisees own more than one unit

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

    		 10% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 20

    Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed.


    Expansion Plans
     
    McDonald's Franchise
    Cousins Subs Franchise
    US Expansion YesNo
    Canada Expansion NoNo
    International Expansion YesNo

    Company Overviews

    About McDonald's

    Ray Kroc, a milkshake mixer salesman, ventured to California in 1954 to visit McDonald's hamburger stand, where he heard they were running eight mixers at once. Kroc was impressed by how rapidly customers were served and, seeing an opportunity to sell many more milkshake machines, encouraged brothers Dick and Mac McDonald to open a chain of their restaurants. Kroc became their business partner and opened the first McDonald's in Des Plaines, Illinois in 1955.
    McDonald's brand is in 122 countries around the world. Thirty thousand locations serve 51 million customers each day. More than 70 percent of McDonald's restaurants around the world are owned and operated by independent local business people. Most standalone McDonald's restaurants offer both counter and drive-through service, with indoor and sometimes outdoor seating. The Drive-Thru, Auto-Mac, or McDrive as it is known in many countries, often has separate stations for placing, paying for, and picking up orders, though the former two steps are frequently combined. In some countries "McDrive" locations near highways offer no counter service or seating. In contrast, locations in high-density city neighborhoods often omit drive-through service.


    "Top   ""  "Entrepreneur

      "franchiserankingscom"                                                                                                                         
    #7 on Franchise Rankings.com                                                                                                                                                            
    #3 in Canada's top franchises.
    #3 in Franchise 500 for 2020
    #11 in Franchise 500 for 2021










    About Cousins Subs

    Great food. High quality. Good value. Committed. These are the words our guests and franchisees use to describe the Cousins Subs opportunity. Our guests love our food, and our franchisees respect our organization. Our vision of excellence is what keeps us growing and keeps our guests coming back on a regular basis. We are Cousins Subs , a leader in the growing QSR (Quick Service Restaurant) segment of the restaurant industry. Cousins Subs  competitive advantages include:
     - Being a cash business with low receivables and little inventory.
     - Having a multi-unit market penetration strategy.
     - Possessing an in-depth understanding of the future of our business and industry
     - Offering innovative and automated business systems.
     We invite you to visit several of our locations, and contact us to learn more. Whether you are interested in developing an entire market or to begin with a single unit franchise, Cousins Subs  is your franchise of choice!

    Seeking new franchisees in Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wisconsin

    Veteran Incentives  $5,000 off franchise fee