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Updated RecentlyZ Pizza vs Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen Franchise Comparison
Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Z Pizza vs Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.
Start-Up Costs and Fees |
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| Investment | $249,000 - $359,000 | $295,000 - $750,000 |
| Franchise Fee | $30,000 | $49,500 |
| Royalty Fee | 6% | 7% |
| Advertising Fee | 3% | 2% |
| Year Founded | 1986 | 1992 |
| Year Franchised | 1999 | 1998 |
| Term Of Agreement | 10 years | 10 years+5 |
| Term Of Agreement | 10 years | 10 years+5 |
| Renewal Fee | - | - |
Business Experience Requirements |
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| Experience | No Restaurant experience necessary but helpful Minimum financials are $175K to $400K in investment capital and a $600K to $1.0MM net worth | |
Financing Options |
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| In-House/3rd Party | In-House/3rd Party | |
| Franchise Fees | No/Yes | -/Yes |
| Start-up Costs | No/Yes | -/Yes |
| Equipment | No/Yes | -/Yes |
| Inventory | No/Yes | -/Yes |
| Receivables | No/Yes | -/- |
| Payroll | No/Yes | -/Yes |
Training & Support |
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| Training | Additional training available as required | 8 Week GM & Key Supervisor Training and Certification |
| Support | The zpizza support system is extremely detailed and begins from the moment your franchise agreement is signed, throughout your development phases, and through your store opening. Training is provided to the operational owners and managers for your store. The zpizza Training Program is a four week program comprehensive of all operational details involved in your business. zpizza provides a team to serve from pre-opening to opening. - Use of brand name, trademarks, recipes, operational systems and methods, and décor - Facility planning on site location and architectural design - Specifications for fixtures, equipment, and leasehold improvements - Assistance in site selection and lease negotiation - Corporate training for Owner/Operator and Director of Operations/General Managers - Kitchen/Back of the House Workflow design - Ongoing support from members of the Training and Operations Team - Ongoing updates for increasing profitability - Products with high industry demand - Favorable national contracts with suppliers of goods and services - Operating manuals, policies, procedures, and business management systems - Annual franchisee meetings - Access to zpizza's proprietary, Internet-based system that acts as a repository for all above-mentioned support materials, manuals, graphics and brand communications. | - |
| 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 Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 15 Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators) | On site pre and post opening training and operational support with quarterly QA Visits. |
Expansion Plans |
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| US Expansion | Yes | - |
| Canada Expansion | No | - |
| International Expansion | No | - |
Company Overviews
About Z Pizza
Z Pizza was founded in 1986 and began franchising in 1999. The Newport Beach, California-based company has more than 90 units in the United States.Z Pizza is a rapidly growing chain of gourmet, health conscious pizza stores operating in high-profile lifestyle centers and metropolitan retail centers. The store footprint is approximately 1,100 to 1,500 square feet. Z pizza serves four day parts which include, lunch, afternoon chill, dinner and catering. The wide menu serves pizza, pizza by the slice, salads and sandwiches.
About Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen
Using the family recipe for hand-tossed dough, the sauce made from fresh-crushed California tomatoes, and imported Italian cheese blends, Anthony became the sole owner and chef of his first restaurant Russo’s Pizza in the early 80’s. "It was 800 square feet. I had a pizza oven, a dough mixer and two tables. That's it. I could only sit eight people.” A few years later, he created Anthony’s Pizzeria, located in Clear Lake, Texas, and soon moved to Houston.
For almost a decade, Anthony refined his menu using classic Italian family recipes and zeroed in on the perfect New York-style pizza. In 1992, Russo’s New York Pizzeria opened in downtown Houston, Texas and proved to be a success.
For almost a decade, Anthony refined his menu using classic Italian family recipes and zeroed in on the perfect New York-style pizza. In 1992, Russo’s New York Pizzeria opened in downtown Houston, Texas and proved to be a success.
Russo's Restaurants is a national and international franchisor of the fast casual and casual dining brands Russo's New York Pizzeria and Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen. Based in Houston, Russo's Restaurants are composed of a mix of corporate and franchised locations across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Florida and Hawaii. Russo's has entered international markets as well, with locations in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. There are an additional 20-plus units in development both in the United States and internationally. Chef Anthony Russo has created his concepts from years of applying his unique, family recipes featuring New York-style pizza along with a broad variety of handcrafted pasta creations, calzones, salads, sandwiches, soups and desserts, reflecting his commitment to his New York roots where food and family come first.