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Updated RecentlyHappy Joe's vs Russo's New York Pizzeria Franchise Comparison
Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Happy Joe's vs Russo's New York Pizzeria including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.
Start-Up Costs and Fees |
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| Investment | $24,470 - $1,030,625 | $400,000 - $1,500,000 |
| Franchise Fee | $15,000 - $17,000 | $49,500 |
| Royalty Fee | 4.5%-5% | 7% |
| Advertising Fee | 1.5% | 2% |
| Year Founded | 1972 | 1978 |
| Year Franchised | 1973 | 1998 |
| Term Of Agreement | 15 years | 10 years +5 |
| Term Of Agreement | 15 years | 10 years +5 |
| Renewal Fee | 10% of fee or $2K | - |
Business Experience Requirements |
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| 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 |
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| In-House/3rd Party | In-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 |
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| Training | On-The-Job Training: 300 hours Classroom Training: 40 hours | Corporate Store, Houston, TX . 8 Week GM & Key Supervisor Training and Certification. |
| Support | Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software | Central Data Processing: At Additional Cost
Field Operation Evaluation: At Additional Cost Field Training: At Additional Cost Initial Store Opening Inventory Control Regional or National Meetings 800 Telephone Hotline |
| Marketing | Co-op Advertising Ad Templates Regional Advertising Social media Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app | - |
| 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) | Average Number of Employees: 10 Full-time, 6 Part-time Passive Ownership: Allowed, But Discouraged |
Expansion Plans |
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| US Expansion | Yes | Yes |
| Canada Expansion | No | - |
| International Expansion | Yes | Yes |
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:
About Russo's New York Pizzeria
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.