Boston Pizza Canada vs Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Boston Pizza Canada vs Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Boston Pizza Canada Franchise
Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen Franchise
Investment $1,145,000 - $3,017,000$295,000 - $750,000
Franchise Fee $50,000$49,500
Royalty Fee 5%7%
Advertising Fee 3%2%
Year Founded 19631992
Year Franchised 19681998
Term Of Agreement 10 years10 years+5
Term Of Agreement 10 years10 years+5
Renewal Fee 20% of current fee-


Business Experience Requirements

 
Boston Pizza Canada Franchise
Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen Franchise
Experience
  • General business experience
  • No Restaurant experience necessary but helpful Minimum financials are $175K to $400K in investment capital and a $600K to $1.0MM net worth

    Financing Options

     
    Boston Pizza Canada Franchise
    Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/No-/Yes
    Start-up Costs No/Yes-/Yes
    Equipment No/Yes-/Yes
    Inventory No/Yes-/Yes
    Receivables No/No-/-
    Payroll No/No-/Yes

    Training & Support

     
    Boston Pizza Canada Franchise
    Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen Franchise
    Training -8 Week GM & Key Supervisor Training and Certification
    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 10-20% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 70

    Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed.

    On site pre and post opening training and operational support with quarterly QA Visits.

    Expansion Plans

     
    Boston Pizza Canada Franchise
    Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen Franchise
    US Expansion Yes-
    Canada Expansion No-
    International Expansion Yes-

    Company Overviews

    About Boston Pizza Canada

    Boston - The Gourmet Pizza has a long and eventful history ...that dates all the way back to 1964. It started with Gus Agiortis, a Greek immigrant who had jumped ship in Vancouver, and then opened the first Boston Pizza in Edmonton, Alberta in 1964. He worked tirelessly to make pizza a household name in Western Canada. Gus' first restaurant was known as "Boston Pizza and Spaghetti House." The company started franchising in 1968 and has since evolved from a "pizza joint" into a full service casual dining restaurant and sports bar. Six years after opening, Gus had 17 locations (two corporate and 15 franchised) in operation across Western Canada. Gus believed that a potential franchisee didn't need a restaurant background, but needed strong people skills, a passion for hard work and new horizons. This philosophy still stands true today.

    "Top

    #20 in Canada's Top franchises.


    About Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen

    Using the family recipe for hand-tossed dough, the sauce made from fresh-crushed California tomatoes, and imported Italian cheese blends, Anthony became the sole owner and chef of his first restaurant Russo’s Pizza in the early 80’s. "It was 800 square feet. I had a pizza oven, a dough mixer and two tables. That's it. I could only sit eight people.” A few years later, he created Anthony’s Pizzeria, located in Clear Lake, Texas, and soon moved to Houston.

    For almost a decade, Anthony refined his menu using classic Italian family recipes and zeroed in on the perfect New York-style pizza. In 1992, Russo’s New York Pizzeria opened in downtown Houston, Texas and proved to be a success.

     
    Russo's Restaurants is a national and international franchisor of the fast casual and casual dining brands Russo's New York Pizzeria and Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen. Based in Houston, Russo's Restaurants are composed of a mix of corporate and franchised locations across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Florida and Hawaii. Russo's has entered international markets as well, with locations in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. There are an additional 20-plus units in development both in the United States and internationally. Chef Anthony Russo has created his concepts from years of applying his unique, family recipes featuring New York-style pizza along with a broad variety of handcrafted pasta creations, calzones, salads, sandwiches, soups and desserts, reflecting his commitment to his New York roots where food and family come first.