Moe's Southwest Grill vs Wahoo's Fish Taco's Franchise Comparison

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

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Moe's Southwest Grill Franchise
Wahoo's Fish Taco's Franchise
Investment $457,400 - $911,500$540,000 - $715,000
Franchise Fee $30,000$25,000 - $30,000
Royalty Fee 5%5%
Advertising Fee 2%2% local
Year Founded 2000-
Year Franchised 2001-
Term Of Agreement 20 years-
Term Of Agreement 20 years-
Renewal Fee Then-current franchise fee-


Business Experience Requirements

 
Moe's Southwest Grill Franchise
Wahoo's Fish Taco's Franchise
Experience
  • Industry experience
  • General business experience
  • Marketing skills
  • Excellent attention to detail
  • We prefer applicants who have restaurant experience as well as multi-unit experience. Depending on some other factors, we will consider applicants who have other types of multi-unit retail experience.

    Financing Options

     
    Moe's Southwest Grill Franchise
    Wahoo's Fish Taco's 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
    Wahoo's Fish Taco's Franchise
    Training On-The-Job Training 125 hours Classroom Training: 22.6 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 -
    Marketing 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)

    -

    Expansion Plans

     
    Moe's Southwest Grill Franchise
    Wahoo's Fish Taco's Franchise
    US Expansion Yes-
    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 Wahoo's Fish Taco's

    In 1988, the Wahoo brothers decided to import the fish taco to Orange County, California, and give it a unique twist. They combined the fish taco with their Brazilian favorites and Asian inspired items. The brothers decorated the original restaurant with the donations of near-by surf companies and that's how Wahoo's Fish Taco was born. Wahoo's then quickly developed a loyal and steady following, to where some locals came in daily and servers automatically knew what their customer would order. In 1990, Steve Karfaridis, joined as a partner and the one location in Costa Mesa rapidly developed into multi-locations in Laguna Beach and Huntington Beach. Today you will find over 50 locations of Wahoo's all throughout California and Colorado, including Texas and Hawaii. We are looking for franchisees who have the experience and financial resources to develop an area of at least 3-5 stores.
    Wahoo's Fish Taco's initial franchise fee is $35,000 (and just $27,5000 for each additional store)