Carl's Jr vs Pudgie's Famous Chicken Franchise Comparison

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

Start-Up Costs and Fees
	Carl's Jr Franchise	Pudgie's Famous Chicken Franchise
Investment	$1,603,000 - $2,168,000	$197,000 - $379,000
Franchise Fee	$25,000 - $35,000	$30,000
Royalty Fee	4%	5%
Advertising Fee	6%	-
Year Founded	1945	1998
Year Franchised	1984	1998
Term Of Agreement	20 years	10 years
Term Of Agreement	20 years	10 years
Renewal Fee	Varies	current fee
Business Experience Requirements
	Carl's Jr Franchise	Pudgie's Famous Chicken 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	Pudgie's Famous Chicken 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	Pudgie's Famous Chicken 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	-
Marketing	Co-op 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.	-
Expansion Plans
	Carl's Jr Franchise	Pudgie's Famous Chicken Franchise
US Expansion	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 Pudgie's Famous Chicken

Pudgie's brings you skinless fried chicken lower in fat, cholesterol and sodium than traditional fried chicken, but it tastes just as good. Started in 1981, Pudgie's Famous Chicken is served up with all the sides you and your family will love like mashed potatoes, corn, and macaroni and cheese. Eat-in, pick-up, or call us- we'll deliver right to your door.