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Updated RecentlyFriendly's Restaurants vs Village Inn Restaurants Franchise Comparison
Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Friendly's Restaurants vs Village Inn Restaurants including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.
Start-Up Costs and Fees |
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| Investment | $498,500 - $1,950,000 | $963,000 - $2,570,000 |
| Franchise Fee | $30,000 - $35,000 | $40,000 |
| Royalty Fee | 4% | 4% |
| Advertising Fee | 3.5% | 1%local +0.5%Nat'l |
| Year Founded | 1935 | 1958 |
| Year Franchised | 1996 | 1961 |
| Term Of Agreement | 20 years | - |
| Term Of Agreement | 20 years | - |
| Renewal Fee | $5K | - |
Business Experience Requirements |
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| Experience | - | |
Financing Options |
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| In-House/3rd Party | In-House/3rd Party | |
| Franchise Fees | No/No | -/- |
| Start-up Costs | No/No | -/- |
| Equipment | No/No | -/- |
| Inventory | No/No | -/- |
| Receivables | No/No | -/- |
| Payroll | No/No | -/- |
Training & Support |
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| Training | - | - |
| Support | Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations | - |
| Marketing | Ad slicks, National media | - |
| Operations |
Franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses; 62% of all franchisees own more than one unit
Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators) | - |
Expansion Plans |
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| US Expansion | Yes | - |
| Canada Expansion | No | - |
| International Expansion | No | - |
Company Overviews
About Friendly's Restaurants
In Springfield, Massachusetts at the height of the Great Depression in 1935, 20 year-old Prestley Blake and his 18 year-old brother Curtis opened an ice cream shop called 'Friendly' that served double-dip cones for 5 cents. The brothers opened a second shop five years later in West Springfield, Massachusetts and added food to the menu. Within a decade, locations opened throughout western Massachusetts and Connecticut. In 1988 Donald N. Smith, the company's current CEO, purchased the company and a year later added an 's' to the name, making it 'Friendly's.'
In May 2000, Friendly's introduced a new food and dessert menu featuring colossal burgers, sandwich wraps, splits, sundaes and Cyclones. Friendly's produces 10 million snack cups and 230,000 gallons of fudge every year. In addition to its restaurants and cafes, Friendly's manufactures a complete line of frozen desserts.
About Village Inn Restaurants
Village Inn is a proven family-restaurant brand that follows a simple
recipe for success: Provide good food and good feelings at a reasonable
price in a relaxing atmosphere. By treating our customers to
consistently great-tasting food, extra-friendly service and
sparkling-clean restaurants - we keep them coming back to us.
Since our first restaurant opened in 1958, followed by the first
franchise restaurant in 1961, times have changed. But as Village Inn’s
continued growth and success demonstrate, our unique brand of family
restaurant will never go out of style.
Each Village Inn restaurant features special qualities that set us apart from our competition:
- delicious menu of home-style fare, including signature breakfast foods served throughout the day, lunch and dinner selections and award-winning pies
- tradition of treating our customers as if they are guests in our home
- warm and inviting interior design, featuring welcoming lobbies and tempting pie displays
The qualities we look for in our partners include:
- A proven track record in the restaurant and/or hospitality business
- A history of business achievement
- The drive, passion and determination to succeed in a highly competitive environment
- An unwavering commitment to follow the systems and uphold the standards that define Village Inn
- An entrepreneurial spirit
In turn, Village Inn provides support for operating:
- A proven business model
- An increasingly familiar brand name
- A proven Operating and Management System