Happy Joe's vs Pieology Franchise Comparison

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

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Happy Joe's Franchise
Pieology Franchise
Investment $24,470 - $1,030,625$458,500 - $874,500
Franchise Fee $15,000 - $17,000$25,000
Royalty Fee 4.5%-5%-
Advertising Fee 1.5%-
Year Founded 19722010
Year Franchised 19732012
Term Of Agreement 15 years-
Term Of Agreement 15 years-
Renewal Fee 10% of fee or $2K-


Business Experience Requirements

 
Happy Joe's Franchise
Pieology Franchise
Experience
  • General business experience
  • -

    Financing Options

     
    Happy Joe's Franchise
    Pieology 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

     
    Happy Joe's Franchise
    Pieology 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 -
    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)

    -

    Expansion Plans

     
    Happy Joe's Franchise
    Pieology Franchise
    US Expansion YesYes
    Canada Expansion No-
    International Expansion 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:

     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 Pieology

    Before we embarked on our create-your-own pizza experience, our story began in the kitchen, with our founder, his wife and daughters, and a plan to share time together. From that day on, Pieology would forever be a fresh retreat from the everyday hustle and bustle -- where the only thing more important than quality food is quality people to share it with.
    Using only the freshest ingredients along with signature sauces and crusts, award-winning Pieology Pizzeria offers hand-crafted, personally-inspired pizzas in unlimited flavor combinations that are stone oven fired in less than three minutes. Founded in 2011 by Carl Chang, Pieology is the true "pie-one" in the fast casual custom pizza sector, evolving from the simple idea to turn America's most crave-able food into an affordable and interactive experience. The mission of Pieology Pizzeria is to inspire individual creativity in a positive atmosphere where guests can gather with family and friends, while enjoying their delicious pizza creations. Along with providing great food and a memorable dining experience, Pieology is committed to making a positive difference in the communities it serves, one pie at a time.
    Pieology was on schedule and opened 110 restaurants by the end of 2015, with commitments for 500. Technomic, the leading fact-based consulting and research firm serving the food industry, reported Pieology as the fastest growing limited service restaurant chain, having more than tripled both sales and unit growth in 2014. Pieology is the first fast casual, build-your-own pizza concept to enter the ranking among the nation's largest brands.