Charleys Philly Steaks vs Thundercloud Subs Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Charleys Philly Steaks vs Thundercloud Subs including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Charleys Philly Steaks Franchise
Thundercloud Subs Franchise
Investment $253,231 - $637,568$65,000 - $90,000
Franchise Fee $24,500$10,000
Royalty Fee 6%-
Advertising Fee 0.25%-
Year Founded 19861975
Year Franchised 19910
Term Of Agreement 10 years-
Term Of Agreement 10 years-
Renewal Fee $5K-


Business Experience Requirements

 
Charleys Philly Steaks Franchise
Thundercloud Subs Franchise
Experience
  • General business experience
  • -

    Financing Options

     
    Charleys Philly Steaks Franchise
    Thundercloud Subs Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/No-/-
    Start-up Costs No/Yes-/-
    Equipment No/Yes-/-
    Inventory No/Yes-/-
    Receivables No/Yes-/-
    Payroll No/Yes-/-

    Training & Support

     
    Charleys Philly Steaks Franchise
    Thundercloud Subs Franchise
    Training On-The-Job Training: 120 hours Classroom Training: 60 hours -
    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 slicks-
    Operations

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 20

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

    -

    Expansion Plans

     
    Charleys Philly Steaks Franchise
    Thundercloud Subs Franchise
    US Expansion Yes-
    Canada Expansion No-
    International Expansion Yes-

    Company Overviews

    About Charleys Philly Steaks

    Visits to his relatives near Philadelphia inspired Charley Shin's entrepreneurial spirit, and he saw his future in cheesesteak sandwiches. In 1986, Shin opened his first Charley's Steakery at Ohio State University. The then-22-year-old's restaurant became an instant hit with professors and students. Since then Shin has expanded to locations nationwide. In 1999, he was named Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young.

    The #1 Cheesesteak in the World

    The total investment necessary to begin operation of CPS Restaurant is $253,231 to $570,540 (excluding real estate and related costs). This includes $24,500 that must be paid to the franchisor.
    The total investment necessary to begin operation of a CPSC Restaurant is $458,996 to $637,568 (excluding real estate and related costs). This includes $24,500 that must be paid to the franchisor.

    Veteran Incentives   50% off franchise fee

    ""  "Entrepreneur
    #126 in Franchise 500 for 2020.
    #294 in Franchise 500 for 2021.







    About Thundercloud Subs

    ThunderCloud Subs, a neighborhood sub shop with a rich tradition of good natured people serving FRESH, FAST & HEALTHY food in a great atmosphere. We started ThunderCloud in 1975 with a simple yet logical philosophy of selling a fresh meal at a reasonable price and we proudly maintain that same course today! IT'S ALL IN THE INGREDIENTS...We slice all our meats, cheeses and produce daily. We prepare our spreads from scratch every day. We have our bread made from scratch and delivered every morning and we choose only the finest ingredients. When you come into a ThunderCloud Sub Shop, you'll experience the creation of a great sandwich! Our People The ThunderCloud sandwich artists are notoriously good natured and famously talented. We take pride in a job well done. We believe in team work, doing a little bit more than our fair share and having fun both on and off the job. Though we have plenty of company policies to help keep the "machine" running smoothly, we think we allow enough liberties to foster individualism, self-esteem and self-pride. Our Community Each year, ThunderCloud sponsors some of the most engaging events that bring the Austin community together for meaningful causes. We have been a FRESH, FAST & HEALTHY part of Austin for 30 years. Being uniquely Austin means giving more, too! We dedicate half of our annual marketing effort to support local non-profit groups like Caritas of Austin. We believe in supporting organizations dedicated to creating a better Austin. ThunderCloud has proudly donated over $750,000 to Caritas and last year contributed $176,500. Our HomeThunderCloud is proud to be an engrained part of the Austin community. We're at home here in Austin, just like much of Austin feels comfortable and at home when they're in one of our shops.