Pickleman's Gourmet Cafe vs Russo's New York Pizzeria Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Pickleman's Gourmet Cafe vs Russo's New York Pizzeria including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
Pickleman's Gourmet Cafe Franchise
Russo's New York Pizzeria Franchise
Investment $338,050 - $610,000$400,000 - $1,500,000
Franchise Fee N/A$49,500
Royalty Fee 6%7%
Advertising Fee 2%2%
Year Founded 20051978
Year Franchised 20081998
Term Of Agreement -10 years +5
Term Of Agreement -10 years +5
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements
 
Pickleman's Gourmet Cafe Franchise
Russo's New York Pizzeria 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
 
Pickleman's Gourmet Cafe Franchise
Russo's New York Pizzeria Franchise
  In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
Franchise Fees -/--/-
Start-up Costs -/--/-
Equipment -/--/-
Inventory -/--/-
Receivables -/--/-
Payroll -/--/-

Training & Support
 
Pickleman's Gourmet Cafe Franchise
Russo's New York Pizzeria Franchise
Training Training is about 6 weeks long at a Pickleman's Corporate Location. Pickleman’s does not charge for the initial training program for you and 1 designated manager. You are responsible for wages, travel, and living expenses for the duration of training.Corporate Store, Houston, TX . 8 Week GM & Key Supervisor Training and Certification.
Support -Central Data Processing: At Additional Cost

Field Operation Evaluation: At Additional Cost

Field Training: At Additional Cost Initial Store Opening

Inventory Control

Regional or National Meetings

800 Telephone Hotline
Marketing --
Operations -Average Number of Employees: 10 Full-time, 6 Part-time

Passive Ownership: Allowed, But Discouraged

Expansion Plans
 
Pickleman's Gourmet Cafe Franchise
Russo's New York Pizzeria Franchise
US Expansion YesYes
Canada Expansion --
International Expansion NoYes

Company Overviews

About Pickleman's Gourmet Cafe

After working in the franchise and restaurant industry for 16 years Doug Stritzel, founder and owner of Pickleman’s, began his quest to realize his longtime dream of building a distinct new dining concept.
In October 2005 Doug opened the first Pickleman’s in Columbia, MO. In January 2008 the second Pickleman’s was opened. Today, Pickleman’s has 22 locations and counting, three in Columbia, MO, two in Springfield, MO, six in St Louis, MO, one in Lincoln, NE, one in Lawrence, KS, four in Kansas City, two in Omaha, NE, and one in Norman, OK.

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Pickleman’s focuses above all on using the highest quality product and creating profound and unique flavor profiles people love. Offering a wide array of all natural products with the freshest ingredients gives our Toasted Sandwiches, Pizzas, Soups, Salads and Desserts a quality that sets us apart. Our Delivery and Catering services allow us to serve large groups, cater events, and provide you with our superior service at your door.
Doug has plans to expand the Pickleman’s franchise and share his passion for high quality food with the world. His goal is to establish and continue to develop his own brand and someday be successful enough to spend lots of time with two wonderful children, Jack and Audrey.

At Pickleman's, we are committed to helping aspiring entrepreneurs make their dreams a reality. We believe that franchising benefits our company, entrepreneurs like you, and our customers. Combining our proven business model with your drive and ambition can produce an excellent experience for our customers, which in turn leads to more business and greater profits for everyone involved.

The total investment necessary to begin operation of a Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe is from $338,050 to $610,000. This includes the $30,415 to $31,400 that must be paid to the franchisor or its affiliates. If you want to obtain area development rights pursuant to an Area Development Agreement, you will pay a Development Fee of ½ of the Initial Franchise Fee for each proposed Unit when you sign the Area Development Agreement.


About Russo's New York Pizzeria

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.