White Hen Pantry vs Friendly's Restaurants Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of White Hen Pantry vs Friendly's Restaurants including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
White Hen Pantry Franchise
Friendly's Restaurants Franchise
Investment $52,400 - $225,200$498,500 - $1,950,000
Franchise Fee $30,000$30,000 - $35,000
Royalty Fee Varies4%
Advertising Fee -3.5%
Year Founded 19651935
Year Franchised 19651996
Term Of Agreement 10 years20 years
Term Of Agreement 10 years20 years
Renewal Fee -$5K


Business Experience Requirements

 
White Hen Pantry Franchise
Friendly's Restaurants Franchise
Experience
  • Industry experience
  • General business experience

  • Industry experience

  • Financing Options

     
    White Hen Pantry Franchise
    Friendly's Restaurants Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees Yes/NoNo/No
    Start-up Costs Yes/NoNo/No
    Equipment No/NoNo/No
    Inventory Yes/NoNo/No
    Receivables No/NoNo/No
    Payroll No/NoNo/No

    Training & Support

     
    White Hen Pantry Franchise
    Friendly's Restaurants Franchise
    Training --
    Support Newsletter, Meetings, Grand opening, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperativesNewsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations
    Marketing -Ad slicks, National media
    Operations 10% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 10 - 15

    Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed.

    Franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses; 62% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators)


    Expansion Plans

     
    White Hen Pantry Franchise
    Friendly's Restaurants Franchise
    US Expansion YesYes
    Canada Expansion NoNo
    International Expansion NoNo

    Company Overviews

    About White Hen Pantry

    White Hen Pantry Inc. was bought out by 7-Eleven
    White Hen Pantry Inc. was founded in 1965 and began franchising that same year. The Elmhurst, Illinois-based company has more than 280 locations in the United States.

    About Friendly's Restaurants

    In Springfield, Massachusetts at the height of the Great Depression in 1935, 20 year-old Prestley Blake and his 18 year-old brother Curtis opened an ice cream shop called 'Friendly' that served double-dip cones for 5 cents. The brothers opened a second shop five years later in West Springfield, Massachusetts and added food to the menu. Within a decade, locations opened throughout western Massachusetts and Connecticut. In 1988 Donald N. Smith, the company's current CEO, purchased the company and a year later added an 's' to the name, making it 'Friendly's.'

    In May 2000, Friendly's introduced a new food and dessert menu featuring colossal burgers, sandwich wraps, splits, sundaes and Cyclones. Friendly's produces 10 million snack cups and 230,000 gallons of fudge every year. In addition to its restaurants and cafes, Friendly's manufactures a complete line of frozen desserts.