Panera Bread/Saint Louis Bread Company vs The Donut Baker Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Panera Bread/Saint Louis Bread Company vs The Donut Baker 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
The Donut Baker Franchise
Investment $1,010,985 - $2,252,846$68,000 - $150,000
Franchise Fee $35,000$20,000
Royalty Fee 5%6%
Advertising Fee -2%local +2%Nat'l
Year Founded 1987-
Year Franchised 1993-
Term Of Agreement 20 years-
Term Of Agreement 20 years-
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements

 
Panera Bread/Saint Louis Bread Company Franchise
The Donut Baker 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

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Financing Options

 
Panera Bread/Saint Louis Bread Company Franchise
The Donut Baker 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
The Donut Baker Franchise
Training -The Donut Baker Academy offers a broad range of technical and managerial courses. The training is designed to provide you with the key skills required to run your stores with a passion for quality - a passion your customers will sense and appreciate through their overall experience at the store. The Donut Baker also offers onsite training by its experienced professionals and has a specialized team taht can assist your local team in opening a new store.
Support Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluationsThe Donut Baker will support you from the moment you sign a contract to the time your store - or stores - open. And the support continues during operation through continuous monitoring of your store, helping you to achieve a consistent high level of customer experience. We also help you promote your business by marketing the brand effectively within your territory. Because our ultimate goal is the same as yours - to generate solid returns on investment by running the business professionally and with the full support of The Donut Baker's proven systems.
Marketing Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, National media, Regional advertising-
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)

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Expansion Plans

 
Panera Bread/Saint Louis Bread Company Franchise
The Donut Baker 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 The Donut Baker

Becoming a successful franchisee with The Donut Baker isn't as daunting as it might seem. Naturally, there will be challenges but the basic requirements you need to overcome them and make your franchise work are assets you probably already possess. Essentially, we at The Donut Baker look for highly motivated organizations or entrepreneurs with a sincere commitment to building a retail brand in their territory. More specifically, we believe that to succeed in the franchise business one needs to have the 3 Cs - Capital, Commitment, and Competence. And the same applies to you as an aspiring franchisee.