Kettleman's Bagel vs LaMar's Donuts Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Kettleman's Bagel vs LaMar's Donuts including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Kettleman's Bagel Franchise
LaMar's Donuts Franchise
Investment $300,000 - $450,000$288,500 - $366,500
Franchise Fee $25,000$28,500
Royalty Fee 6%5%
Advertising Fee --
Year Founded 19921960
Year Franchised 19961993
Term Of Agreement 10 years10 years
Term Of Agreement 10 years10 years
Renewal Fee 25% of initial franchise fee-


Business Experience Requirements

 
Kettleman's Bagel Franchise
LaMar's Donuts Franchise
Experience
  • Industry experience
  • General business experience
  • Marketing skills
  • Must be customer service-oriented

  • Industry experience
  • General business experience

  • Financing Options

     
    Kettleman's Bagel Franchise
    LaMar's Donuts Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/NoNo/No
    Start-up Costs No/YesNo/No
    Equipment No/YesNo/No
    Inventory No/NoNo/No
    Receivables No/NoNo/No
    Payroll No/NoNo/No

    Training & Support

     
    Kettleman's Bagel Franchise
    LaMar's Donuts Franchise
    Training -As needed
    Support Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperativesNewsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Field operations/evaluations
    Marketing Co-op advertisingCo-op advertising, Ad slicks, National media, Regional advertising
    Operations International franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses; 0% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 8 - 10

    Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 15

    Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (75% of current franchisees are owner/operators)


    Expansion Plans

     
    Kettleman's Bagel Franchise
    LaMar's Donuts Franchise
    US Expansion Yes-
    Canada Expansion NoNo
    International Expansion YesNo

    Company Overviews

    About Kettleman's Bagel

    A young company - long on tradition. That is why Kettleman's Bagel Company makes the best bagels around. However, tradition does not mean much if the authenticity is gone. Our bagels are made by bakers who knead the dough, cut it with a knife, roll it out by hand, boil it honey water to seal in the moisture, and bake them in a wood burning oven. Just the traditional and original attention to detail which one expects when they go to an old-fashioned bagel shop. Our system is easy - roll, kettle, and bake traditional bagels in a wood buring-oven using hand picked hardwood, and give each customer a bag full of hot bagels each time they come to Kettleman's Bagel Co. One of the reasons we are so successful is that we offer our customers a "no-wall" experience. When customers walk into our bagel shop, the first thing they see is the Kettleman's Bagel Roller working and rolling fresh bagels. Behind the Bagel Roller is the Baker who finishes the bagels with fresh poppy or sesame seeds and bakes them for about twenty minutes in our wood-burning oven. Once the process is complete, and it is an active process of carefully turning over the bagels away from the open hot wood flames, the bagels are ready to be eaten. The customers' "no-wall" experience means not only they get to watch the entire show, but also that they get to inspect our standards of production and hygiene. We have nothing to hide and our customers love it.

    About LaMar's Donuts

    Ray Lamar found his way into the donut business at the age of 17, working as a fryer at a Kansas City, Missouri, shop. Lamar made his way up to being a partner in the company, but World War II cut the partnership short. Upon his return, Lamar earned a degree in economics and began a career as a stockbroker, but donuts remained the business he truly loved.

    In 1960, nearly 30 years after first manning the fryer, Lamar opened his first LaMar's Donuts shop in Kansas City. The company began franchising in 1993 and is now based in Englewood, Colorado.