am/pm Convenience Stores vs Circle K Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of am/pm Convenience Stores vs Circle K including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
  am/pm Convenience Stores Circle K
Investment 440291 - 10405152 189250 - 1927640
Franchise Fee
Royalty Fee 11%-14% 2.5%-5.5%
Advertising Fee 5.50% 1.50%
Year Founded 1975 1951
Year Franchised 1979 1995
Term Of Agreement
Term Of Agreement
Renewal Fee


Business Experience Requirements
  am/pm Convenience Stores Circle K
Experience - U.S. citizenship, or permanent resident alien status with a minimum age of 21 years old - Personal participation in operating a retail facility (minimum of 40 hours per week) - Successfully complete all training requirements - Good credit record / credit history evidenced by prompt payment of all financial obligations - Liquid capital required may be $1,200,000 or higher - Possess an entrepreneurial attitude, creativity and the ability to make sound business decisions - Ability to create and implement a comprehensive business plan - Ability to successfully execute the am/pm franchise operational procedures - Excellent project management skills and attention to detail - Ability to obtain/qualify for a beer and wine sales license for off-site consumption

Financing Options
  am/pm Convenience Stores Circle K
 
Franchise Fees No
Start-up Costs No
Equipment No
Inventory No
Receivables No
Payroll No

Training & Support
  am/pm Convenience Stores Circle K
Training On-The-Job Training: 120 hours Classroom Training: 66 hours Additional Training: In-class sessions & hands-on training On-The-Job Training: 24 hours Classroom Training: 56 hours
Support Ongoing Support Purchasing Co-ops Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Field Operations Ongoing Support Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Grand Opening Field Operations Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Co-op Advertising Regional Advertising Social media Loyalty program/app Ad Templates Regional Advertising Social media Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app
Operations Number of Employees Required to Run: 10 Number of employees required to run: 10

Expansion Plans
  am/pm Convenience Stores Circle K
US Expansion Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington Nationwide, Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Canada Expansion 0 0
International Expansion Worldwide, Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra, Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azores, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bolivia, Bonaire, Bosnia, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Canary Islands, Cape Verde Islands, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Channel Islands, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Croatia, Curacao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, England, Equitorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Faeroe Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holland, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kosrae, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar, Madeira, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norfolk Island, Northern Ireland, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Ponape, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Republic of Yemen, Reunion, Romania, Rota, Russia, Rwanda, Saba, Saipan, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, St. Barthelemy, St. Christopher, St. Croix, St. Eustatius, St. John, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, St. Martin, St. Thomas, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tahiti, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tinian, Togo, Tonga, Tortola, Trinidad & Tobago, Truk, Tunisia, Turkey, Turks & Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, Union Island, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, US Virgin Islands, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Gorda, Wake Island, Wales, Wallis & Futuna Islands, Western Samoa, Yap, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Start-Up Costs and Fees Mobile
Investment
am/pm Convenience Stores
Circle K
Franchise Fee
am/pm Convenience Stores
Circle K
Royalty Fee
am/pm Convenience Stores 11%-14%
Circle K 2.5%-5.5%
Advertising Fee
am/pm Convenience Stores 5.50%
Circle K 1.50%
Year Founded
am/pm Convenience Stores 1975
Circle K 1951
Year Franchised
am/pm Convenience Stores 1979
Circle K 1995
Term Of Agreement
am/pm Convenience Stores
Circle K 10 years
Renewal Fee
am/pm Convenience Stores $35K-60K
Circle K


Business Experience Requirements
Experience
am/pm Convenience Stores - U.S. citizenship, or permanent resident alien status with a minimum age of 21 years old - Personal participation in operating a retail facility (minimum of 40 hours per week) - Successfully complete all training requirements - Good credit record / credit history evidenced by prompt payment of all financial obligations - Liquid capital required may be $1,200,000 or higher - Possess an entrepreneurial attitude, creativity and the ability to make sound business decisions - Ability to create and implement a comprehensive business plan - Ability to successfully execute the am/pm franchise operational procedures - Excellent project management skills and attention to detail - Ability to obtain/qualify for a beer and wine sales license for off-site consumption
Circle K

Financing Options
 
Franchise Fees
am/pm Convenience Stores No
Circle K No
Start-up Costs
am/pm Convenience Stores
Circle K
Equipment
am/pm Convenience Stores}
Circle K
Inventory
am/pm Convenience Stores
Circle K
Receivables
am/pm Convenience Stores
Circle K
Payroll
am/pm Convenience Stores
Circle K

Training & Support
Training
am/pm Convenience Stores On-The-Job Training: 120 hours Classroom Training: 66 hours Additional Training: In-class sessions & hands-on training
Circle K On-The-Job Training: 24 hours Classroom Training: 56 hours
Support
am/pm Convenience Stores Ongoing Support Purchasing Co-ops Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Field Operations
Circle K Ongoing Support Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Grand Opening Field Operations Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing
am/pm Convenience Stores Co-op Advertising Regional Advertising Social media Loyalty program/app
Circle K Ad Templates Regional Advertising Social media Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app
Operations
am/pm Convenience Stores Number of Employees Required to Run: 10
Circle K Number of employees required to run: 10

Expansion Plans
US Expansion
am/pm Convenience Stores Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington
Circle K Nationwide, Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Canada Expansion
am/pm Convenience Stores 0
Circle K 0
International Expansion
am/pm Convenience Stores
Circle K Worldwide, Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra, Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azores, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bolivia, Bonaire, Bosnia, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Canary Islands, Cape Verde Islands, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Channel Islands, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Croatia, Curacao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, England, Equitorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Faeroe Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holland, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kosrae, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar, Madeira, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norfolk Island, Northern Ireland, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Ponape, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Republic of Yemen, Reunion, Romania, Rota, Russia, Rwanda, Saba, Saipan, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, St. Barthelemy, St. Christopher, St. Croix, St. Eustatius, St. John, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, St. Martin, St. Thomas, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tahiti, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tinian, Togo, Tonga, Tortola, Trinidad & Tobago, Truk, Tunisia, Turkey, Turks & Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, Union Island, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, US Virgin Islands, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Gorda, Wake Island, Wales, Wallis & Futuna Islands, Western Samoa, Yap, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe