Papa John's vs California Pizza Kitchen Franchise Comparison

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

Start-Up Costs and Fees
	Papa John's Franchise	California Pizza Kitchen Franchise
Investment	$26,500 - $844,420	N/A
Franchise Fee	$25,000	N/A
Royalty Fee	5%	-
Advertising Fee	8%	-
Year Founded	1985	1985
Year Franchised	1986	0
Term Of Agreement	10 years	-
Term Of Agreement	10 years	-
Renewal Fee	-	-
Business Experience Requirements
	Papa John's Franchise	California Pizza Kitchen 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	* Proven track record in the restaurant industry * Current ownership of multiple restaurants with an established infrastructure, preferably full service U.S. brands * Previous franchise restaurant experience * Strong knowledge of market trends, real estate, governmental issues, distribution and labor * Minimum of $5 Million total net worth * Minimum of $2 Million cash available for investment * Franchise partner must have the resources and be willing to send multiple managers and several key restaurant employees to California for a 3 month training program. * All minimum requirements are subject to California Pizza Kitchen's collective evaluation of the potential franchise partner If you feel you meet the initial criteria and are interested in franchise opportunities, please tell us more about yourself and your company in the following preliminary application.
Financing Options
	Papa John's Franchise	California Pizza Kitchen Franchise
	In-House/3rd Party	In-House/3rd Party
Franchise Fees	No/No	-/-
Start-up Costs	No/No	-/-
Equipment	No/No	-/-
Inventory	No/No	-/-
Receivables	No/No	-/-
Payroll	No/No	-/-
Training & Support
	Papa John's Franchise	California Pizza Kitchen 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.	-
Support	-	-
Marketing	-	-
Operations	-	-
Expansion Plans
	Papa John's Franchise	California Pizza Kitchen Franchise
US Expansion	Yes	-
Canada Expansion	No	-
International Expansion	Yes	-

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.

About California Pizza Kitchen

Unlike most fast-food chains, all American locations are owned and operated by California Pizza Kitchen, as opposed to franchise owners. If you want to buy a California Pizza Kitchen for yourself, you’ll have to buy it overseas and run a company that already owns full-service restaurant chains. 

California Pizza Kitchen is a leader in authentic California-style cuisine both domestically and internationally. Our diverse menu items from Kung Pao Spaghetti to Tostada Pizza provide an assortment of worldly flavors. In 1998, the first international CPK opened, beginning the company's global expansion. CPK is now considering additional expansion opportunities in select markets with experienced restaurant franchisees.
California Pizza Kitchen is always looking for passionate, experienced partners to help us expand into new markets as we continue to grow our worldwide brand. We provide best-in-class training and development in all areas of our business in addition to on-the-ground support.
 
International Franchising Requirements
 * Proven track record in the restaurant industry
 * Current ownership of multiple restaurants with an established infrastructure, preferably full service U.S. brands
 * Previous franchise restaurant experience
 * Strong knowledge of market trends, real estate, governmental issues, distribution and labor
 * Minimum of $5 Million total net worth
 * Minimum of $2 Million cash available for investment
 * Franchise partner must have the resources and be willing to send multiple managers and several key restaurant employees to California for a 3 month training program.
 * All minimum requirements are subject to California Pizza Kitchen's collective evaluation of the potential franchise partner