Me-N-Ed's Pizzerias vs Blackjack Pizza Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Me-N-Ed's Pizzerias vs Blackjack Pizza including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Me-N-Ed's Pizzerias Franchise
Blackjack Pizza Franchise
Investment $175,000 - $486,000$168,300 - $392,300
Franchise Fee $25,000$35,000
Royalty Fee 5%3%
Advertising Fee --
Year Founded 19581983
Year Franchised 19581988
Term Of Agreement -10 years
Term Of Agreement -10 years
Renewal Fee $1.5K$1K


Business Experience Requirements

 
Me-N-Ed's Pizzerias Franchise
Blackjack Pizza Franchise
Experience -
  • Industry experience
  • General business experience
  • Marketing skills

  • Financing Options

     
    Me-N-Ed's Pizzerias Franchise
    Blackjack Pizza Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/NoNo/Yes
    Start-up Costs No/NoNo/Yes
    Equipment No/NoNo/Yes
    Inventory No/NoNo/Yes
    Receivables No/NoNo/Yes
    Payroll No/NoNo/No

    Training & Support

     
    Me-N-Ed's Pizzerias Franchise
    Blackjack Pizza Franchise
    Training Available at headquarters, Available at franchisee's location, Opening supportOngoing assistance & classroom training available
    Support Newsletter, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperativesNewsletter, Meetings, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives
    Marketing Ad slicks, Regional advertisingCo-op advertising, Ad slicks, Regional advertising
    Operations 40% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 10 - 25

    Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed.

    25% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 15 - 30

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


    Expansion Plans

     
    Me-N-Ed's Pizzerias Franchise
    Blackjack Pizza Franchise
    US Expansion -Yes
    Canada Expansion NoNo
    International Expansion YesNo

    Company Overviews

    About Me-N-Ed's Pizzerias

    The pizza world has never been the same since the first Me-n-Ed oven was fired up in Sacramento, California, in 1958. Russ "Me" Johnson and Ed Sandlin didn't set out to build a pizza parlor empire - it just happened. From their modest beginnings, Russ and Ed began selling Me-n-Ed's franchises throughout California while operating their own restaurants around the San Francisco Bay area. Expanding into Fresno, Russ and Ed met Ben and Marcella Watters, who ran a boarding house and quickly became known for their frequent visits to Me-n-Ed's. As the story goes, during one particular visit, a potted plant in the restaurant caught Marcella's eye. She had to have it. When the owner refused to sell it to her, Marcella bought the entire restaurant. The plant was hers - along with the franchise rights to Me-n-Ed's. Marcella and Ben moved the restaurant from the original Fresno location to a new site on Blackstone Avenue and joined forces with Bob Cox, who worked with a local baker to perfect a recipe for Me-n-Ed's signature thin crust pizza dough, which has since become the stuff of legends. Through the mid-1960s, the Me-n-Ed's name continued to expand throughout Fresno and Orange County, along with a reputation for making some of the best pizza west of the Mississippi. In the summer of '62, Doug Price (Marcella's 15-year-old nephew) ventured to Fresno from North Battleford, Saskatchewan, to soak up the California sun and work at Me-n-Ed's. By the time Doug graduated three years later, his Aunt Marcella and Uncle Ben had moved to Orange County, where they were operating Me-n-Ed's restaurants previously owned by Bob Cox. Doug left the prairies and headed to Orange County to go to college, but his plans quickly changed, and he ended up where he really belonged - working for the family business, Me-n-Ed's. The Watters continued the Me-n-Ed's expansion into Santa Ana, Fullerton, Huntington Beach, Stanton and Long Beach. Then, in 1969, the Watters brought the Me-n-Ed's name north of the border to Burnaby, where the first Me-n-Ed's in Canada opened that summer - managed by 21-year-old co-owner Doug Price.' Before long, the Burnaby Me-n-Ed's had become a community fixture - albeit more of a pub than a restaurant. Customers would line up to listen to a honky-tonk piano and savour Me-n-Ed's now-famous pizza along with a cold beer. As other neighbourhood pubs began popping up through the years, the Me-n-Ed's atmosphere shifted to one of family, where it remains. Even now, some 50 years since Me-n-Ed's first came to Canada, you'll still find that same cozy, neighbourly feel that put us on the map - whether you're visiting a Me-n-Ed's in Burnaby, Abbotsford, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam or Langley.

    About Blackjack Pizza

    Blackjack Pizza was founded in 1983 by Vince Schmuhl. After working several years for Dominos Pizza, the founder felt that there was plenty of room for competitors in the fast growing pizza delivery business. At that time, Dominos Pizza was the only major player in the pizza delivery business in the Rocky Mountain region and he felt that customers would really appreciate an alternative to Dominos Pizza. The first Blackjack Pizza store was opened on June 29, 1983 in Federal Heights, CO. The second store opened in Greeley, CO in February of 1984. Vince continued to open new stores, mainly in the Denver Metro Area. By 1986, there were six corporate owned stores and one franchisee in operation. In 1988, Blackjack officially became a franchisor using the concept of an owner/operator franchisee at each store location. Several corporate stores were sold to franchisees, and other franchisees were added to the system through conversions of independent operators who saw the value in being part of Blackjack Pizza. We have continued to add franchise outlets to the system under a policy of slow, controlled growth. There are 45 stores in operation in four states.