Culver vs Windmill Franchise Comparison

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

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
Culver Franchise
Windmill Franchise
Investment $2,349,000 - $5,356,000$127,500 - $322,500
Franchise Fee $55,000$27,500
Royalty Fee 4%5%
Advertising Fee 2.5%4%
Year Founded 1984-
Year Franchised 1988-
Term Of Agreement 15 years10 years
Term Of Agreement 15 years10 years
Renewal Fee $30K-


Business Experience Requirements
 
Culver Franchise
Windmill Franchise
Experience --

Financing Options
 
Culver Franchise
Windmill Franchise
  In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
Franchise Fees No/Yes-/-
Start-up Costs No/Yes-/-
Equipment No/Yes-/-
Inventory No/Yes-/-
Receivables No/Yes-/-
Payroll No/Yes-/-

Training & Support
 
Culver Franchise
Windmill Franchise
Training -The WindMill training program is designed to take you from the ground up. Each individual franchisee will receive a hand-tailored program based upon their prior knowledge. Training is conducted in a corporate-owned restaurant and a minimum of eighty hours is required.
Support Newsletter, Meetings, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives-
Marketing 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)

-

Expansion Plans
 
Culver Franchise
Windmill Franchise
US Expansion Yes-
Canada Expansion No-
International Expansion No-

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 Windmill

Your Own WindMill Franchise! Call 800-558-3608 for Franchise Information
Nothing compares to the WindMill food experience and nothing will compare with the satisfaction that you will derive from being an owner of a WindMill franchise.
Totally Committed to YOUR Success... The WindMill team is totally committed to your success and to the success of your restaurant. Our experts will be able to take you from beginner to expert in just thirty days! They will also be able to provide you with just the right amount of support during each phase of the opening. They are prepared to offer comprehensive support to those new to the industry, and to the more experienced franchisee, just the guidance and support unique to the WindMill operation.
WindMill Gourmet Fast Food is simply that; "food that is of the highest quality and perfectly prepared. "WindMill private label Bigger! Better! Hot Dogs are prepared in a northern New Jersey plant and shipped to the WindMill Distribution Center. WindMill Fresh Meat 100% Beef Burgers are ground by local butchers and delivered directly to the stores on a day-to-day basis. The entree menu is rounded out by Charbroiled Gourmet Chicken Breasts, second to none; custom-cut Rib-Eye Steak Sandwiches; a limited variety of other tasty entree sandwiches and in some locations, fresh salads.
Boasting almost as much popularity as the WindMill Hot Dogs are the WindMill French Fries. Our golden crinkle-cut fries smothered with savory cheese sauce (a tradition developed in the original WindMill over thirty years ago) has helped to put the WindMills in a fast food category all by themselves!