Houlihan's vs Cool-de-Sac Franchise Comparison

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

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Houlihan's Franchise
Cool-de-Sac Franchise
Investment $1,600,000 - $4,300,000$858,700 - $1,988,667
Franchise Fee $40,000$75,000
Royalty Fee 4%6%
Advertising Fee --
Year Founded 19722008
Year Franchised 19942010
Term Of Agreement 20 years10 years
Term Of Agreement 20 years10 years
Renewal Fee $5K-


Business Experience Requirements

 
Houlihan's Franchise
Cool-de-Sac Franchise
Experience
  • Industry experience
  • General business experience
  • Must live in same market being developed
  • -

    Financing Options

     
    Houlihan's Franchise
    Cool-de-Sac Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/Yes-/-
    Start-up Costs No/Yes-/-
    Equipment No/Yes-/-
    Inventory No/Yes-/-
    Receivables No/Yes-/-
    Payroll No/Yes-/-

    Training & Support

     
    Houlihan's Franchise
    Cool-de-Sac Franchise
    Training --
    Support Meetings, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives-
    Marketing Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, Regional advertising-
    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)

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 60 - 80. Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed.


    Expansion Plans

     
    Houlihan's Franchise
    Cool-de-Sac Franchise
    US Expansion YesYes
    Canada Expansion NoYes
    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 Cool-de-Sac

    Cool de Sac is an attractive family-style restaurant model that offers something for everyone: it's a wonderful place to meet, it's a fantastic place to eat, it's a great place to play and the perfect destination for an all-around family day. After talking to over 300 parents during our research and having served over 160,000 customers so far, we can confirm that Cool de Sac is a fantastic idea whose time has come. Customer Service ratings to our flagship Restaurants in Florida have been excellent. Cool de Sac has lucratively covered a market niche that fills an important urban lifestyle need and offers highly promising business potential to any entrepreneur in any suburb in the United States. As we seek to expand our presence to other cities in the U.S. �" not to mention other countries �" we look forward to forging lasting partnerships with enthusiastic franchisees like you. Join forces with us and you will become part of a network that is driven by professionalism, quality, consistency, and a true passion for excellence. To learn how our partnership can work to your advantage, read more about Cool de Sac. As you get to know our business better, you will see an opportunity you'll want to consider for the long term. We envision your entrepreneurial spirit and our expertise as the perfect combination with which to build a powerful international brand. We look forward to welcoming you on board!