am/pm Convenience Stores vs Circle K Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of am/pm Convenience Stores vs Circle K including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
	am/pm Convenience Stores Franchise	Circle K Franchise
Investment	$440,291 - $10,405,152	$189,250 - $1,927,640
Franchise Fee	$40,000 - $70,000	$25,000
Royalty Fee	11%-14%	2.5%-5.5%
Advertising Fee	5.5%	1.5%
Year Founded	1975	1951
Year Franchised	1979	1995
Term Of Agreement	-	10 years
Term Of Agreement	-	10 years
Renewal Fee	$35K-60K	-
Business Experience Requirements
	am/pm Convenience Stores Franchise	Circle K Franchise
Experience	- U.S. citizenship, or permanent resident alien status with a minimum age of 21 years old - Personal participation in operating a retail facility (minimum of 40 hours per week) - Successfully complete all training requirements - Good credit record / credit history evidenced by prompt payment of all financial obligations - Liquid capital required may be $1,200,000 or higher - Possess an entrepreneurial attitude, creativity and the ability to make sound business decisions - Ability to create and implement a comprehensive business plan - Ability to successfully execute the am/pm franchise operational procedures - Excellent project management skills and attention to detail - Ability to obtain/qualify for a beer and wine sales license for off-site consumption	-
Financing Options
	am/pm Convenience Stores Franchise	Circle K Franchise
	In-House/3rd Party	In-House/3rd Party
Franchise Fees	No/No	-/-
Start-up Costs	No/No	-/-
Equipment	No/No	-/Yes
Inventory	No/No	-/-
Receivables	No/No	-/-
Payroll	No/No	-/-
Training & Support
	am/pm Convenience Stores Franchise	Circle K Franchise
Training	On-The-Job Training: 120 hours Classroom Training: 66 hours Additional Training: In-class sessions & hands-on training	On-The-Job Training: 24 hours Classroom Training: 56 hours
Support	Ongoing Support Purchasing Co-ops Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Field Operations	Ongoing Support Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Grand Opening Field Operations Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing	Co-op Advertising Regional Advertising Social media Loyalty program/app	Ad Templates Regional Advertising Social media Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app
Operations	Number of Employees Required to Run: 10	Number of employees required to run: 10
Expansion Plans
	am/pm Convenience Stores Franchise	Circle K Franchise
US Expansion	Yes	Yes
Canada Expansion	No	-
International Expansion	No	Yes

Company Overviews

About am/pm Convenience Stores

A Brand That Stands Apart

Powerful, distinctive branding is the cornerstone of am/pm's high visibility in the convenience-store industry. Wherever our stores are located, am/pm enjoys broad name recognition as a result of our familiar trademarks and distinctive marketing. By combining top brands with our own unique, in-demand offerings, am/pm franchises will continue to lead in the convenience-store industry.

* Proprietary offers such as Fast Food, Coffee & Fountain Drinks differentiates am/pm from the competition

* Innovative marketing, branding & media advertising helps support business growth

* The BP am/pm Franchise offer is leveraged by BP's strong gas brand of Amoco fuels

Day or Night, am/pm Stores are Always There to Serve Their Customers Our success depends on your success. At BP am/pm facilities you will find commitment to excellence and an emphasis on respect in how we treat our customers and each other. am/pm convenience stores offer a fast, fun, dynamic and rewarding experience. The World of am/pm Petroleum - Convenience store growth is an unstoppable force - an evolving industry with high customer demand. The BP and am/pm brands are uniquely positioned to meet these needs - and to open a world of opportunity for you. am/pm is the convenient place for customers to get meals, drinks and snacks with just the right ambiance.

Our success depends on your success. At am/pm, you will find commitment to excellence and an emphasis on respect in how to treat your customers.

am/pm offers a fast, fun dynamic and rewarding environment. With am/pm you get a thoroughly distinctive brand and comprehensive support for your business.

A key element of am/pm's convenience strategy is the delivery of a differentiated and distinctive offer focused on meeting the needs of your customers.

Veteran Incentives 50% off franchise fee

#158 in Franchise 500 for 2020.

About Circle K

Why would you open a Circle K Franchise? We may be biased, but we think the convenience store industry - already massive in size - is poised for growth in the future. So why franchise with Circle K? Because it's a win-win proposition for you. If you are already an independent store owner with little or no local competition, Circle K can provide you operational advantages to keep you on top. If you're an independent store owner who competes against a large, nationally recognized convenience store chain, you need to have a powerful brand of your own - Circle K - to help you retain your existing customers and attract new ones.

At Circle K, our mission is to be the best and most convenient place to shop, and work. Our stores are known around the world for offering busy consumers a wide variety of quality products and services in a fast, friendly, and clean environment.

Your neighborhood Circle K store features our award-winning brand of the Freshest Coffee Going,® ThirstBuster® fountain drinks, beer, snacks, candy, ATMs, Talk And Go® Mobile prepaid wireless phones, Gift Cards, money orders, and general merchandise.

Many Circle K locations also sell quality branded fuels including Shell, BP, Marathon, 76®, Citgo, and Chevron.

The total investment necessary to begin operations of a Circle K convenience store franchise is from $614,250 to $1,927,640 for a newly constructed Circle K Store and $189,250 to $1,020,640 if you are converting an existing convenience store to a Circle K Store. This includes $26,000 to $27,750 that must be paid to the franchisor or their affiliates whether you open a newly constructed Circle K Store or if you convert an existing convenience store to a Circle K Store.

If you purchase an existing company-operated Circle K Store from us, the amount you will pay to the franchisor is difficult to estimate based on real estate costs as well as the ancillary businesses usually associated with a convenience store and varies depending on the purchase price the franchisor negotiates.
The total investment necessary to begin operations of a Branded Business is from $8,390 to $67,390. Of this amount, there are not any fees paid to the franchisor or an affiliate.

The total investment increases to $553,390 to $1,902,390 for a newly constructed or rebuilt Motor Fuel Business and $133,390 to $1,337,390 if you are converting an existing forecourt to a Motor Fuel Business. This includes $20,000 to $50,000 that must be paid to the franchisor or their affiliates. The total investment noted in this paragraph for a Branded Business or a Motor Fuel Business is in addition to the total investment necessary to begin operations of the Circle K convenience store franchise.