Tin Star Restaurant vs Hard Times Cafe Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Tin Star Restaurant vs Hard Times Cafe including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Tin Star Restaurant Franchise
Hard Times Cafe Franchise
Investment $500,000$449,000 - $1,000,000
Franchise Fee $20,000 - $35,000$30,000
Royalty Fee 4%-
Advertising Fee --
Year Founded 1999-
Year Franchised 2003-
Term Of Agreement 10 years-
Term Of Agreement 10 years-
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements

 
Tin Star Restaurant Franchise
Hard Times Cafe Franchise
Experience
  • Industry experience
  • General business experience
  • Marketing skills
  • -

    Financing Options

     
    Tin Star Restaurant Franchise
    Hard Times Cafe 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

     
    Tin Star Restaurant Franchise
    Hard Times Cafe Franchise
    Training --
    Support Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives-
    Marketing Ad slicks-
    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: 35

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

    -

    Expansion Plans

     
    Tin Star Restaurant Franchise
    Hard Times Cafe Franchise
    US Expansion --
    Canada Expansion No-
    International Expansion Yes-

    Company Overviews

    About Tin Star Restaurant

    Become a Part of the Tin Star Family Tin Star is seeking energetic, motivated restaurateurs with an unrelenting commitment to Guest service, quality and freshness. We're proud of our concept, and we're excited to find qualified, experienced franchisees who share our passion for great food, fantastic flavors and the Tin Star spirit of hospitality. Take a look at our preliminary requirements and contact our corporate officers for information about available opportunities. If you are interested in developing a specific market and meet all of the preliminary requirements, please complete our application. The Tin Star team has worked hard to put together a franchise program that includes support related to restaurant design, operations, training and development and marketing. Rich Hicks, President, has extensive experience in the restaurant and hospitality industry. At Tin Star, our spirit shines through our people, our food, and the experience we create for our Guests. We invite you to get in touch with us to learn more about specific franchise opportunities available at Tin Star.

    About Hard Times Cafe

    Hard Times Cafe and Hard Times Cafe & Cue is an American Chili Parlor with a 26 year history in the Washington DC area. World Famous for it's Chili recipes, Hard Times serves Chili, Chili Macs, Wings, Onion Rings, Nachos, Chili Dogs, Char-Grilled Burgers and more. To be considered as a Franchisee you must have 5 years restaurant operational experience with a minimum cash investment ability of $200,000 and sufficient net worth to secure financing for the development of a Hard Times Cafe.