Indigo Joe's vs Houlihan's Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Indigo Joe's vs Houlihan's including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
  Indigo Joe's Houlihan's
Investment 1200000 - 1300000 1600000 - 4300000
Franchise Fee 0 0
Royalty Fee 5% 4%
Advertising Fee 1.50%
Year Founded 1994 1972
Year Franchised 2002 1994
Term Of Agreement
Term Of Agreement
Renewal Fee


Business Experience Requirements
  Indigo Joe's Houlihan's
Experience Industry experience General business experience Must live in same market being developed

Financing Options
  Indigo Joe's Houlihan's
 
Franchise Fees No No
Start-up Costs No No
Equipment No No
Inventory No No
Receivables No No
Payroll No No

Training & Support
  Indigo Joe's Houlihan's
Training Prior to the opening of the store, it is essential to successfully complete Indigo Joe's intensive 6-week franchise training program. This program will educate the franchise owner in all aspects of restaurant operations as well as provide him or her with all the necessary tools. Topics that will be covered include customer service, preparation of Indigo Joe's menu items, quality and food portion control, beverage and inventory management, cost control, employee hiring and scheduling, store safety guidelines, management tools and systems, turnover reduction and budgeting and forecasting. Store Opening training is provided for 7 days prior to the opening date and until 7 days after. This training is a more "hands on" approach to managing and successfully running an Indigo Joe's restaurant.
Support Indigo Joe's provides on-going operational support through their field service representatives Meetings, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives
Marketing Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, Regional advertising Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, Regional advertising
Operations International franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 15 Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators) Franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 78 Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (80% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

Expansion Plans
  Indigo Joe's Houlihan's
US Expansion Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming,
Canada Expansion
International Expansion

Start-Up Costs and Fees Mobile
Investment
Indigo Joe's
Houlihan's
Franchise Fee
Indigo Joe's
Houlihan's
Royalty Fee
Indigo Joe's 5%
Houlihan's 4%
Advertising Fee
Indigo Joe's 1.50%
Houlihan's
Year Founded
Indigo Joe's 1994
Houlihan's 1972
Year Franchised
Indigo Joe's 2002
Houlihan's 1994
Term Of Agreement
Indigo Joe's 10 years +10
Houlihan's 20 years
Renewal Fee
Indigo Joe's $10K
Houlihan's $5K


Business Experience Requirements
Experience
Indigo Joe's
Houlihan's Industry experience General business experience Must live in same market being developed

Financing Options
 
Franchise Fees
Indigo Joe's No
Houlihan's No
Start-up Costs
Indigo Joe's
Houlihan's
Equipment
Indigo Joe's}
Houlihan's
Inventory
Indigo Joe's
Houlihan's
Receivables
Indigo Joe's
Houlihan's
Payroll
Indigo Joe's
Houlihan's

Training & Support
Training
Indigo Joe's Prior to the opening of the store, it is essential to successfully complete Indigo Joe's intensive 6-week franchise training program. This program will educate the franchise owner in all aspects of restaurant operations as well as provide him or her with all the necessary tools. Topics that will be covered include customer service, preparation of Indigo Joe's menu items, quality and food portion control, beverage and inventory management, cost control, employee hiring and scheduling, store safety guidelines, management tools and systems, turnover reduction and budgeting and forecasting. Store Opening training is provided for 7 days prior to the opening date and until 7 days after. This training is a more "hands on" approach to managing and successfully running an Indigo Joe's restaurant.
Houlihan's
Support
Indigo Joe's Indigo Joe's provides on-going operational support through their field service representatives
Houlihan's Meetings, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives
Marketing
Indigo Joe's Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, Regional advertising
Houlihan's Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, Regional advertising
Operations
Indigo Joe's International franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 15 Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators)
Houlihan's Franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 78 Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (80% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

Expansion Plans
US Expansion
Indigo Joe's
Houlihan's Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming,
Canada Expansion
Indigo Joe's
Houlihan's
International Expansion
Indigo Joe's
Houlihan's