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

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Buck's Pizza 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
 
Buck's Pizza Franchise
Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen Franchise
Investment $165,450 - $345,400$295,000 - $750,000
Franchise Fee $20,000$49,500
Royalty Fee 5%7%
Advertising Fee 2%2%
Year Founded 19941992
Year Franchised 19941998
Term Of Agreement 10 years10 years+5
Term Of Agreement 10 years10 years+5
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements
 
Buck's Pizza Franchise
Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen Franchise
Experience
  • Industry experience
  • General business experience
  • Marketing skills
    		• 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
     
    Buck's Pizza Franchise
    Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/Yes-/Yes
    Start-up Costs No/Yes-/Yes
    Equipment No/Yes-/Yes
    Inventory No/Yes-/Yes
    Receivables No/No-/-
    Payroll No/No-/Yes

    Training & Support
     
    Buck's Pizza Franchise
    Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen Franchise
    Training -8 Week GM & Key Supervisor Training and Certification
    Support Purchasing Co-ops Toll-Free Line Online Support -
    Marketing Ad Templates-
    Operations 14% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 12

    Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (90% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

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

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

    Company Overviews

    About Buck's Pizza

    Buck's Pizza was incorporated on September 16, 1994, in the state of Pennsylvania. The management of Buck's Pizza, Lance Benton and the management team has an extensive background in franchise operations. Buck's Pizza was formed by Mr. Benton to expand a new pizza franchise on a national basis. In a very short period of time Buck’s is already accomplishing expansion goals. Buck's Pizza now has over 80 shops in over 20 states. Buck's is demonstrating its ability to support its franchisees. Buck's Pizza has plans for nationwide expansion citing its franchise format of low start up costs, low royalties and strong local level marketing as being a strong departure from the way franchise companies have operated for years. Buck's Pizza has been selected by Entrepreneur Magazine as one of the TOP 500 FRANCHISES for each of the last 4 years.

    Veteran Incentives  50% off franchise fee

    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.