Houlihan's vs Tin Star Restaurant Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Houlihan's vs Tin Star Restaurant including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Houlihan's Franchise
Tin Star Restaurant Franchise
Investment $1,600,000 - $4,300,000$500,000
Franchise Fee $40,000$20,000 - $35,000
Royalty Fee 4%4%
Advertising Fee --
Year Founded 19721999
Year Franchised 19942003
Term Of Agreement 20 years10 years
Term Of Agreement 20 years10 years
Renewal Fee $5K-


Business Experience Requirements

 
Houlihan's Franchise
Tin Star Restaurant Franchise
Experience
  • Industry experience
  • General business experience
  • Must live in same market being developed

  • Industry experience
  • General business experience
  • Marketing skills

  • Financing Options

     
    Houlihan's Franchise
    Tin Star Restaurant Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/YesNo/No
    Start-up Costs No/YesNo/No
    Equipment No/YesNo/No
    Inventory No/YesNo/No
    Receivables No/YesNo/No
    Payroll No/YesNo/No

    Training & Support

     
    Houlihan's Franchise
    Tin Star Restaurant Franchise
    Training --
    Support Meetings, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperativesNewsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives
    Marketing Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, Regional advertisingAd slicks
    Operations Franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 78

    Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (80% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

    Franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses; 100% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 35

    Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators)


    Expansion Plans

     
    Houlihan's Franchise
    Tin Star Restaurant Franchise
    US Expansion Yes-
    Canada Expansion NoNo
    International Expansion NoYes

    Company Overviews

    About Houlihan's

    Houlihan's has been known for exceptional food at an affordable price since we entered the casual dining segment in 1972. Our menu features a great mix of contemporary pop American cooking - classic dishes reinvented in a fresh modern way and brought to the table with simple, stylish plating and presentations. And then there's the bar. It's always the best place to feel the great energy of Houlihan's. Our bar strategy unites pop culture, trendy premium brands, the newest drinks and vendor insights for a winning combination, resulting in an enviable liquor mix.

    To help us more quickly expand to new markets and trade areas, Houlihan's is seeking sophisticated restaurant operators with experience building out entire markets. At this time, we are not pursuing single-site franchise agreements.

    Our ideal candidate to become a franchise market developer is a successful full-service, multi-unit operator with expertise in one or more large markets (e.g. the top 75 MSAs in the United States). We are seeking entrepreneurial organizations that can thrive in our flexible franchise environment, while having access to growth capital and capital reserves, but experiencing growth constraints with their current restaurant concept(s).

    About Tin Star Restaurant

    Become a Part of the Tin Star Family Tin Star is seeking energetic, motivated restaurateurs with an unrelenting commitment to Guest service, quality and freshness. We're proud of our concept, and we're excited to find qualified, experienced franchisees who share our passion for great food, fantastic flavors and the Tin Star spirit of hospitality. Take a look at our preliminary requirements and contact our corporate officers for information about available opportunities. If you are interested in developing a specific market and meet all of the preliminary requirements, please complete our application. The Tin Star team has worked hard to put together a franchise program that includes support related to restaurant design, operations, training and development and marketing. Rich Hicks, President, has extensive experience in the restaurant and hospitality industry. At Tin Star, our spirit shines through our people, our food, and the experience we create for our Guests. We invite you to get in touch with us to learn more about specific franchise opportunities available at Tin Star.