Denny's vs Cool Hand Luke's Franchise Comparison
Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Denny's vs Cool Hand Luke's including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.
Start-Up Costs and Fees |
Investment |
$305,000 - $2,404,695 | $373,000 - $1,817,500 |
Franchise Fee |
$10,000 - $30,000 | $50,000 |
Royalty Fee |
4.5%-7% | - |
Advertising Fee |
3%-3.5% | - |
Year Founded |
1953 | 2004 |
Year Franchised |
1984 | 2005 |
Term Of Agreement |
20 years | - |
Term Of Agreement |
20 years | - |
Renewal Fee |
$10K for 10 years | - |
Business Experience Requirements |
Experience |
Industry experience General business experience Operations experience | - |
Financing Options |
|
In-House/3rd Party | In-House/3rd Party |
Franchise Fees |
No/Yes | -/- |
Start-up Costs |
No/Yes | -/- |
Equipment |
No/Yes | -/- |
Inventory |
No/Yes | -/- |
Receivables |
No/No | -/- |
Payroll |
No/No | -/- |
Training & Support |
Training |
On-The-Job Training: 91 hours
Classroom Training: 16 hours
Additional Training: At existing Denny's restaurants | - |
Support |
Purchasing Co-ops
Newsletter
Meetings/Conventions
Toll-Free Line
Grand Opening
Online Support
Security/Safety Procedures
Field Operations
Site Selection
Proprietary Software
Franchisee Intranet Platform | - |
Marketing |
Co-op Advertising
Ad Templates
National Media
Regional Advertising
Social media
Website development
Email marketing
Loyalty program/app | - |
Operations |
44% of all franchisees own more than one unit Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 80
Absentee Ownership Allowed
| - |
Expansion Plans |
US Expansion |
Yes | - |
Canada Expansion |
No | - |
International Expansion |
Yes | - |
Company Overviews
About Denny's
In 1953, Harold Butler opened Danny's Donuts, a Lakewood, California, stand that served coffee and doughnuts 24 hours a day. The following year, the stand grew and its name was changed to Danny's Coffee Shops. Five years later, there were 20 shops in the chain, and the company changed its name to Denny's. Denny's locations serve breakfast, lunch and dinner choices 24 hours a day.
Denny's New & Emerging Markets incentive program is designed to help us recruit exceptional new franchisees to seize valuable market share in new & emerging markets.
Under the program, new franchisees can save up to $1 million by developing 4 new restaurants in new & emerging markets. The estimated savings include reduced: initial fees, royalty rate, marketing fees, market planning fee, store design fees, NRO training, and MGIP (development fees).
With a flexible, cost-effective prototype & best-in-class systems, Denny's is positioned for sustained franchise growth.
The total investment necessary to begin operation of a Denny’s franchise
is from $1,330,525.50 to $2,404,695.50 for a Denny’s Heritage facility;
from $305,000 to $826,000 for a nontraditional Denny’s, including The
Den; and from $1,025,528.50 to $1,659,695.50 for Denny’s within a Travel
Center (these numbers exclude real estate). This includes the initial
franchise fee of $10,000 to $30,000 and the New Restaurant Opening fee
of $0 to $36,000, for a total of $10,000 to $66,000, which must be paid
to the franchisor or affiliate.
#59 on Franchise Rankings.com
#83 on Franchise 500 for 2021 Not on Franchise 500 for 2020
About Cool Hand Luke's
Cool Hand Luke’s Steakhouse and Saloon opened its first location in Clovis Ca. in Dec. 2004. From the very beginning the locals named it the "Coolest joint in town" Since then we have expanded to 11 other units in California and one in Eagle Idaho. What makes us unique is our hand cut marinated steaks that come directly from our own Meat Company.
Project Expansion
We are looking for qualified franchisees to expand into new frontiers. Current Opportunity exists in the San Diego and Los Angeles Ca. area. Our Western Themed Wild West Grill offers communities an opportunity to "Step back in time and enjoy a unique dining experience with extraordinary value. Franchise Support
Cool Hand Luke’s Steakhouse and Saloon is part of a family of Brands that dates back to 1964. With decades of experience behind us and the future before us, the Dynaco team will join forces with you to build your business on a solid foundation. Our team will assist you from the beginning steps including site selection, plan design, thru training and opening your restaurant. We offer a offer comprehensive training program and ongoing evaluation and support to ensure your success.
Every decision made by the parent Company is made with the franchisee in mind. Food development, cost control, and expense management are handled by the President, senior staff and our franchise board. Knowing how important communication is to the success of a company, we hold various meetings throughout the year with franchise owners and our staff to discuss marketing, research and development, networking and many other issues related to our business. We come together as a team to plan, brainstorm, and guide our company to the future.