Papa John's vs Mark's Pizzeria Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Papa John's vs Mark's Pizzeria including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
Papa John's Franchise
Mark's Pizzeria Franchise
Investment $26,500 - $844,420$125,000 - $150,000
Franchise Fee $25,000$15,000
Royalty Fee 5%3%
Advertising Fee 8%-
Year Founded 19851982
Year Franchised 19861995
Term Of Agreement 10 years15 years
Term Of Agreement 10 years15 years
Renewal Fee -1/3 current franchise fee


Business Experience Requirements
 
Papa John's Franchise
Mark's Pizzeria Franchise
Experience The prospective franchisee should have at least one partner with a successful business management background and one partner who qualifies as the Principal Operator. For single-unit development, an individual can apply to be both owner and Principal Operator. The Principal Operator must have prior general management experience relative to the number of units to be developed and must own or have the right to acquire at least 5% equity in the business within 12 months of hire date. A fully completed Request for Consideration Form and current resume must be submitted for each member of the proposed franchise group or the owner operator, including the proposed Principal Operator. Also, Papa John's will request supporting documentation from each proposed owner-

Financing Options
 
Papa John's Franchise
Mark's Pizzeria Franchise
  In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
Franchise Fees No/NoNo/Yes
Start-up Costs No/NoNo/Yes
Equipment No/NoNo/Yes
Inventory No/NoNo/Yes
Receivables No/NoNo/No
Payroll No/NoNo/No

Training & Support
 
Papa John's Franchise
Mark's Pizzeria Franchise
Training We provide initial training for the operator of 6-8 weeks. In addition, we continue to provide ongoing training for your operator and team.As needed
Support -Meetings, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations
Marketing -Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, Regional advertising
Operations -

Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 12

Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (90% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

Expansion Plans
 
Papa John's Franchise
Mark's Pizzeria Franchise
US Expansion YesYes
Canada Expansion NoNo
International Expansion YesYes

Company Overviews

About Papa John's

We didn’t start our business in a boardroom. We started it in a broom closet. Back in 1984, our Founder, John Schnatter (that’s Papa John to you) sold his beloved muscle car to buy pizza‐making equipment. Armed with only an oven and a love for making quality pizza, John opened the very first Papa John’s in the crowded broom closet of his father’s tavern. Over the years, this passion for making better pizza informed every decision and pizza we made...because the last thing we wanted to be was a pizza company. So instead of chopping vegetables with machines, we chop them by hand every day. Instead of investing in gimmicks, we invest in fresh ingredients. And we pile them high on our fresh, never-frozen original dough. Today, we’ve surrounded ourselves with like-minded people with a passion for making better pizza, including franchisees, suppliers, athletes, pizza makers, and farmers we’ve known for over 30 years. Like our friend Dino in California - "he grows the best tomatoes. In the end, John’s desire to create a better pizza built more than a pizza company...he built a pizza family.

At Papa John's we have a simple formula for success: Focus on one thing and try to do it better than anyone else. By keeping the Papa John's menu simple, we are able to focus on the quality of our product by using only superior-quality ingredients. Our commitment to quality can be seen in all of our ingredients, from our fresh (never frozen) water-purified traditional dough, to our vine-ripened fresh-packed tomato sauce (which goes from the vine to the can in an average of six hours), to our cheese made with 100% mozzarella and many other premium ingredients.

The total investment necessary to begin operation of a standard Papa John’s franchise is $130,120 to $844,420. This includes up to $73,920 that must be paid to the franchisor or its affiliate.
The total investment necessary to begin operation of a non-traditional Papa John’s franchise is $26,500 to $388,920. This includes up to $56,420 that must be paid to the franchisor or its affiliate.

Seeking new franchise units Worldwide.

Better Ingredients, Better Pizza.

"Top  ""    "Entrepreneur
#64 in Canada's Top franchises.

"franchiserankingscom"
#55 on Franchise Rankings.com
#146 in Franchise 500 for 2020.
#127 in Franchise 500 for 2021.






About Mark's Pizzeria

The concept and business of Mark's Pizzeria began in 1982 as one of both necessity and inspiration to the founder, Mr. Mark Crane. With 29 restaurants across the Greater Rochester area, we serve up the tastiest pizza, calzones, subs, and wings outside of Italy! We'd like to thank our Rochester customers for voting us as the #1 Best Pizza in Rochester SIX times! For over 35 years, we've been providing delicious, quality food and service with a smile.

Mark's Pizzeria began humbly in 1982 as a small pizza restaurant in Palmyra founded by Mark Crane. Even back then, our goals were to always put customers first and to make sure they left with a smile on their face. As we expanded to Fairport, Victor, Penfield, and other cities across Rochester, quality and service remained ingrained in our culture. We still use fresh dough that's made in-store every day, and natural ingredients you can actually taste. Whether you're ordering a hot sandwich, a loaded bomber sub, or a sheet pizza, you know that you're getting quality ingredients.

At Mark's Pizzeria, we serve great food and treat our customers like family. We're proud to know our regulars, and some of our patrons have been coming to us for decades. Kids always get a free slushy, and everybody gets a taste of our classic Grandma's fried dough with cinnamon sugar; it's our way of saying thank you to the community. Whether you're a first-time visitor or a repeat customer, we'll always provide friendly service with a smile. Stop by today to see the Mark's Pizzeria way of doing things!

On top of that, we're also excited to offer you valuable coupons, redeemable in all locations across the Greater Rochester area. With virtually any order, you instantly qualify for one of our coupons, which you can use when ordering online or when you come to one of our restaurants. Just print out the applicable coupon, or enter the coupon code at checkout! After all, what's better than good food and good company? We can't think of much else, so why not have some of our amazing pizza with your loved ones?