Old Chicago vs 1000 Degrees Pizza Franchise Comparison

Opportunity Awaits

After 33 years of company growth, we are now offering a unique opportunity for a select number of entrepreneurs to take our proven brand into new markets.

Old Chicago is a leader in the casual dining pizza segment. We currently have territories available in many highly desirable markets, which presents an exceptional chance to establish our winning concept in choice locations.

WHY CHOOSE OLD CHICAGO?

Adaptable Site Requirements

Old Chicago's brand identity does not rely on a typical "box" to succeed. Our adaptive development strategy and flexible design allow stores to be constructed in many different types of sites, including prototype buildings, conversions/retro-fits, strip center end-cap locations, and non-traditional sites.

Sales Mix Advantage

With approximately 40% of historical system sales from our bar and drink business, Old Chicago's sales mix provides operators with a real opportunity to differentiate themselves from other casual dining concepts. Our high mix of bar sales is one of the main reasons why our stores experience exceptionally low Cost of Goods Sold (COGS). Our 60 company stores finished the year in 2008 with an average COGS of 25.6%.

Brand Strength & Versatility

Our brand has three decades of proven success and a loyal customer base in our existing markets. Old Chicago is a timeless concept that has that rare ability to appeal to a variety of consumers. Many casual dining concepts seem to copy each other in their menus and restaurant "feel". The Old Chicago concept is uniquely different.

Our bars have the rich, dark feel of a "freshly scrubbed joint". Our dining room areas with our new pizza bars really appeal to families and couples.

Broad Customer Appeal

Our bar area, along with our unique guest loyalty program -"The World Beer Tour" appeal to a younger, single customers. They create the high energy levels that have made our bars famous. With thirty beer varieties on tap, and another eighty varieties in bottles, we have created an exciting taste journey for our World Beer Tour members. No matter your age or occupation, there is a tremendous sense of accomplishment when your name goes on a plaque in your home store because you have completed the World Beer Tour.

The total investment necessary to begin operation of an Old Chicago Restaurant franchised business is between $1,331,500 and $1,957,000. This includes $98,250 and $135,250 that must be paid to the franchisor or its affiliates.

The total investment necessary for an Area Development Franchise includes the investment necessary to begin operations of one Restaurant, plus a development fee of $50,000, plus an initial franchise fee deposit of $20,000 multiplied by the number of Restaurants (excluding the first Restaurant) which you must open.

The estimated total investment necessary to begin operation of an Old Chicago

Area Development Franchise is between $1,401,500 (for two Restaurants) and $2,187,000 (for ten Restaurants). This includes between $168,250 and $365,250 that must be paid to the franchisor or its affiliates.

#299 in Franchise 500 for 2020.

In any business, separation is key. At 1000 Degrees pizzeria franchise, we believe that we are far and away the clear choice when considering entering the pizza franchise market.  Better food, reasonably low cost to construct, efficient dynamic marketing, a big picture mentality realizing that serving the best pizza in the city is a keystone part of our mission.  Below are just a few reasons 1000 Degrees is the hottest pizza franchise concept in the nation!  

A) Dough: Our authentic Neapolitan & Roman style dough recipes date back over 100 years from the Campania region of Italy (Naples) . Our authentic Neapolitan style thin crust (2 minute cook time) & new Roman style thick crust (3 minute cook time) dough is made fresh daily using “tipo 00 style” flour, and is mixed using an authentic Italian made “fork-style” mixer. We do not use the “dough hook” style traditional mixer used in most corner pizzeria franchises across the country. Our “fork-style” mixer is pivotal to the end product. A thin crispy, airy, light-on-the-belly crust, that is thin (Neapolitan style) or Thick (Roman Style) and the tastiest crust in town.  Our “Roman style thick crust” is just as tasty but a with a thicker, heartier crust, similar to a Sicilian Pizza crust without the extra oil.  Our dough is made fresh daily in each of our restaurants, and is 100% hand tossed giving us the best tasting authentic Neapolitan & Roman style pizzas anywhere.  There just are no other pizza franchises that offer food like 1000 Degrees, it is plain and simple!

B) Sauces: 1000 Degrees Pizzeria Franchise prides itself on serving the best of the best, and our sauce follows suit.  Our delicious San-Marzano and Cherry tomato based sauces will be the best your customers have ever tasted. We also offer a wide range of other delicious sauces, including Spicy Sriracha Marinara, Blue-cheese buffalo, pesto, and smokey bourbon barbecue to name a few.  Our sauces are fresh tasting, innovative, and present a flavor profile for both those who appreciate old world taste and those who are looking to broaden their pizza experience alike.

C) Hand Made Brick Oven: Part of operating in a Quick Serve, or Fast-Casual pizzeria franchise environment is having a process that works. We use a hand-made brick oven, that cooks our pizzas to perfection in just about 2 minutes (for Neapolitan thin crust or 3 minutes for Roman style thick crust). Unlike “west-coast” pizza concepts, we know pizza and our concept was developed in the pizza capital of the United States. We do not use a dough press to turn our pizza into a fajita with a quick sear to compensate for a substandard cooking process. Our hand tossed pizzas cook for just about 120-180 seconds and are back to the customer just minutes after placing their order.  We don’t just serve “fast pizza”  we serve the BEST PIZZA IN THE CITY, it just happens to cook fast!  Unlike other pizza franchises, our oven is state of the art, lined in imported Italian refractory brick, and is a pivotal “piece of the pie”!