Virginia Barbeque vs Hickory River Smokehouse Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Virginia Barbeque vs Hickory River Smokehouse including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
Virginia Barbeque Franchise
Hickory River Smokehouse Franchise
Investment $81,500 - $221,500$400,000 - $800,000
Franchise Fee $15,000$18,000
Royalty Fee 6%4%
Advertising Fee --
Year Founded 20002006
Year Franchised 20042006
Term Of Agreement 10 years-
Term Of Agreement 10 years-
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements
 
Virginia Barbeque Franchise
Hickory River Smokehouse Franchise
Experience
  • Industry experience
  • General business experience
  • Marketing skills
    		• -

    Financing Options
     
    Virginia Barbeque Franchise
    Hickory River Smokehouse Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees Yes/No-/-
    Start-up Costs No/No-/-
    Equipment No/No-/-
    Inventory No/No-/-
    Receivables No/No-/-
    Payroll No/No-/-

    Training & Support
     
    Virginia Barbeque Franchise
    Hickory River Smokehouse Franchise
    Training --
    Support Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations-
    Marketing Co-op advertising, Regional advertising-
    Operations 0% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 6 - 6

    Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (75% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

    		-

    Expansion Plans
     
    Virginia Barbeque Franchise
    Hickory River Smokehouse Franchise
    US Expansion Yes-
    Canada Expansion No-
    International Expansion No-

    Company Overviews

    About Virginia Barbeque

    Richard Ivey, the founder of Virginia Barbeque, has been a Certified Executive Chef since 2003, with over 30 years of experience in the restaurant industry. Richard's goal was to create a business that would not only create his success, but create a business that he could share to help others do the same. His desire for "success larger than life" compelled him to create the Virginia Barbeque franchise system. Richard also wanted to create a lifestyle that worked for owners, staff and customers. Operational hours are generally from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Our model has been specifically designed to be family friendly to our customers and the franchise owner. Virginia Barbecue offers financial opportunity, freedom, and quality of life to those who desire success while offering a superior product to consumers.

    About Hickory River Smokehouse

    To understand why Hickory River Smokehouse, a small, quickservice restaurant chain based in Tipp City OH, Champaign-Urbana IL, is without a doubt one of the Best Undiscovered Franchises in our solar system, you need to understand two things. The first is Barbecue. The second is Brad & Krista Bowman. What you need to know is that Barbecue is a religion. There is no more passionate of a congregation than the devotees of Barbecue.
    Hickory River Smokehouse serves real Texas barbecue, in the tradition of the legendary barbecue pits that Brad, literally, visited and studied from one end of the Lone Star state to the other.
    The Bowmans created Hickory River Smokehouse to provide authentic, incredible Texas-style barbecue to the rest of the country without compromising flavor or quality. A powerful advantage of the Hickory River Smokehouse concept and product line is its suitability for both take-out and off-premise catering business, two of the most highly prized revenue centers in the restaurant industry. To find out more about this tasty opportunity, you need to contact Brad Bowman or request some more information right away. But be forewarned: you may gain a few pounds before you even get through training. Voted as one of the Top 10 Best Undiscovered Franchises by IdeaFarm, Hickory River Smokehouse and its "Real Texas Barbecue" may be your true ground-floor opportunity to join a Brand with broad appeal and unlimited growth potential. By smoking all meats on site, we create the most tender, flavorful meats possible, then serve it with our proprietary Texas-style barbecue sauce. With complete support, begin building your net worth with our unique concept and be an entrepreneur.