Mellow Mushroom Pizza vs Happy's Pizza Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Mellow Mushroom Pizza vs Happy's Pizza including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Mellow Mushroom Pizza Franchise
Happy's Pizza Franchise
Investment $1,624,000$336,500 - $608,000
Franchise Fee $50,000$35,000
Royalty Fee -1.5K/mo
Advertising Fee 2%Up to 1%
Year Founded -1996
Year Franchised -2007
Term Of Agreement 15 years +5-
Term Of Agreement 15 years +5-
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements

 
Mellow Mushroom Pizza Franchise
Happy's Pizza Franchise
Experience --

Financing Options

 
Mellow Mushroom Pizza Franchise
Happy's Pizza Franchise
  In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
Franchise Fees No/--/-
Start-up Costs No/--/-
Equipment No/--/-
Inventory No/--/-
Receivables No/--/-
Payroll No/--/-

Training & Support

 
Mellow Mushroom Pizza Franchise
Happy's Pizza Franchise
Training Your ownership group and senior management staff will train for three weeks at our Shroom University training facility in Douglasville, Georgia prior to opening. When your store opens our training staff will assist you for a week prior to opening, and for two weeks after the opening. Shroom University offers a comprehensive program designed to teach you about the Front of House, Back of House, and Administrative aspects of running a Mellow Mushroom. You and your managers will learn how to make food, place orders, hire and retain personnel & maintain your POS system and mine the data it collects. A special emphasis is given to teaching you proven methods of supervising your store to decrease food and labor costs and increase cash flow. Quality control systems are also shared with you at Shroom University, and you will be provided with several financial and cost management spreadsheets.

While each of our stores undergoes Happy's classic build out, operators gain admission to The University of Happy's Pizza. After 30-45 days of training in our corporate kitchen and 60-90 days of in-store management training at an open location, graduates are completely groomed for success. Once a store is open, our support staff helps you with marketing, inventory control, staffing, prep and food updates.

Support Members of our operations team will visit your store(s) to ensure that our standards and practices are being upheld. These visits are also opportunities for us to continue to train your staff and help train any new employees. Our operations team will also help you implement new initiatives that are developed in conjunction with the marketing department. Our marketing team will advise you on coordinating local promotions and create collection-wide campaigns in which your store can participate. The marketing team will also provide you with designs for business cards, banners, stickers, magnets, and spec ads for use in your local market.

Site selection, lease negotiations assistance, equipment, fixture, signage and inventory suppliers and even construction standards and assistance. In addition to this, once a new store begins operations, Happy's Pizza provides all stores with an operations manual, continuous updates of our specifications and process and operational advice and assistance by telephone and Internet.

Marketing -

We are one of the only restaurants with a toll-free vanity number and we know how to use it. 800 BE HAPPY. Our in-house ad agency will customize individual marketing plans for every store. It starts with coming soon banners, job fairs and a big grand opening push. Once operations are running smoothly, we turn up the marketing machine with TV. Radio, direct mail, mobile and on-line promotions connected with our growing social web presence.

Operations --

Expansion Plans

 
Mellow Mushroom Pizza Franchise
Happy's Pizza Franchise
US Expansion -Yes
Canada Expansion -Yes
International Expansion --

Company Overviews

About Mellow Mushroom Pizza

The Mellow Mushroom experience is unique in the restaurant industry. We have been operating outside the perimeters of traditional casual dining for over 30 years. As an owner, you are submersed into a world of boundless creativity. The brand allows for great expression and individuality. My Mellow Mushroom is successful because I serve Mellow Mushroom products in a restaurant that feels like it is my own. The atmosphere entices you to take pride in being a quality operator. Simply said, I want to be in my own Mellow Mushroom. It is the kind of place I want to hang out in. The culture and community are second only to the quality of food; and this is what sets us apart from other restaurants. There is no other Mellow like my Mellow. Congratulations! You are on your way to owning your slice of the pie! Owning and operating a Mellow Mushroom is an exciting, life-altering journey.

The total investment necessary to begin operation of a Mellow Mushroom restaurant franchise ranges from $1,624,000 to $2,391,000 if you lease shell premises for the Restaurant, from $1,624,000 to $2,591,000 if you lease premises for the Restaurant that must be retrofit, and from $2,824,000 to $4,498,000 if you buy the real estate upon which you will construct a new building for the Restaurant. This includes between $78,000 and $88,500 that must be paid to the franchisor or affiliate. If you want development rights, you must pay us a development fee equal to $50,000 (the initial franchise fee for the first Restaurant) plus a $25,000 deposit for each additional Restaurant’s initial franchise fee.
The total investment necessary to begin operation if you acquire development rights is $1,649,000 to $4,523,000 (depending on your real estate decision). This includes $78,000 to $113,500 that must be paid to the franchisor or affiliate.


About Happy's Pizza

On a busy corner in Detroit, the first Happy's Pizza opened its doors. Not only was the pizza a hit, our barbeque ribs, fried chicken and seafood created a huge demand. Almost immediately, Happy's Pizza's popped up every 6 miles from each other in Detroit and we didn't stop there. We are now delivering more than just great pizza all over Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, San Diego and Las Vegas. When customers think of Happy's Pizza a few things come to mind. These include: Only the freshest high-quality ingredients being used to prepare their final dining selection. Finding a delicious dining option for each member of their family! Fresh in-house dough, sauces, ribs and other products made each day. Happy's Pizza's commitment to superior customer services standards. Our classic Happy's Pizza restaurant design has become an icon throughout the Midwest. Happy's prototypical exterior conveys an image of quality and consistency. Decorated in granite, ceramic tile and neon, the interior works hard to extend the brand. Our construction department assists with floor plans, site elevations, sign and kitchen equipment packages.
 
Happy's Pizza boasts not only a huge menu selection but also unbeatable prices. With promotion-oriented materials and programs for all our franchisees, backed by comprehensive operations, proprietary training, demographic research and shrewd business strategy, our franchisees enjoy an unparalleled level of support as they grow their own business - and dough - from the ground up!