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Updated RecentlyCountry Kitchen vs La Madeleine Franchise Comparison
Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Country Kitchen vs La Madeleine including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.
Start-Up Costs and Fees |
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| Investment | $425,000 - $1,685,000 | $1,249,362 - $3,088,747 |
| Franchise Fee | $40,000 | $40,000 |
| Royalty Fee | 4% | 5% |
| Advertising Fee | 3% local + 1% Int'l | 2.5% |
| Year Founded | 1939 | 1983 |
| Year Franchised | 1958 | 2011 |
| Term Of Agreement | 20 years | Term of agreement not renewable |
| Term Of Agreement | 20 years | Term of agreement not renewable |
| Renewal Fee | - | - |
Business Experience Requirements |
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| Experience | - | • 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 |
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| 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 |
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| Training | Our Education and Training programs help you build an enthusiastic Country Kitchen team with a passion for Absolute Guest Satisfaction. Training videos, operations manuals and on-site training crews are just a few of the tools designed to help your restaurant run efficiently as a team. In addition, we offer a 6 to 10 week hands-on training course at a certified training restaurant, new store opening support and Management Leadership Seminars to build and strengthen your management team. | • 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 will provide on-site visitations with a Franchise Consultant. They will cover topics such as financial performance review, operational evolution, sales building, cost controls, and staff (management and hourly) development providing you with sound business advice and direction. We provide such operational tools like our Recruitment, Selection and Retention Library, our Recipe Card System, and our customized M.O.R.E. Operations Manual. And while you can't replace on-site visits and one-on-one interaction, it's nice to know we have programs in place structured to help you overcome every obstacle along the way. | 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 | Our brand-building promotions offer innovative products with excellent profit margins. We provide effective point-of-purchase materials, award-winning menus and multimedia advertising opportunities to support your operation. Additionally, Country Kitchen offers full local restaurant marketing support with our in-house creative team. From grand opening events and simple advertisements to local market research, we help drive the success of you and your operation. | • 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 | With almost 70 years of successful operations, we've just about seen it all. We've created the operational synergies that make us a world-class franchise system. Driving this synergy is our team of seasoned franchise consultants, who provide you with the building blocks for a successful operation. | - |
Expansion Plans |
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| US Expansion | Yes | Yes |
| Canada Expansion | - | - |
| International Expansion | - | Yes |
Company Overviews
About Country Kitchen
For over 80 years, Country Kitchen has been a place where guests
feel like they’re coming home. The food is always fresh, the smiles
stretch a country mile and breakfast can be any time of the day! Light
and fluffy pancakes, skillets and omelettes packed with fresh
ingredients, thick and juicy burgers, savory sandwiches, hearty dinners,
and homemade desserts can be enjoyed at one of our many locations
throughout the country!
The total investment necessary to begin operation of a Country Kitchen
ranges from $575,000 to $1,685,000 for a standard Country Kitchen and
$425,000 to 895,000 for a limited service café style Country Kitchen ,
exclusive of the cost of real estate. These totals include $40,000 that
must be paid to the franchisor. The amount paid to the franchisor will
increase if you also sign an Area Development Agreement because that
agreement requires that in addition to payment of the $40,000 initial
franchise fee for the first Country Kitchen you also are required to pay
us a deposit of $20,000 for each additional Country Kitchen to be
opened under the Area Development Agreement.
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:
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- 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.