Donatos Pizzeria vs Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Donatos Pizzeria 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

 
Donatos Pizzeria Franchise
Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen Franchise
Investment $386,500 - $698,900$295,000 - $750,000
Franchise Fee $30,000$49,500
Royalty Fee 5%7%
Advertising Fee 5%2%
Year Founded 19631992
Year Franchised 19911998
Term Of Agreement -10 years+5
Term Of Agreement -10 years+5
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements

 
Donatos Pizzeria Franchise
Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen Franchise
Experience -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

 
Donatos Pizzeria Franchise
Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen Franchise
  In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
Franchise Fees -/Yes-/Yes
Start-up Costs -/Yes-/Yes
Equipment -/Yes-/Yes
Inventory -/Yes-/Yes
Receivables -/Yes-/-
Payroll -/Yes-/Yes

Training & Support

 
Donatos Pizzeria Franchise
Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen Franchise
Training On-The-Job Training: 454 hours Classroom Training: 4 hours 8 Week GM & Key Supervisor Training and Certification
Support Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform -
Marketing Co-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social media SEO Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app -
Operations -On site pre and post opening training and operational support with quarterly QA Visits.

Expansion Plans

 
Donatos Pizzeria Franchise
Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen Franchise
US Expansion --
Canada Expansion --
International Expansion --

Company Overviews

About Donatos Pizzeria

BE A PART OF A PIZZA BUSINESS THAT'S ON THE RISE. With $1,300 in his pocket and a dream to own his own business, Jim Grote bought a small pizzeria on the south side of Columbus, Ohio and went to work to create a business that was truly unique. Although Donatos has grown and moved into almost 200 neighborhoods, our belief remains the same: "Treat people the way you want to be treated."
You are responsible for:
* Leasehold improvements
* Leasing or purchasing equipment
* Hiring and restaurant operation
Donatos provides:
* Product formulas and operational systems
* Store design guidance
* Equipment ordering guidance
* Edge-u-cation training
* Cultural orientation
* Operations manual
* Periodic evaluations
* Ongoing support
Additional information and qualifications:
Single-Store and Multi-Unit Development Agreements are available depending upon prospective Franchise Partner qualifications as well as geographical considerations. Prospective Franchise Partner groups need to designate an Operating Partner who must live in the area to be developed and possess prior restaurant or retail management and supervision experience commensurate with the number of restaurants to be developed. An Operating Partner may also be a member of the Franchise Group. A full Franchise Application, including a Personal Financial Statement, needs to be submitted for each member of the Franchise Partner group. If the Operating Partner is a separate individual, they will need to submit a full resume with work history and skill-set qualifications.

The total investment necessary to begin operation of a Donatos franchised business is $386,500 to $698,900. This includes $40,500 to $42,500 that must be paid to the franchisor or its affiliate. If this is the second Donatos franchised business, you choose to receive additional training services or you hire a Donatos Manager for your franchised business, you must pay the franchisor an additional $15,000 to $40,000.

The company continues to franchise throughout the Midwest, South and Southeast, with franchised locations serving pizza, subs, salads and desserts.
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"Entrepreneur

#181 in Franchise 500 for 2020.
#313 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.