Bar Louie vs La Madeleine Franchise Comparison
Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Bar Louie vs La Madeleine including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.
Start-Up Costs and Fees |
Investment |
$923,500 - $3,707,333 | $1,249,362 - $3,088,747 |
Franchise Fee |
$50,000 | $40,000 |
Royalty Fee |
5% | 5% |
Advertising Fee |
2% local, 1%Nat'l | 2.5% |
Year Founded |
1991 | 1983 |
Year Franchised |
2010 | 2011 |
Term Of Agreement |
- | Term of agreement not renewable |
Term Of Agreement |
- | Term of agreement not renewable |
Renewal Fee |
- | - |
Business Experience Requirements |
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. | • Passionate about the la Madeleine brand and our food
• $5 million net worth; liquid assets of $2.5 million
• Dedicated to developing multiple restaurants in a given market
• Excellent knowledge of the local retail real estate market
• Resources to develop and operate at least three (3) bakery cafés in a given territory
• Strong track record as a multi-unit restaurant operator
• Cultural fit |
Financing Options |
|
In-House/3rd Party | In-House/3rd Party |
Franchise Fees |
-/- | No/No |
Start-up Costs |
-/- | No/Yes |
Equipment |
-/- | No/Yes |
Inventory |
-/- | No/Yes |
Receivables |
-/- | No/Yes |
Payroll |
-/- | No/Yes |
Training & Support |
Training |
- | • Ongoing field support
• Store opening assistance
• Continuous training
• Extensive six-week training program for Operations Directors, General Managers, and Managers
• Ongoing culinary development
On-The-Job Training: 416 hours
Classroom Training: 64 hours
|
Support |
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 | Real Estate
• Market evaluation and planning
• Site selection assistance
• LOI and contract negotiation assistance
• In-house real estate resources
• Identifying and securing local representation
Newsletter
Meetings/Conventions
Toll-Free Line
Grand Opening
Online Support
Security/Safety Procedures
Field Operations
Site Selection
Proprietary Software
Franchisee Intranet Platform
|
Marketing |
- |
• Grand opening assistance
• Store opening and PR resources
• Local marketing support
• Creative support for national promotional events
Co-op Advertising
Ad Templates
National Media
Regional Advertising
Social media
SEO
Email marketing
Loyalty program/app |
Operations |
- | - |
Expansion Plans |
US Expansion |
Yes | Yes |
Canada Expansion |
- | - |
International Expansion |
- | Yes |
Company Overviews
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.
About La Madeleine
La Madeleine's serves handcrafted, crave-worthy country French-inspired dishes makes them a favorite with critics and guests alike. Their casual French home atmosphere and versatile menu makes them the perfect place for any meal or a special afternoon treat. La Madeleine guests are greeted with a friendly "bonjour" and an inviting ambiance where they can relax while enjoying time with friends and family. With a menu that satisfies cravings morning, noon, and night, it's no wonder guests keep coming back.
For experienced restaurateurs, la Madeleine presents an exciting, financially sound opportunity to share in a unique concept with great potential. At la Madeleine we pride ourselves on our handcrafted food and ambiance we share with our guests. But behind the scenes we work even harder to provide support to our franchisees to help them grow both their business and the la Madeleine brand.
We understand investing in the la Madeleine name and menu is just part of the equation for you. World-class operations and efficiencies are equally important and la Madeleine has those. Our commitment to you as a franchisee is to constantly work to find better, more efficient and more profitable ways to help you operate your la Madeleine franchise.
The total investment necessary to begin operation of a
la Madeleine franchise is as follows:
- Traditional Café: $1,249,362 to $3,088,747 (excluding real estate
and landlord allowances). This includes $43,630 that must be paid to the
franchisor or their affiliates.
- Petite Café: $1,426,200 to $1,747,400. $390,983 to $1,718,012
(excluding real estate and landlord allowances). This includes between
$20,000 and $43,630 that must be paid to the franchisor or their
affiliates.
#125 in Franchise 500 for 2020.
#141 in Franchise 500 for 2021.