Cottage Inn Pizza vs Z Pizza Franchise Comparison

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

Start-Up Costs and Fees

  Cottage Inn Pizza Z Pizza
Investment 200000 - 350000 249000 - 359000
Franchise Fee 0
Royalty Fee 5% 6%
Advertising Fee 3% 3%
Year Founded 1948 1986
Year Franchised 1986 1999
Term Of Agreement
Term Of Agreement
Renewal Fee


Business Experience Requirements

  Cottage Inn Pizza Z 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. General business experience

Financing Options

  Cottage Inn Pizza Z Pizza
 
Franchise Fees No
Start-up Costs No
Equipment No
Inventory No
Receivables No
Payroll No

Training & Support

  Cottage Inn Pizza Z Pizza
Training Cottage Inn offers a world-class training program On-The-Job Training: 240 hours Classroom Training: 6 hours Additional training available as required
Support 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 The zpizza support system is extremely detailed and begins from the moment your franchise agreement is signed, throughout your development phases, and through your store opening. Training is provided to the operational owners and managers for your store. The zpizza Training Program is a four week program comprehensive of all operational details involved in your business. zpizza provides a team to serve from pre-opening to opening. - Use of brand name, trademarks, recipes, operational systems and methods, and décor - Facility planning on site location and architectural design - Specifications for fixtures, equipment, and leasehold improvements - Assistance in site selection and lease negotiation - Corporate training for Owner/Operator and Director of Operations/General Managers - Kitchen/Back of the House Workflow design - Ongoing support from members of the Training and Operations Team - Ongoing updates for increasing profitability - Products with high industry demand - Favorable national contracts with suppliers of goods and services - Operating manuals, policies, procedures, and business management systems - Annual franchisee meetings - Access to zpizza's proprietary, Internet-based system that acts as a repository for all above-mentioned support materials, manuals, graphics and brand communications.
Marketing 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 Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, National media, Regional advertising
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 Franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses; 100% of all franchisees own more than one unit Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 15 Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

Expansion Plans

  Cottage Inn Pizza Z 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 Arizona, California, Colorado, Maryland, Missouri, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Virginia, Washington, 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
Cottage Inn Pizza
Z Pizza
Franchise Fee
Cottage Inn Pizza
Z Pizza
Royalty Fee
Cottage Inn Pizza 5%
Z Pizza 6%
Advertising Fee
Cottage Inn Pizza 3%
Z Pizza 3%
Year Founded
Cottage Inn Pizza 1948
Z Pizza 1986
Year Franchised
Cottage Inn Pizza 1986
Z Pizza 1999
Term Of Agreement
Cottage Inn Pizza
Z Pizza 10 years
Renewal Fee
Cottage Inn Pizza
Z Pizza


Business Experience Requirements

Experience
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.
Z Pizza General business experience

Financing Options

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

Training & Support

Training
Cottage Inn Pizza Cottage Inn offers a world-class training program On-The-Job Training: 240 hours Classroom Training: 6 hours
Z Pizza Additional training available as required
Support
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
Z Pizza The zpizza support system is extremely detailed and begins from the moment your franchise agreement is signed, throughout your development phases, and through your store opening. Training is provided to the operational owners and managers for your store. The zpizza Training Program is a four week program comprehensive of all operational details involved in your business. zpizza provides a team to serve from pre-opening to opening. - Use of brand name, trademarks, recipes, operational systems and methods, and décor - Facility planning on site location and architectural design - Specifications for fixtures, equipment, and leasehold improvements - Assistance in site selection and lease negotiation - Corporate training for Owner/Operator and Director of Operations/General Managers - Kitchen/Back of the House Workflow design - Ongoing support from members of the Training and Operations Team - Ongoing updates for increasing profitability - Products with high industry demand - Favorable national contracts with suppliers of goods and services - Operating manuals, policies, procedures, and business management systems - Annual franchisee meetings - Access to zpizza's proprietary, Internet-based system that acts as a repository for all above-mentioned support materials, manuals, graphics and brand communications.
Marketing
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
Z Pizza Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, National media, Regional advertising
Operations
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
Z Pizza Franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses; 100% of all franchisees own more than one unit Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 15 Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

Expansion Plans

US Expansion
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
Z Pizza Arizona, California, Colorado, Maryland, Missouri, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wyoming,
Canada Expansion
Cottage Inn Pizza Nationwide, Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory
Z Pizza
International Expansion
Cottage Inn Pizza
Z Pizza