Buffalo Wild Wings vs Thundercloud Subs Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Buffalo Wild Wings vs Thundercloud Subs including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
Buffalo Wild Wings Franchise
Thundercloud Subs Franchise
Investment $2,695,100 - $4,244,300$65,000 - $90,000
Franchise Fee $25,000$10,000
Royalty Fee 5%-
Advertising Fee 3.25%-
Year Founded 19821975
Year Franchised 19910
Term Of Agreement 10 years-
Term Of Agreement 10 years-
Renewal Fee $5K-


Business Experience Requirements
 
Buffalo Wild Wings Franchise
Thundercloud Subs Franchise
Experience
  • General business experience
  • Track record of success
    		• -

    Financing Options
     
    Buffalo Wild Wings Franchise
    Thundercloud Subs Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-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
     
    Buffalo Wild Wings Franchise
    Thundercloud Subs Franchise
    Training --
    Support Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives-
    Marketing Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, National media, Regional advertising-
    Operations 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
     
    Buffalo Wild Wings Franchise
    Thundercloud Subs Franchise
    US Expansion Yes-
    Canada Expansion No-
    International Expansion Yes-

    Company Overviews

    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.



    About Thundercloud Subs

    ThunderCloud Subs, a neighborhood sub shop with a rich tradition of good natured people serving FRESH, FAST & HEALTHY food in a great atmosphere. We started ThunderCloud in 1975 with a simple yet logical philosophy of selling a fresh meal at a reasonable price and we proudly maintain that same course today! IT'S ALL IN THE INGREDIENTS...We slice all our meats, cheeses and produce daily. We prepare our spreads from scratch every day. We have our bread made from scratch and delivered every morning and we choose only the finest ingredients. When you come into a ThunderCloud Sub Shop, you'll experience the creation of a great sandwich! Our People The ThunderCloud sandwich artists are notoriously good natured and famously talented. We take pride in a job well done. We believe in team work, doing a little bit more than our fair share and having fun both on and off the job. Though we have plenty of company policies to help keep the "machine" running smoothly, we think we allow enough liberties to foster individualism, self-esteem and self-pride. Our Community Each year, ThunderCloud sponsors some of the most engaging events that bring the Austin community together for meaningful causes. We have been a FRESH, FAST & HEALTHY part of Austin for 30 years. Being uniquely Austin means giving more, too! We dedicate half of our annual marketing effort to support local non-profit groups like Caritas of Austin. We believe in supporting organizations dedicated to creating a better Austin. ThunderCloud has proudly donated over $750,000 to Caritas and last year contributed $176,500. Our HomeThunderCloud is proud to be an engrained part of the Austin community. We're at home here in Austin, just like much of Austin feels comfortable and at home when they're in one of our shops.