McDonald's vs Windmill Franchise Comparison

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

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
McDonald's Franchise
Windmill Franchise
Investment $1,314,500 - $2,306,500$127,500 - $322,500
Franchise Fee $45,000$27,500
Royalty Fee 4%5%
Advertising Fee 4%+4%
Year Founded 1955-
Year Franchised 1955-
Term Of Agreement 20 years10 years
Term Of Agreement 20 years10 years
Renewal Fee $45K-


Business Experience Requirements
 
McDonald's Franchise
Windmill Franchise
Experience
  • Industry experience
  • General business experience
  • Marketing skills
    		• -

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

    Training & Support
     
    McDonald's Franchise
    Windmill Franchise
    Training On-The-Job Training: 500 hours Classroom Training: 72 hours Additional Training: At local McDonald's restaurant The WindMill training program is designed to take you from the ground up. Each individual franchisee will receive a hand-tailored program based upon their prior knowledge. Training is conducted in a corporate-owned restaurant and a minimum of eighty hours is required.
    Support Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software -
    Marketing 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)

    		-

    Expansion Plans
     
    McDonald's Franchise
    Windmill Franchise
    US Expansion Yes-
    Canada Expansion No-
    International Expansion Yes-

    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 Windmill

    Your Own WindMill Franchise! Call 800-558-3608 for Franchise Information
    Nothing compares to the WindMill food experience and nothing will compare with the satisfaction that you will derive from being an owner of a WindMill franchise.
    Totally Committed to YOUR Success... The WindMill team is totally committed to your success and to the success of your restaurant. Our experts will be able to take you from beginner to expert in just thirty days! They will also be able to provide you with just the right amount of support during each phase of the opening. They are prepared to offer comprehensive support to those new to the industry, and to the more experienced franchisee, just the guidance and support unique to the WindMill operation.
    WindMill Gourmet Fast Food is simply that; "food that is of the highest quality and perfectly prepared. "WindMill private label Bigger! Better! Hot Dogs are prepared in a northern New Jersey plant and shipped to the WindMill Distribution Center. WindMill Fresh Meat 100% Beef Burgers are ground by local butchers and delivered directly to the stores on a day-to-day basis. The entree menu is rounded out by Charbroiled Gourmet Chicken Breasts, second to none; custom-cut Rib-Eye Steak Sandwiches; a limited variety of other tasty entree sandwiches and in some locations, fresh salads.
    Boasting almost as much popularity as the WindMill Hot Dogs are the WindMill French Fries. Our golden crinkle-cut fries smothered with savory cheese sauce (a tradition developed in the original WindMill over thirty years ago) has helped to put the WindMills in a fast food category all by themselves!