CiCi's Pizza vs Mellow Mushroom Pizza Franchise Comparison

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

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
CiCi's Pizza Franchise
Mellow Mushroom Pizza Franchise
Investment $209,962 - $1,056,527$1,624,000
Franchise Fee $30,000$50,000
Royalty Fee 4 - 6%-
Advertising Fee greater of $2300 or 3% of sales2%
Year Founded 1985-
Year Franchised 1987-
Term Of Agreement 10 years15 years +5
Term Of Agreement 10 years15 years +5
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements
 
CiCi's Pizza Franchise
Mellow Mushroom Pizza Franchise
Experience
  • General business experience
    		• -

    Financing Options
     
    CiCi's Pizza Franchise
    Mellow Mushroom Pizza Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/NoNo/-
    Start-up Costs No/NoNo/-
    Equipment No/NoNo/-
    Inventory No/NoNo/-
    Receivables No/NoNo/-
    Payroll No/NoNo/-

    Training & Support
     
    CiCi's Pizza Franchise
    Mellow Mushroom Pizza 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)Your ownership group and senior management staff will train for three weeks at our Shroom University training facility in Douglasville, Georgia prior to opening. When your store opens our training staff will assist you for a week prior to opening, and for two weeks after the opening. Shroom University offers a comprehensive program designed to teach you about the Front of House, Back of House, and Administrative aspects of running a Mellow Mushroom. You and your managers will learn how to make food, place orders, hire and retain personnel & maintain your POS system and mine the data it collects. A special emphasis is given to teaching you proven methods of supervising your store to decrease food and labor costs and increase cash flow. Quality control systems are also shared with you at Shroom University, and you will be provided with several financial and cost management spreadsheets.
    Support Newsletter, Meetings, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluationsMembers of our operations team will visit your store(s) to ensure that our standards and practices are being upheld. These visits are also opportunities for us to continue to train your staff and help train any new employees. Our operations team will also help you implement new initiatives that are developed in conjunction with the marketing department. Our marketing team will advise you on coordinating local promotions and create collection-wide campaigns in which your store can participate. The marketing team will also provide you with designs for business cards, banners, stickers, magnets, and spec ads for use in your local market.
    Marketing National advertising-
    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
    Mellow Mushroom Pizza 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 Mellow Mushroom Pizza

    The Mellow Mushroom experience is unique in the restaurant industry. We have been operating outside the perimeters of traditional casual dining for over 30 years. As an owner, you are submersed into a world of boundless creativity. The brand allows for great expression and individuality. My Mellow Mushroom is successful because I serve Mellow Mushroom products in a restaurant that feels like it is my own. The atmosphere entices you to take pride in being a quality operator. Simply said, I want to be in my own Mellow Mushroom. It is the kind of place I want to hang out in. The culture and community are second only to the quality of food; and this is what sets us apart from other restaurants. There is no other Mellow like my Mellow. Congratulations! You are on your way to owning your slice of the pie! Owning and operating a Mellow Mushroom is an exciting, life-altering journey.

    The total investment necessary to begin operation of a Mellow Mushroom restaurant franchise ranges from $1,624,000 to $2,391,000 if you lease shell premises for the Restaurant, from $1,624,000 to $2,591,000 if you lease premises for the Restaurant that must be retrofit, and from $2,824,000 to $4,498,000 if you buy the real estate upon which you will construct a new building for the Restaurant. This includes between $78,000 and $88,500 that must be paid to the franchisor or affiliate. If you want development rights, you must pay us a development fee equal to $50,000 (the initial franchise fee for the first Restaurant) plus a $25,000 deposit for each additional Restaurant’s initial franchise fee.
    The total investment necessary to begin operation if you acquire development rights is $1,649,000 to $4,523,000 (depending on your real estate decision). This includes $78,000 to $113,500 that must be paid to the franchisor or affiliate.