Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen vs Toppers Pizza Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen vs Toppers Pizza including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen Franchise
Toppers Pizza Franchise
Investment $295,000 - $750,000$292,146 - $530,652
Franchise Fee $49,500$30,000
Royalty Fee 7%5.5%
Advertising Fee 2%3%
Year Founded 19921991
Year Franchised 19982000
Term Of Agreement 10 years+5-
Term Of Agreement 10 years+5-
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements
 
Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen Franchise
Toppers Pizza Franchise
Experience No Restaurant experience necessary but helpful Minimum financials are $175K to $400K in investment capital and a $600K to $1.0MM net worth

Single Unit: Liquidity: $150,000 Net Worth: $400,000 Multi-Unit (3-5 units): Liquidity: $300,000-$500,000 Net Worth: $750,000-$1,000,000 To open a Toppers franchise, you must have what it takes to make the initial investment or partner with someone who does. Those who qualify may be eligible for a reduced initial franchise fee through our association with the VetFran program. Average Square Footage: 1,200-1,800 sq ft (1,500 is optimal) Our flexible footprint makes finding a spot to locate extra easy, whether it's an endcap, in-line or freestanding location.

Financing Options
 
Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen Franchise
Toppers Pizza Franchise
  In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
Franchise Fees -/Yes-/Yes
Start-up Costs -/Yes-/Yes
Equipment -/Yes-/Yes
Inventory -/Yes-/Yes
Receivables -/--/Yes
Payroll -/Yes-/Yes

Training & Support
 
Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen Franchise
Toppers Pizza Franchise
Training 8 Week GM & Key Supervisor Training and Certification

30 days at a Training Store in person and hands-on Training and Marketing teams on-site prior/during/after opening On-The-Job Training: 188 hours Classroom Training: 18 hours
Support -

Franchise Business Leader support Corporate HQ team 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 On site pre and post opening training and operational support with quarterly QA Visits.

We work on an owner/operator franchise system where at least one partner must be involved full-time in day-to-day operations. You won't be able to resist anyway.

Expansion Plans
 
Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen Franchise
Toppers Pizza Franchise
US Expansion --
Canada Expansion --
International Expansion --

Company Overviews

About Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen

Using the family recipe for hand-tossed dough, the sauce made from fresh-crushed California tomatoes, and imported Italian cheese blends, Anthony became the sole owner and chef of his first restaurant Russo’s Pizza in the early 80’s. "It was 800 square feet. I had a pizza oven, a dough mixer and two tables. That's it. I could only sit eight people.” A few years later, he created Anthony’s Pizzeria, located in Clear Lake, Texas, and soon moved to Houston.

For almost a decade, Anthony refined his menu using classic Italian family recipes and zeroed in on the perfect New York-style pizza. In 1992, Russo’s New York Pizzeria opened in downtown Houston, Texas and proved to be a success.

 
Russo's Restaurants is a national and international franchisor of the fast casual and casual dining brands Russo's New York Pizzeria and Russo's Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen. Based in Houston, Russo's Restaurants are composed of a mix of corporate and franchised locations across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Florida and Hawaii. Russo's has entered international markets as well, with locations in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. There are an additional 20-plus units in development both in the United States and internationally. Chef Anthony Russo has created his concepts from years of applying his unique, family recipes featuring New York-style pizza along with a broad variety of handcrafted pasta creations, calzones, salads, sandwiches, soups and desserts, reflecting his commitment to his New York roots where food and family come first.

About Toppers Pizza

In 1991, Toppers Pizza began its quest to become the best pizza company in the world by killing it on every detail of the customer experience. Headquartered in Whitewater, Wis., Toppers Pizza takes a unique approach to the crowded pizza segment by cooking up mouthwatering specialty pizzas that start with their fresh, made-from-scratch dough, smothered in real Wisconsin cheese and finished with outrageous toppings such as French fried onions, oven-roasted tomatoes, mac 'n cheese and tater tots. Toppers Pizza's claim to fame comes in the form of Topperstix, arguably the planet's most addictively delicious cheesy breadstix. The Toppers Pizza empire encompasses over 60 restaurants across 10 states and, with its rapid expansion, is in the midst of Midwest and national domination. In 2014, Entrepreneur Magazine ranked Toppers Pizza as one of the top 500 franchises in the U.S and QSR Magazine listed the company as one of the year's Best Franchise Deals. In 2013, Nation's Restaurant News declared the Toppers Pizza brand as one of the 50 breakout chains of the year and Toppers Pizza received a No. 58 spot in Pizza Today's top 100 pizza companies.

Seeking new franchise units in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota and Wisconsin

Veteran incentive $10,000 off franchise fee

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