Happy Joe's vs Icebox/Soupbox Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Happy Joe's vs Icebox/Soupbox including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Happy Joe's Franchise
Icebox/Soupbox Franchise
Investment $24,470 - $1,030,625$69,500 - $174,500
Franchise Fee $15,000 - $17,000$14,000 - $20,000
Royalty Fee 4.5%-5%4%
Advertising Fee 1.5%-
Year Founded 19721995
Year Franchised 19731998
Term Of Agreement 15 years10 years
Term Of Agreement 15 years10 years
Renewal Fee 10% of fee or $2KNegotiable


Business Experience Requirements

 
Happy Joe's Franchise
Icebox/Soupbox Franchise
Experience
  • General business experience

  • General business experience

  • Financing Options

     
    Happy Joe's Franchise
    Icebox/Soupbox Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/YesNo/No
    Start-up Costs No/YesNo/No
    Equipment No/YesNo/No
    Inventory No/YesNo/No
    Receivables No/YesNo/No
    Payroll No/YesNo/No

    Training & Support

     
    Happy Joe's Franchise
    Icebox/Soupbox Franchise
    Training On-The-Job Training: 300 hours Classroom Training: 40 hours -
    Support Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives
    Marketing Co-op Advertising Ad Templates Regional Advertising Social media Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/appCo-op advertising, Ad slicks, Regional advertising
    Operations 33% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 45

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

    0% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 10

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


    Expansion Plans

     
    Happy Joe's Franchise
    Icebox/Soupbox Franchise
    US Expansion Yes-
    Canada Expansion NoNo
    International Expansion YesYes

    Company Overviews

    About Happy Joe's

    Lawrence Joseph Whitty had worked in the bakery business for years before becoming an assistant manager at a Shakey's pizzeria. He decided to combine his baking skills with the experience he had gained from working at a pizza restaurant, where he would often hear families decide to go out for ice cream for dessert. Combining pizza and ice cream, Whitty opened the first Happy Joe's Pizza & Ice Cream Parlor in East Davenport, Iowa, in 1972. His signature item was the Happy Joe's Special, a pizza with Canadian bacon and sauerkraut that Whitty created from leftovers in his mother's kitchen. After a franchisee suggested adding tacos to the menu, Whitty created the restaurant's best-selling product, the Taco Pizza.

    Seeking new franchisees in the following regions/states:

     Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota and Wisconsin

    The total investment necessary to begin operations of a Happy Joe’s Full Size Restaurant or Happy Joe’s PizzaGrille Restaurant is $279,750 to $1,030,625. This includes $0 to $16,500 that must be paid to the franchisor or an affiliate.
    The total investment necessary to begin operations of a Happy Joe’s DELCO Facility is $164,500 to $423,000. This includes the $0 to $16,500 that must be paid to the franchisor or an affiliate.
    The total investment to begin operations of a Happy Joe’s Satellite ranges from $24,470 to $132,340. This includes the $0 to $16,500 paid to the franchisor or an affiliate.
    The total investment necessary to begin operations of a Happy Joe’s Area Developer business ranges from $17,625 to $94,100. This includes the development fee ranging from $15,000 to $45,000 that must be paid to the franchisor.


    About Icebox/Soupbox

    Before opening his first store, Jamie Taerbaum stood outside a Baskin-Robbins store to figure out how many customers an ice cream store could expect at different times of day, on different days of the week, and in different weather conditions. Armed with this research, the young business school graduate opened the original Icebox/Soupbox store in 1995 in Chicago.

    In the spring and summer, Icebox operates as a retailer of Icyfruit, a mixture of fruit juice, sugar, water and chunks of fruit that comes in 20 flavors. Throughout the fall and winter, it becomes a Soupbox store, offering a wide variety of soups.