Carl's Jr vs Ezell's Chicken Franchise Comparison

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

Start-Up Costs and Fees
	Carl's Jr Franchise	Ezell's Chicken Franchise
Investment	$1,603,000 - $2,168,000	$400,000 - $600,000
Franchise Fee	$25,000 - $35,000	$20,000
Royalty Fee	4%	5%
Advertising Fee	6%	-
Year Founded	1945	-
Year Franchised	1984	-
Term Of Agreement	20 years	-
Term Of Agreement	20 years	-
Renewal Fee	Varies	-
Business Experience Requirements
	Carl's Jr Franchise	Ezell's 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	Ezell's Chicken 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	Ezell's 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	Ezell's Chicken Franchise
US Expansion	Yes	Yes
Canada Expansion	No	-
International Expansion	Yes	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 Ezell's Chicken

Founded in 1984 in Seattle's Central District, Ezell's Famous Chicken has eleven fast-casual restaurants in locations throughout the Greater Puget Sound area.  Over 36 years later, the locally-owned family business has grown, while members of the founding family are still active and involved every day.

The story began when the family moved from Texas to Seattle. Shortly thereafter, they decided that they’d start a business making chicken like they used to back home in Texas.

Lewis Rudd and Faye Stephens saw their mission as simple: Provide FRESH and high-quality chicken and GOOD homemade side dishes, served with casual and courteous service.

After waiting six years for funding, the family opened the first store on February 3, 1984 in Seattle’s Central District at 501 23rd Avenue, across from Garfield High School. Since then, they have built the family business into a Pacific Northwest icon.