Old Chicago vs Cottage Inn Pizza Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Old Chicago vs Cottage Inn Pizza including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

  Old Chicago Cottage Inn Pizza
Investment 1331500 - 2187000 200000 - 350000
Franchise Fee
Royalty Fee 4% 5%
Advertising Fee 3% 3%
Year Founded 1976 1948
Year Franchised 2000 1986
Term Of Agreement
Term Of Agreement
Renewal Fee


Business Experience Requirements

  Old Chicago Cottage Inn Pizza
Experience A minimum net worth of $100,000 A minimum of $60,000 in liquid assets or financing or a combination thereof Five Star Customer Service for staff and customers alike Product Quality " using only approved ingredients and the amounts set forth by the Cottage Inn Standard Operating Procedures Professional Image " uniforms should be clean and pressed, and employees should be well-groomed at all times. The Right Personality As a member of the food service industry, our franchisees must have the right personality, too. We look for clean-cut professionals who will take pride in being a Cottage Inn franchisee. We also look for candidates who are strong leaders, can motivate a staff, and treat customers with the utmost care and respect. In the food service industry, it s important that your store pass the white glove test every day. Safety is always a concern when it comes to proper food handling. To be a successful Cottage Inn franchisee you must also understand profit and loss statements. You need to input tools to measure your expenses on an on-going basis. We lay out what has been successful for Cottage Inn throughout our corporate stores and we want to make sure each franchisee who joins the Cottage Inn family follows the same equation to success.

Financing Options

  Old Chicago Cottage Inn Pizza
 
Franchise Fees
Start-up Costs
Equipment
Inventory
Receivables
Payroll

Training & Support

  Old Chicago Cottage Inn Pizza
Training The Old Chicago training department will provide Franchisees, their management team, and staff, comprehensive training programs that combine both restaurant and classroom training. All Franchise management teams will receive seven weeks of in-store training at a designated Old Chicago training restaurant. On-The-Job Training: 350 hours Cottage Inn offers a world-class training program On-The-Job Training: 240 hours Classroom Training: 6 hours
Support A set of comprehensive manuals are provided to an Old Chicago Franchisee upon the signing of the Operating Agreement. These manuals are designed for easy reference and serve as an authoritative source of information about Old Chicago standard operating policies and procedures. These manuals are frequently updated to reflect Old Chicago's response to the changing needs of today's guests. Purchasing Co-ops Meetings/Conventions Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software On-going support to keep your store running successfully and smoothly. We want you to succeed, which is why we offer our support and advice gained from years of experience in the pizza industry. We ve been in the business since 1948 and operate 40 locations in two states, so it s safe to say we know how to run a business. Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Old Chicago restaurants rely primarily on a Local Restaurant Marketing (LRM) program that allows each store to choose the marketing programs and promotions that match the needs of the individual store's market. Advertising and promotional materials are available at a reasonable cost to Franchisees that support a LRM program. As such we employ our own graphics designer to assist Franchise Partners with their LRM design needs. We also employ a marketing professional to consult with our Franchise Partners. Co-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Email marketing Loyalty program/app We collaborate with a digital marketing agency to help make Cottage Inn the top-ranked pizza company in relevant markets across Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. Cottage Inn employs an in-house creative team and offsite agency to produce a myriad of digital marketing vehicles, including e-blasts, mobile CRM, social media (Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, FourSquare, Instagram). We also leverage traditional print solutions such as bulk mail menus, EDDM (every day direct mail) cards, magnets, box toppers and door hangers. We also invest in branding the Cottage Inn name, making us more desirable across all relevant markets. Cottage Inn is the Preferred Pizza Provider at MIS (Michigan International Speedway) where we serve over 100,000 guests at NASCAR events and the Country Music Festival. Cottage Inn engages franchisees in strategic marketing meetings to receive their input on marketing campaigns and new product development. We also help franchisees market their specific stores via community fairs, business expos, entertainment venues and more. We are family first at Cottage Inn, having been owned by the same family for over 65 years! How we market each of our franchises: Dynamic corporate website with pages dedicated to each franchise location Convenient online ordering A loyalty program to attract and retain customers Mobile marketing to engage with the on-the-go world E-marketing to offer the best deals to our dedicated customers Traditional print marketing menus, direct mail, door hangers, box toppers, magnets and specialty pieces Social media to engage our most dedicated consumers. Branding by way of special event sponsorships
Operations Cottage Inn maintains control of its product and distribution by operating a 22,000 square foot commissary in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Fresh products are delivered weekly and our warehouse staff is always on call in case of emergency. Cottage Inn produces fresh dough daily. For locations more than 200 miles away from Ann Arbor, we encourage and assist franchisees with setting up their own dough production. This assures a fresh, high-quality product and will help you secure a customer for life. Absentee Ownership Allowed Number of Employees Required to Run: 15

Expansion Plans

  Old Chicago Cottage Inn Pizza
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 Nationwide, Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory
International Expansion

Start-Up Costs and Fees Mobile

Investment
Old Chicago
Cottage Inn Pizza
Franchise Fee
Old Chicago
Cottage Inn Pizza
Royalty Fee
Old Chicago 4%
Cottage Inn Pizza 5%
Advertising Fee
Old Chicago 3%
Cottage Inn Pizza 3%
Year Founded
Old Chicago 1976
Cottage Inn Pizza 1948
Year Franchised
Old Chicago 2000
Cottage Inn Pizza 1986
Term Of Agreement
Old Chicago
Cottage Inn Pizza
Renewal Fee
Old Chicago
Cottage Inn Pizza


Business Experience Requirements

Experience
Old Chicago
Cottage Inn Pizza A minimum net worth of $100,000 A minimum of $60,000 in liquid assets or financing or a combination thereof Five Star Customer Service for staff and customers alike Product Quality " using only approved ingredients and the amounts set forth by the Cottage Inn Standard Operating Procedures Professional Image " uniforms should be clean and pressed, and employees should be well-groomed at all times. The Right Personality As a member of the food service industry, our franchisees must have the right personality, too. We look for clean-cut professionals who will take pride in being a Cottage Inn franchisee. We also look for candidates who are strong leaders, can motivate a staff, and treat customers with the utmost care and respect. In the food service industry, it s important that your store pass the white glove test every day. Safety is always a concern when it comes to proper food handling. To be a successful Cottage Inn franchisee you must also understand profit and loss statements. You need to input tools to measure your expenses on an on-going basis. We lay out what has been successful for Cottage Inn throughout our corporate stores and we want to make sure each franchisee who joins the Cottage Inn family follows the same equation to success.

Financing Options

 
Franchise Fees
Old Chicago
Cottage Inn Pizza
Start-up Costs
Old Chicago
Cottage Inn Pizza
Equipment
Old Chicago}
Cottage Inn Pizza
Inventory
Old Chicago
Cottage Inn Pizza
Receivables
Old Chicago
Cottage Inn Pizza
Payroll
Old Chicago
Cottage Inn Pizza

Training & Support

Training
Old Chicago The Old Chicago training department will provide Franchisees, their management team, and staff, comprehensive training programs that combine both restaurant and classroom training. All Franchise management teams will receive seven weeks of in-store training at a designated Old Chicago training restaurant. On-The-Job Training: 350 hours
Cottage Inn Pizza Cottage Inn offers a world-class training program On-The-Job Training: 240 hours Classroom Training: 6 hours
Support
Old Chicago A set of comprehensive manuals are provided to an Old Chicago Franchisee upon the signing of the Operating Agreement. These manuals are designed for easy reference and serve as an authoritative source of information about Old Chicago standard operating policies and procedures. These manuals are frequently updated to reflect Old Chicago's response to the changing needs of today's guests. Purchasing Co-ops Meetings/Conventions Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software
Cottage Inn Pizza On-going support to keep your store running successfully and smoothly. We want you to succeed, which is why we offer our support and advice gained from years of experience in the pizza industry. We ve been in the business since 1948 and operate 40 locations in two states, so it s safe to say we know how to run a business. Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing
Old Chicago Old Chicago restaurants rely primarily on a Local Restaurant Marketing (LRM) program that allows each store to choose the marketing programs and promotions that match the needs of the individual store's market. Advertising and promotional materials are available at a reasonable cost to Franchisees that support a LRM program. As such we employ our own graphics designer to assist Franchise Partners with their LRM design needs. We also employ a marketing professional to consult with our Franchise Partners. Co-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Email marketing Loyalty program/app
Cottage Inn Pizza We collaborate with a digital marketing agency to help make Cottage Inn the top-ranked pizza company in relevant markets across Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. Cottage Inn employs an in-house creative team and offsite agency to produce a myriad of digital marketing vehicles, including e-blasts, mobile CRM, social media (Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, FourSquare, Instagram). We also leverage traditional print solutions such as bulk mail menus, EDDM (every day direct mail) cards, magnets, box toppers and door hangers. We also invest in branding the Cottage Inn name, making us more desirable across all relevant markets. Cottage Inn is the Preferred Pizza Provider at MIS (Michigan International Speedway) where we serve over 100,000 guests at NASCAR events and the Country Music Festival. Cottage Inn engages franchisees in strategic marketing meetings to receive their input on marketing campaigns and new product development. We also help franchisees market their specific stores via community fairs, business expos, entertainment venues and more. We are family first at Cottage Inn, having been owned by the same family for over 65 years! How we market each of our franchises: Dynamic corporate website with pages dedicated to each franchise location Convenient online ordering A loyalty program to attract and retain customers Mobile marketing to engage with the on-the-go world E-marketing to offer the best deals to our dedicated customers Traditional print marketing menus, direct mail, door hangers, box toppers, magnets and specialty pieces Social media to engage our most dedicated consumers. Branding by way of special event sponsorships
Operations
Old Chicago
Cottage Inn Pizza Cottage Inn maintains control of its product and distribution by operating a 22,000 square foot commissary in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Fresh products are delivered weekly and our warehouse staff is always on call in case of emergency. Cottage Inn produces fresh dough daily. For locations more than 200 miles away from Ann Arbor, we encourage and assist franchisees with setting up their own dough production. This assures a fresh, high-quality product and will help you secure a customer for life. Absentee Ownership Allowed Number of Employees Required to Run: 15

Expansion Plans

US Expansion
Old Chicago 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
Cottage Inn Pizza 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
Old Chicago
Cottage Inn Pizza Nationwide, Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory
International Expansion
Old Chicago
Cottage Inn Pizza