Panera Bread/Saint Louis Bread Company vs Dixie Cream Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Panera Bread/Saint Louis Bread Company vs Dixie Cream including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Panera Bread/Saint Louis Bread Company Franchise
Dixie Cream Franchise
Investment $1,010,985 - $2,252,846$196,000 - $413,000
Franchise Fee $35,000$25,000
Royalty Fee 5%6%
Advertising Fee --
Year Founded 19871929
Year Franchised 19930
Term Of Agreement 20 years20 years
Term Of Agreement 20 years20 years
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements

 
Panera Bread/Saint Louis Bread Company Franchise
Dixie Cream Franchise
Experience

*Experience as a multi-unit restaurant operator *Recognition as a top restaurant operator *Net worth of $7.5 million *Liquid assets of $3 million *Infrastructure and resources to meet our development schedule *Real estate experience in the market to be developed *Total commitment to the development of the Panera Bread brand *Cultural fit and a passion for fresh bread

Dixie Cream actively searches for candidates with a strong background in business management.

Financing Options

 
Panera Bread/Saint Louis Bread Company Franchise
Dixie Cream Franchise
  In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
Franchise Fees No/No-/-
Start-up Costs No/No-/-
Equipment No/No-/-
Inventory No/No-/-
Receivables No/No-/-
Payroll No/No-/-

Training & Support

 
Panera Bread/Saint Louis Bread Company Franchise
Dixie Cream Franchise
Training --
Support Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations-
Marketing Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, National media, Regional advertisingBeautiful Brands will have available for the franchisees a complete Grand Opening and on going Local Store Marketing program.
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: 40 - 60

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

At least one owner or a designated manager must be involved on a full-time basis and must be responsible for the day-to-day operations and management.

Expansion Plans

 
Panera Bread/Saint Louis Bread Company Franchise
Dixie Cream Franchise
US Expansion Yes-
Canada Expansion No-
International Expansion No-

Company Overviews

About Panera Bread/Saint Louis Bread Company

After more than 17 years in the retail industry, Ken Rosenthal changed gears and founded Saint Louis Bread Co. in 1987. His goal was to create a neighborhood bakery where people could pick up fresh-baked bread, meals and snacks. In 1993, Rosenthal sold Saint Louis Bread to Au Bon Pain Co. Six years later, the company was renamed Panera Bread. The future growth of Panera Bread will be based upon company bakery-cafe development as well as the continued sale of franchise area development agreements. Panera Bread does not sell single-unit franchises, so it is not possible to open just one bakery-cafe. Rather, we have chosen to develop by selling market areas which require the franchise developer to open a number of units, typically 15 bakery-cafes in a period of 6 years. Panera Bread franchises must be well-capitalized to open great bakery-cafes and meet this aggressive development schedule. Additionally, they must have a proven track record as excellent multi-unit restaurant operators to operate great Panera Bread bakery-cafes.

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About Dixie Cream

Bite for bite, more delite.
With more than 80 years of donut-making to our name, Dixie Cream knows how to make donuts that defy comparison. Notice that our donuts are a little taller than others. Notice, too, the golden band around the middle of a Dixie Cream. That's our promise of light and creamy melt-in-your-mouth goodness that just gets better by the bite.
As a Dixie Cream franchisee you will receive support in these specific areas: * 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 * Efficiency in all systems * Favorable national contracts with suppliers of goods and services * Operating manuals, policies, procedures, and business management systems.