Tropical Smoothie Cafe vs Country Style Ice Cream Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Tropical Smoothie Cafe vs Country Style Ice Cream including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
Tropical Smoothie Cafe Franchise
Country Style Ice Cream Franchise
Investment $198,500 - $543,500$240,000 - $265,000
Franchise Fee $30,000N/A
Royalty Fee 6%-
Advertising Fee 3%-
Year Founded 1997-
Year Franchised 1998-
Term Of Agreement 15 years-
Term Of Agreement 15 years-
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements
 
Tropical Smoothie Cafe Franchise
Country Style Ice Cream Franchise
Experience Hands on management preferred, restaurant experience preferred (but not required), ability to follow a business system, financial capabilities, general business acumen, ability to work well in a team environment, and passion!!!The most important qualification is the willingness to sacrifice the time necessary to establish a successful operation. Financial strength and management ability or experiences are also key ingredients.

Financing Options
 
Tropical Smoothie Cafe Franchise
Country Style Ice Cream Franchise
  In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
Franchise Fees No/Yes-/-
Start-up Costs No/Yes-/-
Equipment No/Yes-/-
Inventory No/Yes-/-
Receivables No/Yes-/-
Payroll No/Yes-/-

Training & Support
 
Tropical Smoothie Cafe Franchise
Country Style Ice Cream Franchise
Training We believe in setting up our franchisees for success. We provide the following training: four-week training program, consisting of two weeks in a nearby Cafe, one week in a classroom setting at our Support Center in Atlanta, Georgia and one week onsite for your Grand Opening. The initial training program shall be approximately 50 hours over eight days in duration. Franchisee shall complete initial training program at least three weeks before the commencement of operation of the franchised store.
Support Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Franchisee Intranet Platform-
Marketing Co-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social media SEO Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app-
Operations Tropical Smoothie Cafe has a very simple business operation since we do not utilize any fryers, grills, hooding systems or serve alcohol in the cafe.

Absentee Ownership Allowed

Number of Employees Required to Run: 10 - 20

It is not a requirement to be an owner/operator. However, it is required that the owner participate in the training program and highly encouraged that the owner participate in the operation of the store at a level that control can be maintained.

Expansion Plans
 
Tropical Smoothie Cafe Franchise
Country Style Ice Cream Franchise
US Expansion Yes-
Canada Expansion No-
International Expansion Yes-

Company Overviews

About Tropical Smoothie Cafe

Tropical Smoothie Cafe offers genuine natural product smoothies, wraps, sandwiches, flatbreads, and servings of mixed greens. Our more beneficial decisions are what today's customers request and search out. Maybe that is the reason in 2015, the main half of our franchisees had normal gross offers of $806,920*.

Our main goal is to motivate a more beneficial way of life by serving astounding smoothies and nourishment with a touch of tropical fun. On the off chance that you play to win, contribute well and turn into a Tropical Smoothie Cafe Franchise Owner at this point!

*Based on date-book year 2015, 77 of 359, or 21.4%, of the Cafes picked up or outperformed this business level. This data shows up in Item 19 of our Franchise Disclosure Document. Your outcomes may vary. There is no confirmation that you will do also.

The total investment necessary to begin operation of a single-unit Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchise ranges from $198,500 to $543,500. This range includes $37,500 that must be paid to the franchisor, consisting of a franchise fee of $30,000 and a grand opening marketing contribution of $7,500.
If a franchisee chooses to develop multiple units, a $20,000 franchise fee must be paid to the franchisor for the second and each additional unit.
Veteran Incentives  50% off franchise fee
"Top               "Entrepreneur
#3 in Gator's Top franchises.
#18 in Franchise 500 for 2020.
#14 in Franchise 500 for 2021.





About Country Style Ice Cream

Country Style was founded in 1947 when Wayne Lindgren decided to follow his brother Chester "Whitey" Lindgren into the world of ice cream. The brothers collaborated to produce a quality soft serve mix and Wayne along with his wife Desyl opened the first Country Style on 23rd Avenue and 43rd Street in Moline, Illinois. Later, Whitey and Wayne joined forces at the 16th Street and 23rd Avenue Moline store. Wayne eventually bought out Whitey's share of the business. Committed to quality, Wayne and Desyl then set out to establish Country Style as the finest quality soft serve ice cream in the country. Throughout the years, their dedication and hard work produced a following that spread across the country. The words "tastes like homemade" are often heard at Country Style and can be attributed to the high standards originally set by Wayne and Desyl. Kent Kindelsperger purchased Country Style on February 8, 1988 and continues to head the company. After experimenting with different store venues, Country Style has found a niche and brand with a free standing dairy farm building that serves exceptional ice cream. Country Style's history as a top quality soft serve ice cream provider sets a strong foundation to market the brand across the country.