Hard Times Cafe vs Cool-de-Sac Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Hard Times Cafe vs Cool-de-Sac including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Hard Times Cafe Franchise
Cool-de-Sac Franchise
Investment $449,000 - $1,000,000$858,700 - $1,988,667
Franchise Fee $30,000$75,000
Royalty Fee -6%
Advertising Fee --
Year Founded -2008
Year Franchised -2010
Term Of Agreement -10 years
Term Of Agreement -10 years
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements

 
Hard Times Cafe Franchise
Cool-de-Sac Franchise
Experience --

Financing Options

 
Hard Times Cafe Franchise
Cool-de-Sac Franchise
  In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
Franchise Fees -/--/-
Start-up Costs -/--/-
Equipment -/--/-
Inventory -/--/-
Receivables -/--/-
Payroll -/--/-

Training & Support

 
Hard Times Cafe Franchise
Cool-de-Sac Franchise
Training --
Support --
Marketing --
Operations -

Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 60 - 80. Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed.


Expansion Plans

 
Hard Times Cafe Franchise
Cool-de-Sac Franchise
US Expansion -Yes
Canada Expansion -Yes
International Expansion -Yes

Company Overviews

About Hard Times Cafe

Hard Times Cafe and Hard Times Cafe & Cue is an American Chili Parlor with a 26 year history in the Washington DC area. World Famous for it's Chili recipes, Hard Times serves Chili, Chili Macs, Wings, Onion Rings, Nachos, Chili Dogs, Char-Grilled Burgers and more. To be considered as a Franchisee you must have 5 years restaurant operational experience with a minimum cash investment ability of $200,000 and sufficient net worth to secure financing for the development of a Hard Times Cafe.

About Cool-de-Sac

Cool de Sac is an attractive family-style restaurant model that offers something for everyone: it's a wonderful place to meet, it's a fantastic place to eat, it's a great place to play and the perfect destination for an all-around family day. After talking to over 300 parents during our research and having served over 160,000 customers so far, we can confirm that Cool de Sac is a fantastic idea whose time has come. Customer Service ratings to our flagship Restaurants in Florida have been excellent. Cool de Sac has lucratively covered a market niche that fills an important urban lifestyle need and offers highly promising business potential to any entrepreneur in any suburb in the United States. As we seek to expand our presence to other cities in the U.S. �" not to mention other countries �" we look forward to forging lasting partnerships with enthusiastic franchisees like you. Join forces with us and you will become part of a network that is driven by professionalism, quality, consistency, and a true passion for excellence. To learn how our partnership can work to your advantage, read more about Cool de Sac. As you get to know our business better, you will see an opportunity you'll want to consider for the long term. We envision your entrepreneurial spirit and our expertise as the perfect combination with which to build a powerful international brand. We look forward to welcoming you on board!