Zaxby's vs Gandolfo's New York Delicatessen Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Zaxby's vs Gandolfo's New York Delicatessen including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Zaxby's Franchise
Gandolfo's New York Delicatessen Franchise
Investment $343,200 - $695,200$302,450 - $558,950
Franchise Fee $35,000$25,000
Royalty Fee 6%6%
Advertising Fee 2.87%-5%2% local +1% Nat'l
Year Founded 1990-
Year Franchised 1994-
Term Of Agreement --
Term Of Agreement --
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements

 
Zaxby's Franchise
Gandolfo's New York Delicatessen Franchise
Experience Prospective Franchisees must meet the following criteria to be considered: Collective net worth of at least $1,000,000, with liquid assets greater than $500,000 (liquidity being defined as cash or any asset that could be converted to cash within ten business days). Ability to satisfactorily pass background checks for the following: reasonable credit worthiness, no criminal convictions, no history of extensive litigation, and satisfactory motor vehicle report. Willingness of all investors to personally guarantee any obligations that are required under the license agreement. Willingness to make a commitment to this venture within 60 – 90 days of signing a license agreement. Belief that guest service is of critical importance in restaurant operations. While it does help to have prior food or restaurant experience, Gandolfo's does not require it. We have franchisees from all walks of life. What is most important to us is that we have franchisees with a willingness to work hard and a passion for their business.

Financing Options

 
Zaxby's Franchise
Gandolfo's New York Delicatessen Franchise
  In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
Franchise Fees -/--/-
Start-up Costs -/--/-
Equipment -/--/-
Inventory -/--/-
Receivables -/--/-
Payroll -/Yes-/-

Training & Support

 
Zaxby's Franchise
Gandolfo's New York Delicatessen Franchise
Training The initial training program is eight weeks long, consisting of a one-week orientation phase at Zaxby's Franchising, Inc.'s training center, three two-week phases at a training restaurant and the final one-week phase back at ZFI's training center. Ongoing support and training updates, in addition to other business development practices - including onsite inspections - are conducted regularly throughout the franchise system.Prior to your restaurant opening, we will furnish initial training on the operation of a Gandolfo's New York Delicatessen � restaurant. The training lasts for four weeks: two of those weeks will be held in an operating deli and the other two will take place in our Lawrenceville, GA corporate office. We require that two people attend training prior to the store opening.
Support -The week of your grand opening, you will have at least one corporate trainer in your store in addition to any other member of our team to help you start off on the right foot. The corporate trainer will stay with you for two weeks during your grand opening and will visit you again within the first two months of your deli being open. We will also help you organize and execute your training and hiring process, along with overcoming any obstacles that may arise in the days prior to opening. Gandolfo's corporate will offer you continuous marketing support, emphasizing a neighborhood marketing strategy. We have a Marketing Coordinator in the corporate office who will work hand-in-hand with you to create a marketing plan that is not only something that will work for your deli, but that is also something you feel comfortable with. We want to make sure that every program you implement is something that will be successful for you. Effective marketing is crucial to the profitability and growth of any business; our Marketing Coordinator will help you track your sales and evaluate the success of every promotion. You will also benefit from the on-going training offered by our corporate trainers and the information found from the research and development of current and future products. Gandolfo's operates with an open-door policy, meaning that you have a direct line to any person in the company who may be able to help you in your daily operations.
Marketing --
Operations -You need a staff of approximately 12 people, including 10 part-time employees and 2 full-time employees

Expansion Plans

 
Zaxby's Franchise
Gandolfo's New York Delicatessen Franchise
US Expansion Yes-
Canada Expansion --
International Expansion --

Company Overviews

About Zaxby's

Zaxby's Franchising, Inc., actively seeks highly qualified individuals be become licensees. Prior business experience, financial qualifications, motivation, team spirit and a track record of personal success are all important factors in our evaluation process. Prospective licensees must meet the following criteria to be considered: Collective net worth of at least $700,000, with liquid assets greater than $400,000 (liquidity being defined as cash or any asset that could be converted to cash within ten business days). Ability to satisfactorily pass background checks for the following: reasonable credit worthiness, no criminal convictions, no history of extensive litigation, and satisfactory motor vehicle report. Willingness of all investors to personally guarantee any obligations that are required under the license agreement. Willingness to make a commitment to this venture within 60 - 90 days of signing a license agreement. Belief that guest service is of critical importance in restaurant operations.
The Zaxby's Mission Statement - Consistently Create Encore Experiences That Enrich Lives One Person At A Time - recognizes the value of all individuals.

ZFI is committed to developing a diverse community of licensees and, in that regard, the Zaxby's franchise opportunity is open to all qualified applicants, regardless of age, gender, race or ethnicity.

The total investment necessary to begin operation of a Zaxby’s franchised business is $343,200 to $695,200. This includes $40,200 to $45,000 that must be paid to the franchisor or its affiliates. In addition, if you enter into a Multi-Restaurant Development Agreement to develop more than one Zaxby’s restaurant, you must pay the franchisor a fee of $17,500 for each Zaxby’s restaurant scheduled for development and subsequently must pay an additional $17,500 upon execution of the License Agreement for each Zaxby’s restaurant, which amounts are credited towards the initial franchise fee for each restaurant.

#148 in Franchise 500 for 2021.  Not in Franchise 500 for 2020.

About Gandolfo's New York Delicatessen

A Note from the Owner, Dan Pool: I have been in the restaurant business since I was 14 years old. I have done about every job there is in the industry: from a fast food cook at age 14 to a Division President of a multi-million-dollar company in my 30's. I have worked in the corporate world, the franchise world and all worlds in between. I have always believed that the restaurant business is very, very simple, but it's not easy. I believe the biggest mistake made in the restaurant industry is that people mistake simple with unimportant. Usually in life, the simple things are not that important; in the restaurant business, it is the simple things done consistently, day in and day out that are the key to having a successful business. I was in the process of opening a full service restaurant in Atlanta, GA when I came across an article. Fast-casual restaurants had just passed fast-food chains in the number of units sold, and some were even opening a store every 18 hours. I had not spent much time in the sandwich industry, and I never felt like there was much of a difference between the various chains. Yet, the article caught my attention so I took the next several weeks and flew all over the United States visiting all these concepts, searching for what set them apart from each other. What I found was one might toast a sub, one might only have cold subs-they all had chips and no personality. In my search I came across Gandolfo's New York Delicatessen and New York native Craig Gandolph. I knew I wanted to be a part of Gandolfo's New York Delicatessen after my first bite. I realized what I was looking for was not a sandwich shop like all the rest but a deli. In Gandolfo's, I found a true New York deli with a variety of homemade deli salads, premium meats, freshly baked breads and the best sandwiches I had ever eaten. I loved the sandwiches so much that I bought the company. I tried all the sandwich shops and I bought a New York Deli. Visit our stores, speak to our people, try our food and realize the satisfaction and competitive advantages of owning a Gandolfo's New York Deli. Dan Pool, CEO