Mara's Cafe and Bakery vs Ben's Soft Pretzels Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Mara's Cafe and Bakery vs Ben's Soft Pretzels including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

  Mara's Cafe and Bakery Ben's Soft Pretzels
Investment 0 - 0 107200 - 339500
Franchise Fee
Royalty Fee 5% 6%
Advertising Fee 2% local + 1% Nat'l 1.50%
Year Founded 1984 2008
Year Franchised 2004 2013
Term Of Agreement
Term Of Agreement
Renewal Fee


Business Experience Requirements

  Mara's Cafe and Bakery Ben's Soft Pretzels
Experience We are seeking motivated owner-operators with solid restaurant operating experience to join our system. In exchange, we will provide the tools and training you need to run your own Mara's Caf & Bakery location. We do, of course, also expect that you have the right amount of capital to invest in the franchise.

Financing Options

  Mara's Cafe and Bakery Ben's Soft Pretzels
 
Franchise Fees
Start-up Costs
Equipment
Inventory
Receivables
Payroll

Training & Support

  Mara's Cafe and Bakery Ben's Soft Pretzels
Training Franchise owners and their key management staff will receive at least two weeks and up to three weeks of training, including both classroom and on-the-job training. As a Franchise Partner, you will receive many different forms of hands-on training. We focus on teaching you how to run your business, as well as, how to make our legendary Ben's Soft Pretzel products. We are here to help you every step of the way. * 101 Training (3-Days at Ben's Soft Pretzels University): We walk you through all of the important aspects of starting and managing a successful business. * Reality Training (5-Days at Ben's Soft Pretzels University). In this training we show you everything you need to know about making our delicious pretzel products. * In-Store Training (6-Days). We send a Pretzel Professor to your bakery for 6 days when you open your store to help train your staff in the art of perfect pretzel making. * On-Going Training. We offer multiple training opportunities throughout the year for both Franchise Partners and Bakery Managers. We also offer monthly Franchise Partners conference calls, an online forum, and weekly newsletter to keep you up-to-date with the latest happenings surrounding our business.
Support Your team will receive five days of onsite help at your own location around the time of your grand opening. You will have access to all Mara's Caf & Bakery trademarks, recipes and supply chains, and our unique operational procedures. And, we'll provide you with a copy of our confidential operations manual to help you run your caf properly. Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Here at Ben's Soft Pretzels we are fortunate to have a brand that customers L-O-V-E. Our easy-to-follow marketing programs allow franchise partners to focus their marketing efforts locally. We assist you in turning customers into raving pretzel-loving fans. From announcing the opening of your bakery, to planning your Grand Opening, to growing your brand online, we help our franchise partners every step of the way. We come along side you to create a finely-tuned marketing plan to connect with customers, influencers and community leaders near your bakery. Throughout the year we offer ongoing marketing training to keep up to speed with the most effective marketing tools and tactics.
Operations

Expansion Plans

  Mara's Cafe and Bakery Ben's Soft Pretzels
US Expansion 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 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
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
Mara's Cafe and Bakery
Ben's Soft Pretzels
Franchise Fee
Mara's Cafe and Bakery
Ben's Soft Pretzels
Royalty Fee
Mara's Cafe and Bakery 5%
Ben's Soft Pretzels 6%
Advertising Fee
Mara's Cafe and Bakery 2% local + 1% Nat'l
Ben's Soft Pretzels 1.50%
Year Founded
Mara's Cafe and Bakery 1984
Ben's Soft Pretzels 2008
Year Franchised
Mara's Cafe and Bakery 2004
Ben's Soft Pretzels 2013
Term Of Agreement
Mara's Cafe and Bakery 10 years
Ben's Soft Pretzels
Renewal Fee
Mara's Cafe and Bakery
Ben's Soft Pretzels


Business Experience Requirements

Experience
Mara's Cafe and Bakery We are seeking motivated owner-operators with solid restaurant operating experience to join our system. In exchange, we will provide the tools and training you need to run your own Mara's Caf & Bakery location. We do, of course, also expect that you have the right amount of capital to invest in the franchise.
Ben's Soft Pretzels

Financing Options

 
Franchise Fees
Mara's Cafe and Bakery
Ben's Soft Pretzels
Start-up Costs
Mara's Cafe and Bakery
Ben's Soft Pretzels
Equipment
Mara's Cafe and Bakery}
Ben's Soft Pretzels
Inventory
Mara's Cafe and Bakery
Ben's Soft Pretzels
Receivables
Mara's Cafe and Bakery
Ben's Soft Pretzels
Payroll
Mara's Cafe and Bakery
Ben's Soft Pretzels

Training & Support

Training
Mara's Cafe and Bakery Franchise owners and their key management staff will receive at least two weeks and up to three weeks of training, including both classroom and on-the-job training.
Ben's Soft Pretzels As a Franchise Partner, you will receive many different forms of hands-on training. We focus on teaching you how to run your business, as well as, how to make our legendary Ben's Soft Pretzel products. We are here to help you every step of the way. * 101 Training (3-Days at Ben's Soft Pretzels University): We walk you through all of the important aspects of starting and managing a successful business. * Reality Training (5-Days at Ben's Soft Pretzels University). In this training we show you everything you need to know about making our delicious pretzel products. * In-Store Training (6-Days). We send a Pretzel Professor to your bakery for 6 days when you open your store to help train your staff in the art of perfect pretzel making. * On-Going Training. We offer multiple training opportunities throughout the year for both Franchise Partners and Bakery Managers. We also offer monthly Franchise Partners conference calls, an online forum, and weekly newsletter to keep you up-to-date with the latest happenings surrounding our business.
Support
Mara's Cafe and Bakery Your team will receive five days of onsite help at your own location around the time of your grand opening. You will have access to all Mara's Caf & Bakery trademarks, recipes and supply chains, and our unique operational procedures. And, we'll provide you with a copy of our confidential operations manual to help you run your caf properly.
Ben's Soft Pretzels Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing
Mara's Cafe and Bakery
Ben's Soft Pretzels Here at Ben's Soft Pretzels we are fortunate to have a brand that customers L-O-V-E. Our easy-to-follow marketing programs allow franchise partners to focus their marketing efforts locally. We assist you in turning customers into raving pretzel-loving fans. From announcing the opening of your bakery, to planning your Grand Opening, to growing your brand online, we help our franchise partners every step of the way. We come along side you to create a finely-tuned marketing plan to connect with customers, influencers and community leaders near your bakery. Throughout the year we offer ongoing marketing training to keep up to speed with the most effective marketing tools and tactics.
Operations
Mara's Cafe and Bakery
Ben's Soft Pretzels

Expansion Plans

US Expansion
Mara's Cafe and Bakery 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
Ben's Soft Pretzels 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
Mara's Cafe and Bakery
Ben's Soft Pretzels
International Expansion
Mara's Cafe and Bakery
Ben's Soft Pretzels 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