Rita's vs Happy Joe's Franchise Comparison
Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Rita's vs Happy Joe's including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.
Start-Up Costs and Fees |
| Investment |
$15,100 - $435,000 | $24,470 - $1,030,625 |
| Franchise Fee |
$10,000 - $30,000 | $15,000 - $17,000 |
| Royalty Fee |
6.5% | 4.5%-5% |
| Advertising Fee |
3% | 1.5% |
| Year Founded |
1984 | 1972 |
| Year Franchised |
1989 | 1973 |
| Term Of Agreement |
10 years | 15 years |
| Term Of Agreement |
10 years | 15 years |
| Renewal Fee |
50% of current franchise fee | 10% of fee or $2K |
Business Experience Requirements |
| Experience |
- |
General business experience |
Financing Options |
| |
In-House/3rd Party | In-House/3rd Party |
| Franchise Fees |
No/No | No/Yes |
| Start-up Costs |
No/Yes | No/Yes |
| Equipment |
No/Yes | No/Yes |
| Inventory |
No/No | No/Yes |
| Receivables |
No/No | No/Yes |
| Payroll |
No/No | No/Yes |
Training & Support |
| Training |
5 days at Cool University and 4 days on site | On-The-Job Training: 300 hours
Classroom Training: 40 hours
|
| Support |
Cool Support Center, newsletter, meetings, toll-free phone line, grand opening, security/safety procedures, field operations/evaluations | Purchasing Co-ops
Newsletter
Meetings/Conventions
Grand Opening
Online Support
Security/Safety Procedures
Field Operations
Site Selection
Proprietary Software
|
| Marketing |
Ad slicks, National media, Regional advertising | Co-op Advertising
Ad Templates
Regional Advertising
Social media
Website development
Email marketing
Loyalty program/app |
| Operations |
50% of all franchisees own more than one unit Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: average 2 full-time, 15 part-time |
33% of all franchisees own more than one unit Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 45
Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators) |
Expansion Plans |
| US Expansion |
Yes | Yes |
| Canada Expansion |
No | No |
| International Expansion |
No | Yes |
Company Overviews
About Rita's
From a small porch front in 1984 in Northeast Philadelphia and a seasonal phenomenon, Rita's continues to see unprecedented growth as it continues to grow across the nation becoming a year round spectacular with its cult-like following. Rita's - made fresh daily - Italian ice obsession is hitting everyone's taste buds and creating a passion not just for the brand but the opportunity to become a Rita's Italian ice franchise owner. It's no wonder we are wired for success and fueled up for our expansion not only across the nation, but internationally we are making our presence known.
Rita's franchisees come from all walks of life with one thing in common - the desire to choose their own destiny with a proven system providing on-going support; not to mention all having a passion for Rita's cool treats and foregoing happiness.
There's no better time than today to begin evaluating the Rita's business model. Why not get a taste of success and view our fresh and desirable products!
The total investment necessary to begin operation of a standard
Rita’s shop is between $175,500 and $435,000. These figures include
between $50,000 to $55,000 that must be paid to the franchisor or its
affiliate.
The total investment necessary to begin operation of an
express Rita’s shop is between $121,100 and $309,900. These figures
include between $33,000 to $33,500 that must be paid to the franchisor
or its affiliate.
If you enter into an agreement for a standard Rita’s
shop or express Rita’s shop, we may offer you the opportunity to enter
into an addendum to operate a Rita’s satellite shop and/or a Rita’s
mobile unit.
The total investment necessary to begin operation of a
Rita’s satellite shop is between $131,550 and $296,400. These figures
include between $19,200 to $25,500 that must be paid to the franchisor
or its affiliate.
The total investment necessary to begin operation of a
Rita’s mobile unit is between $15,100 and $144,600. These figures
include between $10,000 to $13,000 that must be paid to the franchisor
or its affiliate.
About Happy Joe's
Lawrence Joseph Whitty had worked in the bakery business for years before becoming an assistant manager at a Shakey's pizzeria. He decided to combine his baking skills with the experience he had gained from working at a pizza restaurant, where he would often hear families decide to go out for ice cream for dessert. Combining pizza and ice cream, Whitty opened the first Happy Joe's Pizza & Ice Cream Parlor in East Davenport, Iowa, in 1972. His signature item was the Happy Joe's Special, a pizza with Canadian bacon and sauerkraut that Whitty created from leftovers in his mother's kitchen. After a franchisee suggested adding tacos to the menu, Whitty created the restaurant's best-selling product, the Taco Pizza.
Seeking new franchisees in the following regions/states:
Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota and Wisconsin
The total investment necessary to begin operations of a Happy Joe’s Full
Size Restaurant or Happy Joe’s PizzaGrille Restaurant is $279,750 to
$1,030,625. This includes $0 to $16,500 that must be paid to the
franchisor or an affiliate.
The total investment necessary to begin
operations of a Happy Joe’s DELCO Facility is $164,500 to $423,000. This
includes the $0 to $16,500 that must be paid to the franchisor or an
affiliate.
The total investment to begin operations of a Happy Joe’s
Satellite ranges from $24,470 to $132,340. This includes the $0 to
$16,500 paid to the franchisor or an affiliate.
The total investment necessary to begin operations of a Happy Joe’s Area
Developer business ranges from $17,625 to $94,100. This includes the
development fee ranging from $15,000 to $45,000 that must be paid to the
franchisor.
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