Golden Corral vs Cool-de-Sac Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Golden Corral vs Cool-de-Sac including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
Golden Corral Franchise
Cool-de-Sac Franchise
Investment $2,700,795 - $7,037,915$858,700 - $1,988,667
Franchise Fee $50,000$75,000
Royalty Fee 4%6%
Advertising Fee 2.4%-
Year Founded 19732008
Year Franchised 19862010
Term Of Agreement 15 years10 years
Term Of Agreement 15 years10 years
Renewal Fee 15 years (plus two, 5-year renewal options)-


Business Experience Requirements
 
Golden Corral Franchise
Cool-de-Sac Franchise
Experience
  • Industry experience
  • (or must have partner with industry experience.)
    		• -

    Financing Options
     
    Golden Corral Franchise
    Cool-de-Sac Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/No-/-
    Start-up Costs No/Yes-/-
    Equipment No/Yes-/-
    Inventory No/No-/-
    Receivables No/No-/-
    Payroll No/No-/-

    Training & Support
     
    Golden Corral Franchise
    Cool-de-Sac Franchise
    Training On-The-Job Training: 665 hours Classroom Training: 8.5 hours Additional Training: At company training location-
    Support Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform-
    Marketing National Media Regional Advertising Social media SEO Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app-
    Operations International franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses; 80% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 100

    Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. (90% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 60 - 80. Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed.

    Expansion Plans
     
    Golden Corral Franchise
    Cool-de-Sac Franchise
    US Expansion YesYes
    Canada Expansion NoYes
    International Expansion YesYes

    Company Overviews

    About Golden Corral

    Golden Corral restaurants began as budget steakhouses located principally in small cities from Virginia to Texas. In the mid-1980s, guest requests prompted Golden Corral to reinvent itself by introducing the Buffet & Grill Metro unit that features 160 hot and cold items, a carving station, and the Brass Bell Bakery, which offers rolls, muffins, cookies, pies and pizza made from scratch. The buffet was expanded in 2001 to include cooked-to-order sirloin steaks.

    The total investment necessary to begin operation of a restaurant ranges from $2,700,795 to $5,340,215 for the less expensive restaurant design, and from $3,453,379 to $7,037,915 for the more expensive restaurant design. This amount includes $51,400 to $4,482,285 that must or may be paid to the franchisor or its affiliates.

    #90 in Franchise 500 for 2020.

    About Cool-de-Sac

    Cool de Sac is an attractive family-style restaurant model that offers something for everyone: it's a wonderful place to meet, it's a fantastic place to eat, it's a great place to play and the perfect destination for an all-around family day. After talking to over 300 parents during our research and having served over 160,000 customers so far, we can confirm that Cool de Sac is a fantastic idea whose time has come. Customer Service ratings to our flagship Restaurants in Florida have been excellent. Cool de Sac has lucratively covered a market niche that fills an important urban lifestyle need and offers highly promising business potential to any entrepreneur in any suburb in the United States. As we seek to expand our presence to other cities in the U.S. �" not to mention other countries �" we look forward to forging lasting partnerships with enthusiastic franchisees like you. Join forces with us and you will become part of a network that is driven by professionalism, quality, consistency, and a true passion for excellence. To learn how our partnership can work to your advantage, read more about Cool de Sac. As you get to know our business better, you will see an opportunity you'll want to consider for the long term. We envision your entrepreneurial spirit and our expertise as the perfect combination with which to build a powerful international brand. We look forward to welcoming you on board!