Happy Joe's vs Country Style Ice Cream Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Happy Joe's vs Country Style Ice Cream including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Happy Joe's Franchise
Country Style Ice Cream Franchise
Investment $24,470 - $1,030,625$240,000 - $265,000
Franchise Fee $15,000 - $17,000N/A
Royalty Fee 4.5%-5%-
Advertising Fee 1.5%-
Year Founded 1972-
Year Franchised 1973-
Term Of Agreement 15 years-
Term Of Agreement 15 years-
Renewal Fee 10% of fee or $2K-


Business Experience Requirements

 
Happy Joe's Franchise
Country Style Ice Cream Franchise
Experience
  • General business experience
  • The most important qualification is the willingness to sacrifice the time necessary to establish a successful operation. Financial strength and management ability or experiences are also key ingredients.

    Financing Options

     
    Happy Joe's Franchise
    Country Style Ice Cream 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

     
    Happy Joe's Franchise
    Country Style Ice Cream Franchise
    Training On-The-Job Training: 300 hours Classroom Training: 40 hours The initial training program shall be approximately 50 hours over eight days in duration. Franchisee shall complete initial training program at least three weeks before the commencement of operation of the franchised store.
    Support Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software -
    Marketing Co-op Advertising Ad Templates Regional Advertising Social media Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app-
    Operations 33% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 45

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

    It is not a requirement to be an owner/operator. However, it is required that the owner participate in the training program and highly encouraged that the owner participate in the operation of the store at a level that control can be maintained.

    Expansion Plans

     
    Happy Joe's Franchise
    Country Style Ice Cream Franchise
    US Expansion Yes-
    Canada Expansion No-
    International Expansion Yes-

    Company Overviews

    About Happy Joe's

    Lawrence Joseph Whitty had worked in the bakery business for years before becoming an assistant manager at a Shakey's pizzeria. He decided to combine his baking skills with the experience he had gained from working at a pizza restaurant, where he would often hear families decide to go out for ice cream for dessert. Combining pizza and ice cream, Whitty opened the first Happy Joe's Pizza & Ice Cream Parlor in East Davenport, Iowa, in 1972. His signature item was the Happy Joe's Special, a pizza with Canadian bacon and sauerkraut that Whitty created from leftovers in his mother's kitchen. After a franchisee suggested adding tacos to the menu, Whitty created the restaurant's best-selling product, the Taco Pizza.

    Seeking new franchisees in the following regions/states:

     Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota and Wisconsin

    The total investment necessary to begin operations of a Happy Joe’s Full Size Restaurant or Happy Joe’s PizzaGrille Restaurant is $279,750 to $1,030,625. This includes $0 to $16,500 that must be paid to the franchisor or an affiliate.
    The total investment necessary to begin operations of a Happy Joe’s DELCO Facility is $164,500 to $423,000. This includes the $0 to $16,500 that must be paid to the franchisor or an affiliate.
    The total investment to begin operations of a Happy Joe’s Satellite ranges from $24,470 to $132,340. This includes the $0 to $16,500 paid to the franchisor or an affiliate.
    The total investment necessary to begin operations of a Happy Joe’s Area Developer business ranges from $17,625 to $94,100. This includes the development fee ranging from $15,000 to $45,000 that must be paid to the franchisor.


    About Country Style Ice Cream

    Country Style was founded in 1947 when Wayne Lindgren decided to follow his brother Chester "Whitey" Lindgren into the world of ice cream. The brothers collaborated to produce a quality soft serve mix and Wayne along with his wife Desyl opened the first Country Style on 23rd Avenue and 43rd Street in Moline, Illinois. Later, Whitey and Wayne joined forces at the 16th Street and 23rd Avenue Moline store. Wayne eventually bought out Whitey's share of the business. Committed to quality, Wayne and Desyl then set out to establish Country Style as the finest quality soft serve ice cream in the country. Throughout the years, their dedication and hard work produced a following that spread across the country. The words "tastes like homemade" are often heard at Country Style and can be attributed to the high standards originally set by Wayne and Desyl. Kent Kindelsperger purchased Country Style on February 8, 1988 and continues to head the company. After experimenting with different store venues, Country Style has found a niche and brand with a free standing dairy farm building that serves exceptional ice cream. Country Style's history as a top quality soft serve ice cream provider sets a strong foundation to market the brand across the country.