Farmer Boys vs Windmill Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Farmer Boys vs Windmill including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Farmer Boys Franchise
Windmill Franchise
Investment $1,042,500 - $2,486,500$127,500 - $322,500
Franchise Fee $45,000$27,500
Royalty Fee 5%5%
Advertising Fee 3%4%
Year Founded 1981-
Year Franchised 1997-
Term Of Agreement 20 years10 years
Term Of Agreement 20 years10 years
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements

 
Farmer Boys Franchise
Windmill Franchise
Experience
  • Industry experience
  • General business experience
  • -

    Financing Options

     
    Farmer Boys Franchise
    Windmill Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/Yes-/-
    Start-up Costs No/Yes-/-
    Equipment No/Yes-/-
    Inventory No/No-/-
    Receivables No/No-/-
    Payroll No/No-/-

    Training & Support

     
    Farmer Boys Franchise
    Windmill Franchise
    Training On-The-Job Training: 480 hours Classroom Training: 60 hours The WindMill training program is designed to take you from the ground up. Each individual franchisee will receive a hand-tailored program based upon their prior knowledge. Training is conducted in a corporate-owned restaurant and a minimum of eighty hours is required.
    Support Purchasing Co-ops 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 Regional Advertising Social media SEO Loyalty program/app -
    Operations 20% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 30

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

    -

    Expansion Plans

     
    Farmer Boys Franchise
    Windmill Franchise
    US Expansion Yes-
    Canada Expansion No-
    International Expansion No-

    Company Overviews

    About Farmer Boys

    During the 1970s, brothers Makis and Chris Havadjias worked in restaurants to earn money for college. They helped the owners of one of those restaurants rebuild the establishment, and later bought it. With the experience they gained at that first restaurant, the brothers bought a poorly performing restaurant in Perris, California, that they built into Farmer Boys. With the help of their three other brothers, the Havadjias expanded Farmer Boys throughout Riverside and San Bernardino counties in Southern California. Each location serves hamburgers, sandwiches, salads and a full breakfast menu. The company began franchising in 1998.

    #128 in Franchise 500 for 2021. Not ranked in 2020.

    About Windmill

    Your Own WindMill Franchise! Call 800-558-3608 for Franchise Information
    Nothing compares to the WindMill food experience and nothing will compare with the satisfaction that you will derive from being an owner of a WindMill franchise.
    Totally Committed to YOUR Success... The WindMill team is totally committed to your success and to the success of your restaurant. Our experts will be able to take you from beginner to expert in just thirty days! They will also be able to provide you with just the right amount of support during each phase of the opening. They are prepared to offer comprehensive support to those new to the industry, and to the more experienced franchisee, just the guidance and support unique to the WindMill operation.
    WindMill Gourmet Fast Food is simply that; "food that is of the highest quality and perfectly prepared. "WindMill private label Bigger! Better! Hot Dogs are prepared in a northern New Jersey plant and shipped to the WindMill Distribution Center. WindMill Fresh Meat 100% Beef Burgers are ground by local butchers and delivered directly to the stores on a day-to-day basis. The entree menu is rounded out by Charbroiled Gourmet Chicken Breasts, second to none; custom-cut Rib-Eye Steak Sandwiches; a limited variety of other tasty entree sandwiches and in some locations, fresh salads.
    Boasting almost as much popularity as the WindMill Hot Dogs are the WindMill French Fries. Our golden crinkle-cut fries smothered with savory cheese sauce (a tradition developed in the original WindMill over thirty years ago) has helped to put the WindMills in a fast food category all by themselves!