Carl's Jr vs Steak n Shake Franchise Comparison

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

Start-Up Costs and Fees
	Carl's Jr Franchise	Steak n Shake Franchise
Investment	$1,603,000 - $2,168,000	$672,000 - $1,835,000
Franchise Fee	$25,000 - $35,000	$25,000 - $40,000
Royalty Fee	4%	5.5%
Advertising Fee	6%	-
Year Founded	1945	1934
Year Franchised	1984	1945
Term Of Agreement	20 years	-
Term Of Agreement	20 years	-
Renewal Fee	Varies	-
Business Experience Requirements
	Carl's Jr Franchise	Steak n Shake Franchise
Experience	Industry experience General business experience Preferable operational experience in a restaurant, but will consider people who have owned their own business	-
Financing Options
	Carl's Jr Franchise	Steak n Shake Franchise
	In-House/3rd Party	In-House/3rd Party
Franchise Fees	No/No	No/No
Start-up Costs	No/No	No/No
Equipment	No/No	No/No
Inventory	No/No	No/No
Receivables	No/No	No/No
Payroll	No/No	No/No
Training & Support
	Carl's Jr Franchise	Steak n Shake 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 cooperatives	� Unparalleled Operations Support - A Steak n Shake Manager of Field Operations will help you open your restaurant and will be available for consultation with day-to-day operations. To help ensure a smooth restaurant opening experience, Steak n Shake will provide your first training hours via seasoned Steak n Shake trainers/staff. You will also receive our Operating Standards System, Manager-in-Training and Management Development Programs. Through your Manager of Field Operations, you will have the multi-functional resources of the Steak n Shake Company working on your behalf.
Marketing	Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, National media, Regional advertising	� World Class Marketing - The Steak n Shake marketing is directed toward building brand loyalty and is not price-driven or reliant on low price discounting. Steak n Shake's television and print marketing are product-benefit directed, showing why Steak n Shake is superior to fast food alternatives with a fun, irreverent, tongue-in-cheek humorous approach. Sample television spots are available on this website for your viewing pleasure. The Marketing System is user-friendly and designed for the success of Franchisees.
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	Steak n Shake 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 Steak n Shake

Benefits of Franchising The benefits of franchising with Steak n Shake can't be duplicated:
* Proven Concept - The Steak n Shake concept has withstood all types of economic circumstances and continually emerged stronger and stronger.
* Growing - Since 1996, Steak n Shake system-wide sales have grown from $268 million to $549 million. In the past decade, the chain has doubled in size.
* Huge, Untapped Development Potential - Steak n Shake currently operates over 490 restaurants in just 20 states. Looking ahead, we forecast that Steak n Shake has the potential to develop over 1,000 units nationwide.
* Unique Niche Positioning - There is no single offering that is a head-on alternative to our restaurant concept. Steak n Shake serves a distinct niche in the mid-scale, casual dining segment of the restaurant industry.
* Core Products that Generate a Strong Loyal Following - The core of the Steak n Shake menu includes STEAKBURGERS, thin and crispy French Fries, Chili, and Hand-dipped Milk Shakes.
* Product Development - Steak n Shake has a pipeline of new products that build on core products consumers love. Recent innovations have included new Side-by-Side Milkshakes and Sippable Sundaes.

Future innovations will include more milkshake innovation, burger news, and health conscious offerings. All of these benefits equal a great chance at success in the restaurant business. The only thing missing is you.