IHOP vs Hard Times Cafe Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of IHOP vs Hard Times Cafe including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
IHOP Franchise
Hard Times Cafe Franchise
Investment $414,866 - $3,374,043$449,000 - $1,000,000
Franchise Fee $40,000 - $50,000$30,000
Royalty Fee 4.5%-
Advertising Fee 3.5%-
Year Founded 1958-
Year Franchised 1960-
Term Of Agreement --
Term Of Agreement --
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements
 
IHOP Franchise
Hard Times Cafe Franchise
Experience --

Financing Options
 
IHOP Franchise
Hard Times Cafe Franchise
  In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
Franchise Fees -/--/-
Start-up Costs -/--/-
Equipment -/--/-
Inventory -/--/-
Receivables -/--/-
Payroll -/--/-

Training & Support
 
IHOP Franchise
Hard Times Cafe Franchise
Training --
Support --
Marketing --
Operations --

Expansion Plans
 
IHOP Franchise
Hard Times Cafe Franchise
US Expansion --
Canada Expansion --
International Expansion --

Company Overviews

About IHOP

The IHOP restaurant chain has been serving a wide variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner selections for more than 57 years. IHOP enjoys a rich heritage and almost universal awareness. Our brand has been built upon the strenght of our franchisees, vendors partners and dedicated employees. IHOP restaurants are franchised and operate by Glendale, California based IHOP Corp. There are over 1,280 IHOP restaurants in the U.S. and Canada.

The total investment necessary to begin operation of an IHOP franchise at a non-traditional venue is as follows:
  • Full-Service Program: $693,266 to $3,374,043
  • IHOP Limited-Service Program: $414,866 to $1,427,418
This includes Initial Fees of $39,000 to $79,480 per Full-Service Restaurant and $23,500 to $48,480 per IHOP Limited-Service Restaurant to be developed which must be paid to the Franchisor or an IHOP Affiliate.

""


About Hard Times Cafe

Hard Times Cafe and Hard Times Cafe & Cue is an American Chili Parlor with a 26 year history in the Washington DC area. World Famous for it's Chili recipes, Hard Times serves Chili, Chili Macs, Wings, Onion Rings, Nachos, Chili Dogs, Char-Grilled Burgers and more. To be considered as a Franchisee you must have 5 years restaurant operational experience with a minimum cash investment ability of $200,000 and sufficient net worth to secure financing for the development of a Hard Times Cafe.