Jet's Pizza vs Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Jet's Pizza vs Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Jet's Pizza Franchise
Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen Franchise
Investment $437,500 - $631,000$295,000 - $750,000
Franchise Fee $25,000$49,500
Royalty Fee 8%-10%7%
Advertising Fee Up to 1%2%
Year Founded 19781992
Year Franchised 19901998
Term Of Agreement 10 years10 years+5
Term Of Agreement 10 years10 years+5
Renewal Fee $2K-


Business Experience Requirements

 
Jet's Pizza Franchise
Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen Franchise
Experience
  • General business experience
  • Customer service & management skills
  • No Restaurant experience necessary but helpful Minimum financials are $175K to $400K in investment capital and a $600K to $1.0MM net worth

    Financing Options

     
    Jet's Pizza Franchise
    Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/Yes-/Yes
    Start-up Costs No/Yes-/Yes
    Equipment No/Yes-/Yes
    Inventory No/Yes-/Yes
    Receivables No/Yes-/-
    Payroll No/Yes-/Yes

    Training & Support

     
    Jet's Pizza Franchise
    Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen Franchise
    Training On-The-Job Training: 270 hours Classroom Training: 30 hours 8 Week GM & Key Supervisor Training and Certification
    Support Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Grand Opening Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform-
    Marketing Co-op Advertising Ad Templates Regional Advertising Social media SEO Website development Email marketing-
    Operations International franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses; 0% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 15

    Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. (99% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

    On site pre and post opening training and operational support with quarterly QA Visits.

    Expansion Plans

     
    Jet's Pizza Franchise
    Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen Franchise
    US Expansion Yes-
    Canada Expansion No-
    International Expansion No-

    Company Overviews

    About Jet's Pizza

    Based in Sterling Heights, Michigan, Jet's Pizza was founded in 1978 and began franchising in 1990.
    Jet’s Pizza® regularly receives “Best of the Best” and “Reader’s Choice” awards. Pizza Today magazine named Jet’s Pizza® as the eighteenth largest pizza chain in the nation in its “Top 100 Company” report (Pizza Today, 2010). Entrepreneur Magazine has consistently ranked Jet’s Pizza® as a “Top 500 Franchise,” opportunity (Entrepreneur, 2010). Jet’s Pizza® has rapidly risen through the ranks to become the twelfth largest pizza chain in the nation, by sales (PMQ, 2016), with over 400 locations and plans for rapid future growth. While the quality and taste of the food is number one for Jet’s Pizza®, there is also a simple belief throughout the company; “Pizza should be fun,” says John Jetts. “You’ll always have a smile on your face when you’re eating a Jet’s pizza®. That fun attitude can be summed up in the company’s simple slogan says Jetts, “Life is short. Eat better pizza®. Let’s Get Jet’s®!”

    That is something that Jet’s Pizza® is betting that people across the nation will agree with. They’ve found that it’s working so far.

    Franchise Ranking History
    Franchise 500: #132 (2014), #146 (2013), #136 (2012), #145 (2011), #207 (2010),
    Fastest-Growing: #67 (2014), #82 (2012), #94 (2011)
    Veteran Incentives  50% off franchise fee or area development fee
    "Entrepreneur
    #220 in Franchise 500 for 2020.
    #340 in Franchise 500 for 2021.





    About Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen

    Using the family recipe for hand-tossed dough, the sauce made from fresh-crushed California tomatoes, and imported Italian cheese blends, Anthony became the sole owner and chef of his first restaurant Russo’s Pizza in the early 80’s. "It was 800 square feet. I had a pizza oven, a dough mixer and two tables. That's it. I could only sit eight people.” A few years later, he created Anthony’s Pizzeria, located in Clear Lake, Texas, and soon moved to Houston.

    For almost a decade, Anthony refined his menu using classic Italian family recipes and zeroed in on the perfect New York-style pizza. In 1992, Russo’s New York Pizzeria opened in downtown Houston, Texas and proved to be a success.

     
    Russo's Restaurants is a national and international franchisor of the fast casual and casual dining brands Russo's New York Pizzeria and Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen. Based in Houston, Russo's Restaurants are composed of a mix of corporate and franchised locations across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Florida and Hawaii. Russo's has entered international markets as well, with locations in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. There are an additional 20-plus units in development both in the United States and internationally. Chef Anthony Russo has created his concepts from years of applying his unique, family recipes featuring New York-style pizza along with a broad variety of handcrafted pasta creations, calzones, salads, sandwiches, soups and desserts, reflecting his commitment to his New York roots where food and family come first.