Ronzio Pizza vs Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Ronzio Pizza vs Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Ronzio Pizza Franchise
Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen Franchise
Investment $134,000 - $183,000$295,000 - $750,000
Franchise Fee $15,000$49,500
Royalty Fee 4%7%
Advertising Fee -2%
Year Founded 19861992
Year Franchised 19921998
Term Of Agreement 10 years10 years+5
Term Of Agreement 10 years10 years+5
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements

 
Ronzio Pizza Franchise
Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen Franchise
Experience
  • General business experience
  • No Restaurant experience necessary but helpful Minimum financials are $175K to $400K in investment capital and a $600K to $1.0MM net worth

    Financing Options

     
    Ronzio Pizza Franchise
    Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/No-/Yes
    Start-up Costs No/No-/Yes
    Equipment No/No-/Yes
    Inventory No/No-/Yes
    Receivables No/No-/-
    Payroll No/No-/Yes

    Training & Support

     
    Ronzio Pizza Franchise
    Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen Franchise
    Training -8 Week GM & Key Supervisor Training and Certification
    Support Newsletter, Meetings, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives-
    Marketing Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, Regional advertising-
    Operations 20% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 12 - 15

    Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

    On site pre and post opening training and operational support with quarterly QA Visits.

    Expansion Plans

     
    Ronzio Pizza Franchise
    Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen Franchise
    US Expansion Yes-
    Canada Expansion No-
    International Expansion No-

    Company Overviews

    About Ronzio Pizza

    Pizza has widespread appeal and it is popular in all regions of the USA and in many foreign countries. It is a food without peer in its flexibility and its adaptability. Practically any taste can be satisfied with pizza from the traditional to the exotic can be accommodated with a simple variation. Pizza is an economical meal or snack and because it contains the four basic food groups, pizza is nutritious and good for you. Ron Paul, president of the Chicago based consulting firm Technomics sees the pizza category growing. The growth of local and regional companies is so significant that these newcomers may actually keep the big players from growing in some markets. The rapid growth of the home delivery food business has been accelerated by changes in sociological trends in America: the dramatic increase in the number of two income households and the continued increase in convenience being sought by consumers. According to restaurant industry analysts, the potentially lucrative at home market is where the greatest future potential lies. The growing popularity of home entertainment, coupled with the demand for convenience, spells opportunity for take-out and home delivered foods. Despite the intensification of competition from all quarters, most pizza operators express great optimism, and not without reason. Pizza continues to be enormously popular with a key demographic group: Baby Boomers and their kids. As a result of this trend, industry analysts cannot see this category slowing down much at all in the near future. Pizza offers good value, and delivers well, two key ingredients for success, given today's economics and lifestyle trends. All of the products sold in Ronzio Pizza Shops are prepared fresh in the shop each day. The pizza dough is made fresh in each shop several times each day and the pizzas are formed by hand. The products are prepared on the premises where the customers can see them being made and where possible the ingredients are displayed openly. The combination of the quality control advantages of on-site production in small batches and the use of the finest all natural ingredients produces a very high quality pizza. The sauce is made from a special recipe developed after comprehensive research and the cheese is a custom blend of 100% pure cheeses. The toppings are top quality and generously apportioned.

    About Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen

    Using the family recipe for hand-tossed dough, the sauce made from fresh-crushed California tomatoes, and imported Italian cheese blends, Anthony became the sole owner and chef of his first restaurant Russo’s Pizza in the early 80’s. "It was 800 square feet. I had a pizza oven, a dough mixer and two tables. That's it. I could only sit eight people.” A few years later, he created Anthony’s Pizzeria, located in Clear Lake, Texas, and soon moved to Houston.

    For almost a decade, Anthony refined his menu using classic Italian family recipes and zeroed in on the perfect New York-style pizza. In 1992, Russo’s New York Pizzeria opened in downtown Houston, Texas and proved to be a success.

     
    Russo's Restaurants is a national and international franchisor of the fast casual and casual dining brands Russo's New York Pizzeria and Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen. Based in Houston, Russo's Restaurants are composed of a mix of corporate and franchised locations across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Florida and Hawaii. Russo's has entered international markets as well, with locations in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. There are an additional 20-plus units in development both in the United States and internationally. Chef Anthony Russo has created his concepts from years of applying his unique, family recipes featuring New York-style pizza along with a broad variety of handcrafted pasta creations, calzones, salads, sandwiches, soups and desserts, reflecting his commitment to his New York roots where food and family come first.