Moe's Southwest Grill vs California Tortilla Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Moe's Southwest Grill vs California Tortilla including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
Moe's Southwest Grill Franchise
California Tortilla Franchise
Investment $457,400 - $911,500$378,400 - $697,000
Franchise Fee $30,000$40,000
Royalty Fee 5%5%
Advertising Fee 2%.5% local +2% Nat'l
Year Founded 20001995
Year Franchised 20011995
Term Of Agreement 20 years10 years
Term Of Agreement 20 years10 years
Renewal Fee Then-current franchise fee-


Business Experience Requirements
 
Moe's Southwest Grill Franchise
California Tortilla Franchise
Experience
  • Industry experience
  • General business experience
  • Marketing skills
  • Excellent attention to detail
    		•  * A minimum of $1,000,000 net worth and $250,000 of liquid assets to invest in your California Tortilla franchise; * Experience in either the food/restaurant industry; and/or prior franchise experience; and/or prior business or management experience (whew!); * A passionate commitment to customer service; * A sound operating plan to manage your business; * A cultural fit with California Tortilla and a passion for Mexican food; * The willingness to learn and apply the California Tortilla Operating System.

    Financing Options
     
    Moe's Southwest Grill Franchise
    California Tortilla 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
     
    Moe's Southwest Grill Franchise
    California Tortilla Franchise
    Training On-The-Job Training 125 hours Classroom Training: 22.6 hours On-The-Job Training: 200 hours Classroom Training: 10 hours
    Support Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform
    Marketing Co-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social media SEO Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app Co-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social media SEO Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app
    Operations 65% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 15

    Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (80% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

    		 Absentee Ownership Allowed Number of Employees Required to Run: 15

    Expansion Plans
     
    Moe's Southwest Grill Franchise
    California Tortilla Franchise
    US Expansion YesYes
    Canada Expansion No-
    International Expansion Yes-

    Company Overviews

    About Moe's Southwest Grill

    In December of 2000 in Atlanta, Ga. a handful of local entrepreneurs created Moe's Southwest Grill in the spirit of not-taking-yourself-too-seriously with menu names like the Homewrecker burrito, Closetalker salad and the Billy Barou nachos as well as a store design that includes abstract artwork with tongue-in-cheek sayings. Maybe it's the personal experience that keeps people coming back for more. Maybe it's the huge selection of customizable Southwest favorites. Or maybe it's the laid-back vibe and signature "Welcome to Moe's" greeting our customers hear each time they walk through the door. Regardless of the reason behind the popularity of the brand, it works - and now, after being purchased by FOCUS Brands, Inc., in August 2007, Moe's has more than 370 locations across the country with plans to grow domestically and internationally. As a testament to the wild popularity of the brand, Moe's was named the #1 fast-casual chain based on change in system-wide sales by QSR magazine and the #2 fast-casual chain under 300 units in 2006. When you join the Moe's franchisee family, you'll be working with passionate, experienced professionals who have extensive brand-building, development and operational experience in all functions of the foodservice industry. We're dedicated to the success of your franchise, and are committed to providing you with world-class support and service based on respect and trust.
    Join Moe's-- owning your own restaurant doesn't have to just be a dream.
    Veteran Incentives  $10,000 off franchise fee

    "Entrepreneur
    #362 in Franchise 500 for 2020.
    #191 in Franchise 500 for 2021
    .


    About California Tortilla

    California Tortilla is Mexican Re-Imagined. From the ingredients to the preparation to customer service, we’ve transformed a "quick bite” into a mouth-watering, crave-inducing, "I can’t wait to come back” experience.

    California Tortilla is a unique fast casual Mexican restaurant franchise that serves "California style” Mexican food. We focus on one aspect that many other Fast Casuals continue to ignore; quality. We source the best ingredients from local farm to table purveyors. We use only premium proteins and our salsa, guacamole, queso and sauces are made fresh daily and are never frozen. In fact, there’s no freezer on site at all. Our menu is Chef-Inspired, and while we cater to individual customer needs, we offer bold and exciting flavor profiles in our signature products. Perhaps most importantly, guests aren’t a number at Cal Tort. They are individuals… people that we really like and want to see again and again.