Carl's Jr vs Burger Hut Franchise Comparison

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

Start-Up Costs and Fees
	Carl's Jr Franchise	Burger Hut Franchise
Investment	$1,603,000 - $2,168,000	$376,092 - And Up
Franchise Fee	$25,000 - $35,000	N/A
Royalty Fee	4%	4.5%
Advertising Fee	6%	-
Year Founded	1945	1978
Year Franchised	1984	2007
Term Of Agreement	20 years	-
Term Of Agreement	20 years	-
Renewal Fee	Varies	-
Business Experience Requirements
	Carl's Jr Franchise	Burger Hut 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	Burger Hut Franchise
	In-House/3rd Party	In-House/3rd Party
Franchise Fees	No/No	-/-
Start-up Costs	No/No	-/-
Equipment	No/No	-/-
Inventory	No/No	-/-
Receivables	No/No	-/-
Payroll	No/No	-/-
Training & Support
	Carl's Jr Franchise	Burger Hut 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	Burger Hut Franchise
US Expansion	Yes	-
Canada Expansion	No	-
International Expansion	Yes	-

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 Burger Hut

In 1978, we had a plan to work in a friendly environment where our guests would be welcomed and always feel comfortable; one that offered quality food at value prices. We wanted to serve food quickly, but not serve fast food. We wanted to serve popular and common food (after all, what's more common than a burger in the USA?) but prepare it in an uncommon way -- with special attention to quality and selection. We wanted our guests to have plenty of fresh choices when it came to condiments. We wanted a place we could be proud of and where we would make lots of new friends!​

The original Burger Hut in Chico, California was located just across the railroad tracks from California State University, Chico. Over the years we have consistently provided quick value-packed meals to college students, while helping many work their way through school as employees. As our popularity grew, so did our business, and we opened several other Burger Hut locations nearby.​

Today, Burger Hut continues to serve the highest quality food. A family owned and operated restaurant tradition, Burger Hut Burgers takes pride in being a part of the community. Our philosophy remains simple -- provide quality fresh food at reasonable prices and let the guests decide what goes on their burgers.

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