Culver vs Vocelli Pizza Franchise Comparison

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

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Culver Franchise
Vocelli Pizza Franchise
Investment $2,349,000 - $5,356,000$156,000 - $330,900
Franchise Fee $55,000$30,000
Royalty Fee 4%5%
Advertising Fee 2.5%1%
Year Founded 19841988
Year Franchised 19881989
Term Of Agreement 15 years10 years
Term Of Agreement 15 years10 years
Renewal Fee $30K20% of then current fee


Business Experience Requirements

 
Culver Franchise
Vocelli Pizza Franchise
Experience -We receive many calls from customers inquiring about our franchise opportunity! Most of our franchisees that are now with us first tasted the superior quality of our pizza and wanted to know how to get involved in the business. Yes, we request you submit a Franchise Application to show the minimum capital requirements of $250,000 net-worth and $100,000 in liquidity ...but our main focus is that you have a great attitude, be very customer service oriented, have some prior background in the food industry and be very community-minded. In order to qualify for a Vocelli Pizza Franchise, you will need: • Minimum $100,000 Liquidity - Cash, Stocks, Bonds, Insurance, Equity Credit Lines etc. • 1 yr. Food Experience or Operating Partner with the experience • A good FICO Score and credit history • A great attitude with passion

Financing Options

 
Culver Franchise
Vocelli Pizza Franchise
  In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
Franchise Fees No/YesNo/No
Start-up Costs No/YesNo/Yes
Equipment No/YesNo/Yes
Inventory No/YesNo/Yes
Receivables No/YesNo/No
Payroll No/YesNo/No

Training & Support

 
Culver Franchise
Vocelli Pizza Franchise
Training --
Support Newsletter, Meetings, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperativesNewsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives
Marketing Ad slicks, National media, Regional advertisingCo-op advertising, Ad slicks, National media, Regional advertising
Operations 30% of all franchisees own more than one unit

Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 40 - 50

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

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Expansion Plans

 
Culver Franchise
Vocelli Pizza Franchise
US Expansion YesYes
Canada Expansion NoNo
International Expansion NoNo

Company Overviews

About Culver

After working with his parents in their restaurants, Craig Culver decided it was time to open one for himself. In 1984 Culver, with the help of his wife Lea and parents George and Ruth, transformed the A&W his parents owned since the sixties into Culver's Frozen Custard. Its founder's family inspired the menu for the initial Sauk City, Wisconsin, restaurant. When Culver's mother made hamburgers, she would put a dab of butter on the crown of the hamburger buns before toasting them; something her children felt made them taste better. Today, employees at each Culver's location use the same technique when making their ButterBurgers. There are Culver's locations in twelve states. All Culver's franchisees are owner/operators.
 
We’re looking for leaders with the initiative and skills to take a team of people and operate a Culver’s according to our high standards. You need energy and enthusiasm. You have to be willing to work hard. You have to love people and believe, as we do, that having a great heart is also good business.

Culver’s has grown to over 500 restaurants in 22 states.

Culver's is leading the way in the industry and in our communities. If you are craving a restaurant business made to order for you, where your financial success is directly related to how well you and your team execute against Culver’s mission that every guest who chooses Culver’s leaves happy, we invite you to consider becoming a Culver’s franchisee.

Seeking new franchise units in: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming

"Entrepreneur


#9 in Franchise 500 for 2020.
#5 in Franchise 500 for 2021






About Vocelli Pizza

Since 1988, Vocelli Pizza is a franchise company that has withstood the test of time serving high quality artisan pizzas and classic Italian dishes. With over 100 stores serving our award-winning pizza, people have come to know us as the "standard". Our stores are neighborhood shops that use the finest ingredients to prepare favorite family recipes. We aren't just another pizza chain; we're part of the community.

Our franchise system has had over 30 years proving itself in the highly competitive $40 billion per year U.S. pizza segment. Varol Ablak, the chairman & founder, felt that our artisan products could be delivered to your door in 30 minutes without sacrificing quality. As a result, Vocelli has been consistently ranked in the top 30, 40 or 50 of all the top chains in the U.S.

Much of Vocelli's success comes from a commitment to a high quality product. Our recipes are designed with color, texture and taste in mind. We utilize fresh ingredients instead of frozen and choose hand-crafted over off-the-shelf products. The result is a consistently better customer experience that keeps people coming back for more. This certainly affords our customers the comfort that when they order, they get the same superior quality product all the time. Great dough made from a proprietary blend of flour, sauce made from a blend of tomatoes that are fresh packed within 6 hours of picking from the vine and a never-frozen 100% real cheese are mainstays that support the stringent requirements we maintain throughout menu development.

Today, Vocelli Pizza has approximately 2,000 employees and over 100 stores open and in development. Varol has built a winning support team at the Franchise Support Center and a team of successful franchisees. "For us to succeed, the franchisees must succeed" says Varol.
Varol began his entrepreneurial dream with a wish for something better. Today, he offers franchisees a chance to make their own business dreams come true by sharing his proven recipe for success.

We receive many calls from customers inquiring about our franchise opportunity! Most of our franchisees first tasted the superior quality of our pizza and wanted to know how to get involved in the business. Yes, we request you submit a franchise application to show the minimum capital requirements of $250,000 net worth and $100,000 in liquidity, but our main focus is that you have a great attitude, are very customer service oriented, have some prior background in the food industry or have an operating partner who does, and be very community-minded.


We offer a 10% discount on the initial franchise fee to qualified military veterans.