Church's Chicken vs Buffalo Wild Wings Franchise Comparison
Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Church's Chicken vs Buffalo Wild Wings including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.
Start-Up Costs and Fees |
Investment |
$348,300 - $1,826,300 | $2,695,100 - $4,244,300 |
Franchise Fee |
$15,000 | $25,000 |
Royalty Fee |
5% | 5% |
Advertising Fee |
5% | 3.25% |
Year Founded |
1952 | 1982 |
Year Franchised |
1972 | 1991 |
Term Of Agreement |
20 years | 10 years |
Term Of Agreement |
20 years | 10 years |
Renewal Fee |
$10K/15K | $5K |
Business Experience Requirements |
Experience |
General business experience | General business experience Track record of success |
Financing Options |
|
In-House/3rd Party | In-House/3rd Party |
Franchise Fees |
No/No | No/No |
Start-up Costs |
No/No | No/No |
Equipment |
No/No | No/No |
Inventory |
No/No | No/No |
Receivables |
No/No | No/No |
Payroll |
No/No | No/No |
Training & Support |
Training |
- | - |
Support |
Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives | Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives |
Marketing |
Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, Regional advertising | Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, National media, Regional advertising |
Operations |
Franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses; 60% of all franchisees own more than one unit
Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators) |
Franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses; 50% of all franchisees own more than one unit Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 40
- 60
Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. (80% of current franchisees are owner/operators) |
Expansion Plans |
US Expansion |
Yes | Yes |
Canada Expansion |
No | No |
International Expansion |
Yes | Yes |
Company Overviews
About Church's Chicken
The first "Church's Fried Chicken to Go" was located in downtown San Antonio, across the street from the Alamo. The restaurant sold only fried chicken. Church added French fries and jalape'os to the menu in 1955. George Church's idea paid off, and at the time of his death in 1956, four Church's were open. Other members of the family became active in the business, and by 1962 the chain had grown to eight locations in San Antonio.
By 1989, Church's was the second-largest chicken franchise organization in the United States. That was the year it merged with the number three chicken chain, Popeyes' Famous Chicken & Biscuits, headquartered in New Orleans. The Church's concept remained distinct and separate from Popeyes'.
Known for its Southern-style chicken, Church's also serves Southern specialties including fried okra, coleslaw, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob and its unique honey butter biscuits.
It's your time to grow and Church's Chicken has the brand strength, innovative spirit and long-standing experience to position you for business growth and success.
Future Church's franchisees will recognize this rich heritage and pride themselves on maintaining this tradition over time. If this is you - Welcome.
The total investment necessary to begin the operation of a new
free-standing Church’s Chicken Restaurant ranges from $1,159,150 to
$1,603,300 for the 2200 Model, $1,097,150 to $1,541,300 for the 1850
Model and $681,500 or $959,800 for the End Cap Model. Each of these
estimates includes a $10,000 Development Fee and a $15,000 Initial
Franchise Fee that must be paid to Cajun by new franchisees. If you plan
to develop multiple Church’s Chicken Restaurants, you will pay a
Development Fee in the amount of $10,000 multiplied by the number of
Restaurants that you plan to develop.
About Buffalo Wild Wings
Buffalo Wild Wings got its start in 1981 after Jim Disbrow and Scott Lowery moved from Buffalo, New York, to Kent, Ohio. Unable to find authentic Buffalo-style chicken wings in their new town, they decided to open up their own restaurant. Originally called Buffalo Wild Wings & Weck (see Kummelweck) from which the abbreviation BW3 was created, the restaurant became a franchise with over 350 locations across most states of the U.S. The company later changed its name to Buffalo Wild Wings and is no longer uses the short name BW3.
The restaurant's theme is a sports bar / restaurant, and each location features multiple large screen televisions that are viewable from all seats. All locations also have game consoles devoted to NTN Trivia.
Buffalo Wild Wings is best-known for its buffalo wings with 12 signature sauces. They also have a full menu featuring salads, appetizers, burgers, and specialty items.
United States Franchising
We require that our U.S. franchise candidates have a minimum of USD
750,000 in liquid assets and a net worth of USD 1.5 million.
Additionally, there is a minimum commitment to develop at least 2
restaurants.International Franchising
We require that our international franchise candidates have a minimum
of USD 5 million in liquid assets and net worth of USD 10 million.
Additionally, there is a minimum commitment to develop at least 10
restaurants.
The total investment necessary to begin operation of a Buffalo Wild
Wings Sports Bar franchise ranges from $2,695,100 to $4,244,300. This
includes $10,000 to $55,000 that must be paid to the franchisor or an
affiliate.
If you sign an Area Development Agreement to develop multiple
Buffalo Wild Wings Sports Bars, the total investment necessary to begin
operation under the Area Development Agreement is $10,000 to $300,000.
This includes $10,000 to $30,000 that must be paid to the franchisor or
affiliate.
#159 in Franchise 500 for 2020.