Carl's Jr vs Five Guys Burgers & Fries Franchise Comparison

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

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Carl's Jr Franchise
Five Guys Burgers & Fries Franchise
Investment $1,603,000 - $2,168,000$306,200 - $716,250
Franchise Fee $25,000 - $35,000$50,000 - $125,000
Royalty Fee 4%6%
Advertising Fee 6%2%
Year Founded 19451986
Year Franchised 19842002
Term Of Agreement 20 years20 years
Term Of Agreement 20 years20 years
Renewal Fee Varies-


Business Experience Requirements

 
Carl's Jr Franchise
Five Guys Burgers & Fries 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

  • Financing Options

     
    Carl's Jr Franchise
    Five Guys Burgers & Fries Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/NoNo/No
    Start-up Costs No/NoNo/Yes
    Equipment No/NoNo/Yes
    Inventory No/NoNo/No
    Receivables No/NoNo/No
    Payroll No/NoNo/No

    Training & Support

     
    Carl's Jr Franchise
    Five Guys Burgers & Fries Franchise
    Training Available at franchisee's location, 12 weeks of management training & at grand opening-
    Support Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperativesNewsletter, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives
    Marketing Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, National media, Regional advertisingRegional 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.

    -

    Expansion Plans

     
    Carl's Jr Franchise
    Five Guys Burgers & Fries Franchise
    US Expansion YesYes
    Canada Expansion NoNo
    International Expansion YesNo

    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.


    ""  "Entrepreneur

    #100 in Franchise 500 for 2020.
    #202 in Franchise 500 for 2021.




    About Five Guys Burgers & Fries

    At Five Guys, we don't like to talk about ourselves very much. We would rather focus on making burgers. So if you're interested in franchising, we hope it's because you love our burgers, love that we have a simple menu, and want to serve great burgers in a clean and friendly environment with very little fuss. If you feel that way, then there isn't much more to say! With the simple focus on quality, service and cleanliness, Five Guys has opened over 300 restaurants in less than five years. If you're interested in being a part of the Five Guys family, then fill out our form to reach our Franchise Department. We will get back to you with an application and will let you know what areas of the country are open for development. Markets Available for Development We are pleased to announce that we are currently sold out in the United States and in Canada. Our franchisees are feverishly working on completing development of their territories. This means that there are some areas without Five Guys locations, but those territories have been sold and franchisees will be opening there soon.

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