Carl's Jr vs Wing Zone Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Carl's Jr vs Wing Zone including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
	Carl's Jr Franchise	Wing Zone Franchise
Investment	$1,603,000 - $2,168,000	$342,800 - $566,000
Franchise Fee	$25,000 - $35,000	$30,000 - $40,000
Royalty Fee	4%	5%
Advertising Fee	6%	2%
Year Founded	1945	1991
Year Franchised	1984	1999
Term Of Agreement	20 years	10 years
Term Of Agreement	20 years	10 years
Renewal Fee	Varies	$10K
Business Experience Requirements
	Carl's Jr Franchise	Wing Zone Franchise
Experience	Industry experience General business experience Preferable operational experience in a restaurant, but will consider people who have owned their own business	Industry experience General business experience Marketing skills
Financing Options
	Carl's Jr Franchise	Wing Zone Franchise
	In-House/3rd Party	In-House/3rd Party
Franchise Fees	No/No	No/Yes
Start-up Costs	No/No	No/Yes
Equipment	No/No	No/Yes
Inventory	No/No	No/Yes
Receivables	No/No	No/Yes
Payroll	No/No	No/Yes
Training & Support
	Carl's Jr Franchise	Wing Zone Franchise
Training	Available at franchisee's location, 12 weeks of management training & at grand opening	Wing Zone University, our training program consists of three (3) weeks of classroom and on-site training Our program consists of everything you need to know to open and successfully operate a Wing Zone, including: Recipes and Food-Prep Procedures Quality and Service Standards Guest Promise Inventory Procedures Food Safety Best Hiring Practices Local Store Marketing Digital and Social Media Online Review Management (Yelp, Google, Facebook) Grand Opening Plan
Support	Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives	Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives From the moment, you sign the Franchise Agreement to the day you open and beyond we’ll help and guide you with site selection, lease negotiations, finding and hiring the right contractor, store design and construction as well the training on how to open, hire the right people and operate your Wing Zone.
Marketing	Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, National media, Regional advertising	Ad slicks, National media, Regional advertising
Operations	Franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses; 100% of all franchisees own more than one unit Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed.	20% of all franchisees own more than one unit Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 12 Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed.
Expansion Plans
	Carl's Jr Franchise	Wing Zone Franchise
US Expansion	Yes	Yes
Canada Expansion	No	No
International Expansion	Yes	No

Company Overviews

About Carl's Jr

Carl's Jr. is known all through the Western U.S. as the place to go for premium quality burgers, specifically its 100% Angus hamburger Six Dollar Burger line.

At Hardee's® and Carl's Jr.® our brand sets us apart from the competition. Our advertisements are created to be so bold and memorable that they've been known to crash internet video servers. Our taglines deliver bold statements and our visuals are designed to keep viewers wanting more. EAT LIKE YOU MEAN IT.

Hardee's® and Carl's Jr.® have a strong track record of successfully developing new premium products to lead the category in taste, quality, and innovation. As an industry leader, we have consistently out-delivered all other quick-service restaurants in product development since our founding. Staying on top requires that we continue to lead the way in the products we serve through taste, quality, and innovation.

#202 in Franchise 500 for 2021.

About Wing Zone

Join Wing Zone!
Here's your opportunity to join WingZone, one of the nation's fastest-growing takeout/delivery chains. The Wing Zone concept was launched in 1991 in the most unlikely setting, a fraternity house kitchen. Despite Wing Zone's humble birth, the core idea targeted a pressing need in the marketplace: to serve high-quality, cooked to order food, available for takeout, delivery and dine-in. Today, this simple idea has become one of the hottest franchise opportunities around, having grown to nearly 100 restaurants.
 Matt Friedman and Adam Scott conceived Wing Zone while at the University of Florida due to a dilemma they faced - there was no alternative to pizza delivery for students studying late or suffering from the late night hunger. To fill this void, Matt and Adam developed the Wing Zone concept and quickly expanded it into a great business opportunity. The Wing Zone menu has grown over the years beyond just buffalo wings. It now includes chicken fingers, buffalo shrimp, half-pound burgers, chicken sandwiches and fresh salads. A key ingredient to Wing Zone's success is unchanged - its 25 signature sauces. While Wing Zone is proud of its past, the company is focused on the future. Wing Zone is currently seeking franchise partners to help make Wing Zone the leading franchise opportunity with single, multi-unit, and area development opportunities available in many areas across the nation.