Papa John's vs Pickleman's Gourmet Cafe Franchise Comparison

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

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
Papa John's Franchise
Pickleman's Gourmet Cafe Franchise
Investment $26,500 - $844,420$338,050 - $610,000
Franchise Fee $25,000N/A
Royalty Fee 5%6%
Advertising Fee 8%2%
Year Founded 19852005
Year Franchised 19862008
Term Of Agreement 10 years-
Term Of Agreement 10 years-
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements
 
Papa John's Franchise
Pickleman's Gourmet Cafe 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
Pickleman's Gourmet Cafe Franchise
  In-House/3rd PartyIn-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
Pickleman's Gourmet Cafe 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.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.
Support --
Marketing --
Operations --

Expansion Plans
 
Papa John's Franchise
Pickleman's Gourmet Cafe Franchise
US Expansion YesYes
Canada Expansion No-
International Expansion YesNo

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 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.