Wetzel's Pretzels vs Original Cupcakes Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Wetzel's Pretzels vs Original Cupcakes including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
Wetzel's Pretzels Franchise
Original Cupcakes Franchise
Investment $126,600 - $405,850$267,500 - $381,000
Franchise Fee $35,000$50,000
Royalty Fee 7%-
Advertising Fee 1%-
Year Founded 1994-
Year Franchised 1996-
Term Of Agreement 10 years-
Term Of Agreement 10 years-
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements
 
Wetzel's Pretzels Franchise
Original Cupcakes Franchise
Experience
  • General business experience
    		• -

    Financing Options
     
    Wetzel's Pretzels Franchise
    Original Cupcakes Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/Yes-/-
    Start-up Costs No/Yes-/-
    Equipment Yes/Yes-/-
    Inventory No/Yes-/-
    Receivables No/No-/-
    Payroll No/No-/-

    Training & Support
     
    Wetzel's Pretzels Franchise
    Original Cupcakes Franchise
    Training On-The-Job Training: 40 hours Classroom Training: 40 hours -
    Support Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Franchisee Intranet Platform -
    Marketing Ad Templates Social media SEO Email marketing Loyalty program/app -
    Operations 20% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 10

    Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

    		-

    Expansion Plans
     
    Wetzel's Pretzels Franchise
    Original Cupcakes Franchise
    US Expansion Yes-
    Canada Expansion No-
    International Expansion Yes-

    Company Overviews

    About Wetzel's Pretzels

    Wetzel's Pretzels founded by Rick Wetzel & Bill Phelps, former marketing executives in 1994. 1st Wetzel's Pretzels located in South Bay Galleria in Southern California. First store was opened in 1995 Century City, Hollywood.
    In 1996 Wetzel's Pretzels began franchising. Currently they have locations across United States (Universal City, Staples Center, Dodgers Stadium, Disneyland, Disney world) & internationally. Currently co-branding relationship with Cold Stone Creamery, Swensen's, Juice It Up and more.
    Beginning of 2016 Wetzel's franchise fast food restaurants had 298 locations out of them 269 US locations; 2 in Canada; 19 worldwide; and 8 owned by the company itself.

    Popular products:
    Pretzels, consisting of several different flavors
    Frozen Lemonade, sold in a variety of flavors.
    Frozen Granita, a frozen version of the Italian dessert
     
    The franchisor offers 3 franchise programs:
    1. A single Wetzel's Pretzels Bakery. The total investment necessary to begin operation of a Wetzel's Pretzels Bakery ranges from $164,950 to $405,850. This includes approximately between $42,350 and $50,750 that must be paid to the franchisor. If Wetzel's Pretzels grants you a license to operate a Remote Mobile Unit under a Remote Mobile Unit Addendum to your Franchise Agreement, you will also pay it a fee of $5,000 for a Remote Mobile Unit.
    2. Multiple Wetzel's Pretzels Bakeries within a defined area pursuant to a Multi-Unit Development Agreement. There is an initial development fee of $15,000 multiplied by the number of Bakeries which you must open, plus the balance of the initial franchise fee ($20,000) for your first Franchise Agreement. You will pay an initial franchise fee of $35,000 for each Bakery ($22,500 for a second Bakery in the same mall). However, the franchisor will credit the development fee against the initial franchise fees (at the rate of $15,000 for the second and each subsequent Franchise Agreement).
    3. A single Wetzel's Pretzels Concession Truck or Trailer. The total investment necessary to begin operation of a Wetzel's Pretzels Concession Truck or Trailer ranges from $126,600 to $275,850. This includes approximately between $9,000 and $14,750 that must be paid to the franchisor.
    "Entrepreneur
    #497 in Franchise 500 for 2020.








    About Original Cupcakes

    Founded by best friends Heather White and Lori Joyce in 2002, Cupcakes bakes their products from scratch and uses preservative-free, basic ingredients, offering customers fresh batches of yummy goodness daily.

    The Cupcakes trademark has been globally recognized as the original cupcakes bakery. It was also the Cupcakes Bakery featured on the hit reality TV Show called, ‘The Cupcake Girls’ on the W Network. The TV Show airs in 90 countries worldwide, including the USA, Asia, and Latin America. The Cupcakes brand stands for fun, nostalgia, and celebration!

     Cupcakes has established the following minimum franchisee requirements: -You must have a minimum of 2 years business and/or management experience -You must be prepared to work full time in your store(s) with eagerness and enthusiasm -You must be in good health; operating your own business can be physically and mentally demanding -You must be willing to follow the systems and manuals provided to you by Cupcakes.
    In addition, every Franchisee must have, at a minimum, a satisfactory financial rating and the ability to finance the total capital investment, ongoing operating costs and working capital for the store as required.