CiCi's Pizza vs Donatos Pizzeria Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of CiCi's Pizza vs Donatos Pizzeria including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
CiCi's Pizza Franchise
Donatos Pizzeria Franchise
Investment $209,962 - $1,056,527$386,500 - $698,900
Franchise Fee $30,000$30,000
Royalty Fee 4 - 6%5%
Advertising Fee greater of $2300 or 3% of sales5%
Year Founded 19851963
Year Franchised 19871991
Term Of Agreement 10 years-
Term Of Agreement 10 years-
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements

 
CiCi's Pizza Franchise
Donatos Pizzeria Franchise
Experience
  • General business experience
  • -

    Financing Options

     
    CiCi's Pizza Franchise
    Donatos Pizzeria Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/No-/Yes
    Start-up Costs No/No-/Yes
    Equipment No/No-/Yes
    Inventory No/No-/Yes
    Receivables No/No-/Yes
    Payroll No/No-/Yes

    Training & Support

     
    CiCi's Pizza Franchise
    Donatos Pizzeria Franchise
    Training 8-12 week training process (the VP of Training may require additional training at his/her discretion, as successful completion of training is based on proficiency) On-The-Job Training: 454 hours Classroom Training: 4 hours
    Support Newsletter, Meetings, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluationsPurchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform
    Marketing National advertising Co-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social media SEO Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app
    Operations 60% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 25-30

    -

    Expansion Plans

     
    CiCi's Pizza Franchise
    Donatos Pizzeria Franchise
    US Expansion Yes-
    Canada Expansion No-
    International Expansion No-

    Company Overviews

    About CiCi's Pizza

    Hi Welcome to CiCi's! - An endless pizza, pasta, salad & dessert buffet loved by families for delivering unbelievable value. CiCi's is also an unbelievable opportunity for passionate entrepreneurs who are looking to build their own business and take control of their financial futures. Entrepreneur Magazine ranked CiCi's as the top brand in the Italian restaurant franchise category & the Wall Street Journal's guide for entrepreneurs ranked CiCi's as one of the top 25 highest performing Brands in the nation. Join the CiCi's Family & you'll have access to state of the art systems and people to help you realize your full potential as a CiCi's Franchisee. At 650+ stores, CiCi's size & scale provides the system great buying power that keeps costs low and enables National TV Advertising. But it's also small enough to provide Franchisees hands-on guidance in site selection, store Operations/Training & local store marketing. There are Franchise opportunities available now! Visit www.cicispizza.com.

    The total initial investment necessary to begin operation of your Cicis Restaurant ranges from $697,500 to $1,056,527. These totals include approximately $208,485 to $279,942 that must/may be paid to the franchisor or their affiliate.
    The total initial investment necessary to begin operation of your Cicis To Go Restaurant ranges from $209,962 to $399,774. These totals include approximately $101,973 to $130,843 that must/may be paid to the franchisor or their affiliate.

    About Donatos Pizzeria

    BE A PART OF A PIZZA BUSINESS THAT'S ON THE RISE. With $1,300 in his pocket and a dream to own his own business, Jim Grote bought a small pizzeria on the south side of Columbus, Ohio and went to work to create a business that was truly unique. Although Donatos has grown and moved into almost 200 neighborhoods, our belief remains the same: "Treat people the way you want to be treated."
    You are responsible for:
    * Leasehold improvements
    * Leasing or purchasing equipment
    * Hiring and restaurant operation
    Donatos provides:
    * Product formulas and operational systems
    * Store design guidance
    * Equipment ordering guidance
    * Edge-u-cation training
    * Cultural orientation
    * Operations manual
    * Periodic evaluations
    * Ongoing support
    Additional information and qualifications:
    Single-Store and Multi-Unit Development Agreements are available depending upon prospective Franchise Partner qualifications as well as geographical considerations. Prospective Franchise Partner groups need to designate an Operating Partner who must live in the area to be developed and possess prior restaurant or retail management and supervision experience commensurate with the number of restaurants to be developed. An Operating Partner may also be a member of the Franchise Group. A full Franchise Application, including a Personal Financial Statement, needs to be submitted for each member of the Franchise Partner group. If the Operating Partner is a separate individual, they will need to submit a full resume with work history and skill-set qualifications.

    The total investment necessary to begin operation of a Donatos franchised business is $386,500 to $698,900. This includes $40,500 to $42,500 that must be paid to the franchisor or its affiliate. If this is the second Donatos franchised business, you choose to receive additional training services or you hire a Donatos Manager for your franchised business, you must pay the franchisor an additional $15,000 to $40,000.

    The company continues to franchise throughout the Midwest, South and Southeast, with franchised locations serving pizza, subs, salads and desserts.
    .
    "Entrepreneur

    #181 in Franchise 500 for 2020.
    #313 in Franchise 500 for 2021.