Western Sizzlin vs Bar Louie Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Western Sizzlin vs Bar Louie including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
Western Sizzlin Franchise
Bar Louie Franchise
Investment $811,000 - $2,300,000$923,500 - $3,707,333
Franchise Fee $30,000$50,000
Royalty Fee 3%5%
Advertising Fee -2% local, 1%Nat'l
Year Founded 19621991
Year Franchised 19652010
Term Of Agreement 20 years-
Term Of Agreement 20 years-
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements
 
Western Sizzlin Franchise
Bar Louie Franchise
Experience -

Just as there is no cookie cutter location, there is no cookie-cutter franchisee. A company's objective should determine if a potential franchisee is a good fit. For franchisees looking to build on a unique culture, franchisees should be excited for the opportunity to customize. Someone who wants to expand quickly through a replication and repetition rollout approach will not deliver the guest experience that customers should come to expect from the brand.


Financing Options
 
Western Sizzlin Franchise
Bar Louie 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
 
Western Sizzlin Franchise
Bar Louie Franchise
Training --
Support Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives

We offer extensive support along the way, including: * Full support through the site identification and construction process * A comprehensive training program for restaurant teams * MALT (Music, Atmosphere, Lighting, Temperature) - the secret to creating the Bar Louie experience * Access to leading software and restaurant management tools * Compelling advertising and local store marketing materials * Extensive PR and social media programming
Marketing Ad slicks-
Operations 20% of all franchisees own more than one unit

Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 40

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

-

Expansion Plans
 
Western Sizzlin Franchise
Bar Louie Franchise
US Expansion YesYes
Canada Expansion No-
International Expansion No-

Company Overviews

About Western Sizzlin

WesterN SizzliN serves only the finest steaks. In the cooking process, our steaks are specially seasoned with Gold Dust, a WesterN SizzliN proprietary recipe. The combination of the Pascarellas original cooking technique and one-of-a-kind seasoning brought Nick and his wife Nora, an impeccable reputation for serving the most succulent tasting steak around. As one of our franchisees says, "We've got a special juicy flavor that only WesterN SizzliN has!" But don't just take our word for it, ask anyone who has ever had one, and they'll tell you about it. Nick's concept was just too good to keep to himself. In 1966 he responded to requests and began selling franchises nationally. By 1988, Nick's "steakhouse" had grown into a national chain with yearly sales of nearly half a billion dollars!

About Bar Louie

Bar Louie is a national collection of neighborhood bars featuring hand-crafted cocktails and spirits, delectable food and an inviting atmosphere for people to enjoy time with friends and mingle with new people. Founded in 1990 by Ted Kasmir and Roger Greenfield, Bar Louie has more than 100 locations across the United States and is growing through both franchising and corporate locations. Open during four parts of the day - lunch, happy hour, dinner and late night - Bar Louie is an award-winning concept with a progressively hip and lively atmosphere. Each Bar Louie is a local social, casual gathering spot - neighborhood bars and eateries that feature hand-crafted cocktails, spirits and delectable scratch food in an inviting, urban atmosphere. Each Bar Louie has a modern, relaxed vibe that expresses the brand’s identity, and no two locations are alike. Some are a cozy 5,000 square feet, while another boasts a roomy 11,000 square feet, with many other locations somewhere between. Layouts vary, as do local food and drink specials. Just as no two locations are like, there is no "cookie-cutter" type of franchise partner for Bar Louie. While existing franchisees have owned a business, each owner comes from a unique facet of life. Similarly, guests range from ages 25 to 54 and more than 50 percent are women. Another distinction is Bar Louie's four distinct day-parts - lunch, happy hour, dinner and late night - with the entire food and drink menu available all day, every day. This provides guests a perfect gathering place for family dinners, drinks with friends, watching sporting events and everything between. The average customer visit lasts longer than two hours.
Financially we require per location: $500K liquid assets, $1.5 million net worth.

The total investment necessary to begin operations of a Bar Louie Restaurant franchised business ranges from $923,500 to $3,707,333. This includes $50,500 that must be paid to the franchisor or an affiliate.
The total initial investment necessary to begin operation as a Bar Louie Area Developer is $25,000 multiplied by the number of Bar Louie restaurants to be developed under the Development Agreement. This is the same amount that must be paid to the franchisor or an affiliate.