| ||||
Updated RecentlyFriendly's Restaurants vs GRILLiT Franchise Comparison
Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Friendly's Restaurants vs GRILLiT including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.
Start-Up Costs and Fees |
||
| Investment | $498,500 - $1,950,000 | N/A |
| Franchise Fee | $30,000 - $35,000 | $12,500 |
| Royalty Fee | 4% | 4% |
| Advertising Fee | 3.5% | - |
| Year Founded | 1935 | - |
| Year Franchised | 1996 | - |
| Term Of Agreement | 20 years | - |
| Term Of Agreement | 20 years | - |
| Renewal Fee | $5K | - |
Business Experience Requirements |
||
| Experience | - | |
Financing Options |
||
| 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 |
||
| 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 |
||
| US Expansion | Yes | 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 GRILLiT
GRILLiT is a growing Latin-Caribbean fusion restaurant concept that marries fast casual to nutritious and healthy food. GRILLiT opened our first store in 2011, and the interest in the concept is soaring! We specialize in made-to-order salads, rice bowls, pasta and wraps featuring grilled chicken, steak and shrimp along with freshly made signature sauces and toppings using only the freshest products provided by local and domestic growers. Our unique recipes and superior customer service create a demand that could only be satisfied by GRILLiT's Franchise Program. Today we have 2 corporate stores, 1 franchise store, and a second franchise store opening soon. With over four decades of experience in the food industry, the people behind GRILLiT created their concept on a very simple principle: to demonstrate the fast-casual dining experience and fresh, healthy, nutritious home-style cooking are not mutually exclusive. GRILLiT satisfies the ever-increasing demand of consumers for healthy and delicious food while utilizing cooking techniques that employ a distinctive approach by preparing recipes with low-sodium content, fresh herbs, spices and all-natural marinades. If you've ever dreamed of owning your own business, now is your chance to own a GRILLiT restaurant!