Buffalo Wild Wings vs The Submarine Station Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Buffalo Wild Wings vs The Submarine Station including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
Buffalo Wild Wings Franchise
The Submarine Station Franchise
Investment $2,695,100 - $4,244,300N/A
Franchise Fee $25,000$8,000
Royalty Fee 5%$500/mo
Advertising Fee 3.25%-
Year Founded 1982-
Year Franchised 1991-
Term Of Agreement 10 years5 years
Term Of Agreement 10 years5 years
Renewal Fee $5K-


Business Experience Requirements
 
Buffalo Wild Wings Franchise
The Submarine Station Franchise
Experience
  • General business experience
  • Track record of success
    		• -

    Financing Options
     
    Buffalo Wild Wings Franchise
    The Submarine Station 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
     
    Buffalo Wild Wings Franchise
    The Submarine Station Franchise
    Training --
    Support Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives-
    Marketing Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, National media, Regional advertising-
    Operations Franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses; 50% 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. (80% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

    		-

    Expansion Plans
     
    Buffalo Wild Wings Franchise
    The Submarine Station Franchise
    US Expansion Yes-
    Canada Expansion No-
    International Expansion Yes-

    Company Overviews

    About Buffalo Wild Wings

    Buffalo Wild Wings got its start in 1981 after Jim Disbrow and Scott Lowery moved from Buffalo, New York, to Kent, Ohio. Unable to find authentic Buffalo-style chicken wings in their new town, they decided to open up their own restaurant. Originally called Buffalo Wild Wings & Weck (see Kummelweck) from which the abbreviation BW3 was created, the restaurant became a franchise with over 350 locations across most states of the U.S. The company later changed its name to Buffalo Wild Wings and is no longer uses the short name BW3. The restaurant's theme is a sports bar / restaurant, and each location features multiple large screen televisions that are viewable from all seats. All locations also have game consoles devoted to NTN Trivia. Buffalo Wild Wings is best-known for its buffalo wings with 12 signature sauces. They also have a full menu featuring salads, appetizers, burgers, and specialty items.

    United States Franchising

    We require that our U.S. franchise candidates have a minimum of USD 750,000 in liquid assets and a net worth of USD 1.5 million. Additionally, there is a minimum commitment to develop at least 2 restaurants.

    International Franchising

    We require that our international franchise candidates have a minimum of USD 5 million in liquid assets and net worth of USD 10 million. Additionally, there is a minimum commitment to develop at least 10 restaurants.

    The total investment necessary to begin operation of a Buffalo Wild Wings Sports Bar franchise ranges from $2,695,100 to $4,244,300. This includes $10,000 to $55,000 that must be paid to the franchisor or an affiliate.
    If you sign an Area Development Agreement to develop multiple Buffalo Wild Wings Sports Bars, the total investment necessary to begin operation under the Area Development Agreement is $10,000 to $300,000. This includes $10,000 to $30,000 that must be paid to the franchisor or affiliate.

    #159 in Franchise 500 for 2020.



    About The Submarine Station

    As a company grows there are three main methods of growth to choose from: sole proprietorship, joint venture, or franchising. The franchise system is an exciting model because of the common shared interest in the founding company (the Franchisor) and the small business owner (the Franchisee) that both want the system to work. The problem with most franchising models is that a Franchisee is under such stringent restrictions from the Franchisor. Understandably, the Franchisor has a huge interest in protecting the brand. This interest in protecting the brand has inherent drawbacks that now become the Franchisee's issues. A few of these drawbacks are: real estate long-term leasing or purchasing, expensive proprietary equipment, forced product price points, etc. Who pays for this in the end? Well, the Franchisee does. Who looks out for the Franchisee? The Submarine Station will!