Circle K vs am/pm Convenience Stores Franchise Comparison

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

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


Business Experience Requirements
  Circle K am/pm Convenience Stores
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
  Circle K am/pm Convenience Stores
 
Franchise Fees No
Start-up Costs No
Equipment No
Inventory No
Receivables No
Payroll No

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

Expansion Plans
  Circle K am/pm Convenience Stores
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, Nevada, Oregon, Washington
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
Circle K
am/pm Convenience Stores
Franchise Fee
Circle K
am/pm Convenience Stores
Royalty Fee
Circle K 2.5%-5.5%
am/pm Convenience Stores 11%-14%
Advertising Fee
Circle K 1.50%
am/pm Convenience Stores 5.50%
Year Founded
Circle K 1951
am/pm Convenience Stores 1975
Year Franchised
Circle K 1995
am/pm Convenience Stores 1979
Term Of Agreement
Circle K 10 years
am/pm Convenience Stores
Renewal Fee
Circle K
am/pm Convenience Stores $35K-60K


Business Experience Requirements
Experience
Circle K
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

Financing Options
 
Franchise Fees
Circle K
am/pm Convenience Stores
Start-up Costs
Circle K
am/pm Convenience Stores
Equipment
Circle K}
am/pm Convenience Stores
Inventory
Circle K
am/pm Convenience Stores
Receivables
Circle K
am/pm Convenience Stores
Payroll
Circle K
am/pm Convenience Stores

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

Expansion Plans
US Expansion
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
am/pm Convenience Stores Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington
Canada Expansion
Circle K 0
am/pm Convenience Stores 0
International Expansion
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
am/pm Convenience Stores