Yeung's Lotus Express vs Pokeworks Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Yeung's Lotus Express vs Pokeworks including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Yeung's Lotus Express Franchise
Pokeworks Franchise
Investment $230,500 - $496,000$263,000 - $1,968,000
Franchise Fee $30,000$25,000 - $35,000
Royalty Fee -6%
Advertising Fee -1.5%
Year Founded 19872015
Year Franchised 19872016
Term Of Agreement --
Term Of Agreement --
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements

 
Yeung's Lotus Express Franchise
Pokeworks Franchise
Experience --

Financing Options

 
Yeung's Lotus Express Franchise
Pokeworks Franchise
  In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
Franchise Fees -/--/-
Start-up Costs -/--/-
Equipment -/--/-
Inventory -/--/-
Receivables -/--/-
Payroll -/--/-

Training & Support

 
Yeung's Lotus Express Franchise
Pokeworks Franchise
Training -On-The-Job Training: 40 hours Classroom Training: 40 hours Additional Training: At training center
Support -Meetings/Conventions Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing -Co-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social media SEO Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app
Operations -Absentee Ownership Allowed Number of Employees Required to Run: 12

Expansion Plans

 
Yeung's Lotus Express Franchise
Pokeworks Franchise
US Expansion -Yes
Canada Expansion --
International Expansion -Yes

Company Overviews

About Yeung's Lotus Express

Yeung's Lotus Express was developed from the Kelly Yeung's many years of experience in the full line restaurant industry. His vision was to offer the quality and service of his full-line restaurants at the price and speed of quick-service restaurants. The first Yeung's Lotus Express was opened in Miami's Bayside Market Place, overlooking Biscayne Bay. The grand opening was such a success that Kelly decided to leave the full-line restaurant business and grow Yeung's Lotus Express. There are now currently over 40 Yeung's Lotus Express restaurants operating as company owned, partnership, and franchise restaurants.

About Pokeworks

Pokéworks is a ground-breaking, healthy fast-casual restaurant concept that began on a rainy day in December of 2015 in a tiny location in Midtown Manhattan.  Today, it has grown into one of the largest and fastest growing poke brands in the nation and one we can proudly say is anchored almost entirely with multi-unit institutional franchisees.
Pokéworks was born on that quiet Winter day with a trickle of curious New Yorkers that wondered in to experience poke for the first time.  Weeks later, hundreds stood in line outside our tiny restaurant willing to wait 45 minutes or more to build their own poke burrito or bowl.  While more than 700 New Yorkers were enjoying our poke per day, our ground breaking “The ‘Sushi Burrito’ has hit NYC and its amazing” video went viral and received more than 42 million views. As a result, Pokéworks quickly became known worldwide as one of the leading poke franchise brands.

Media consensus is that Pokéworks’ extraordinary consumer appeal is fueled by the exceptional quality, efficiency and affordability of our healthy chef-driven menu.  Restaurateurs on the other hand marvel at our easy to execute menu as well as the simplicity of our kitchens with no hood, no deep frying and no in-ground grease trap requirement. While growing quickly with experienced multi-unit franchisees, Pokéworks has joined forces with Toridoll Holdings Corporation. The agreement with the $1.6 billion publicly traded restaurant giant (TYO: 3397) was specifically designed by both parties to leverage Toridoll’s considerable expertise in global brand development while allowing Pokéworks to maintain its successful founder-led focus and control. Our goal is to further solidify Pokéworks’ high-quality and affordable brand as the leader in the fast-growing poke segment world-wide.

The total investment necessary to begin operation of a Pokéworks franchised restaurant ranges between $263,000 to $661,000. This includes $35,000 that must be paid to the franchisor or its affiliates. If you enter into a Multiple Unit Development Agreement, you must commit to develop at least three restaurants for which the total investment necessary ranges between $774,000 to $1,968,000. This includes $90,000 that must be paid to the franchisor or its affiliates. The initial fee for each additional restaurant you commit to develop is $25,000.
Veteran Incentives  10% off franchise fee
#272 in Franchise 500 for 2021.   Not in Franchise 500 for 2020.