Tropical Smoothie Cafe vs Marble Slab Creamery Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Tropical Smoothie Cafe vs Marble Slab Creamery including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
  Tropical Smoothie Cafe Marble Slab Creamery
Investment 198500 - 543500 316085 - 409135
Franchise Fee 0
Royalty Fee 6% 6%
Advertising Fee 3% 2%
Year Founded 1997 1983
Year Franchised 1998 1984
Term Of Agreement
Term Of Agreement
Renewal Fee


Business Experience Requirements
  Tropical Smoothie Cafe Marble Slab Creamery
Experience Hands on management preferred, restaurant experience preferred (but not required), ability to follow a business system, financial capabilities, general business acumen, ability to work well in a team environment, and passion!!! General business experience

Financing Options
  Tropical Smoothie Cafe Marble Slab Creamery
 
Franchise Fees No No
Start-up Costs No No
Equipment No No
Inventory No No
Receivables No No
Payroll No No

Training & Support
  Tropical Smoothie Cafe Marble Slab Creamery
Training We believe in setting up our franchisees for success. We provide the following training: four-week training program, consisting of two weeks in a nearby Cafe, one week in a classroom setting at our Support Center in Atlanta, Georgia and one week onsite for your Grand Opening. On-The-Job Training: 24.5 hours Classroom Training: 32.5 hours
Support Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Franchisee Intranet Platform Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Field Operations Site Selection
Marketing Co-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social media SEO Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app Co-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social media SEO Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app
Operations Tropical Smoothie Cafe has a very simple business operation since we do not utilize any fryers, grills, hooding systems or serve alcohol in the cafe. Absentee Ownership Allowed Number of Employees Required to Run: 10 - 20 65% of all franchisees own more than one unit Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 8 - 10 Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (50% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

Expansion Plans
  Tropical Smoothie Cafe Marble Slab Creamery
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 Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming,
Canada Expansion 0
International Expansion Canada, Middle East, Mexico, Western Europe,

Start-Up Costs and Fees Mobile
Investment
Tropical Smoothie Cafe
Marble Slab Creamery
Franchise Fee
Tropical Smoothie Cafe
Marble Slab Creamery
Royalty Fee
Tropical Smoothie Cafe 6%
Marble Slab Creamery 6%
Advertising Fee
Tropical Smoothie Cafe 3%
Marble Slab Creamery 2%
Year Founded
Tropical Smoothie Cafe 1997
Marble Slab Creamery 1983
Year Franchised
Tropical Smoothie Cafe 1998
Marble Slab Creamery 1984
Term Of Agreement
Tropical Smoothie Cafe 15 years
Marble Slab Creamery 10 years
Renewal Fee
Tropical Smoothie Cafe
Marble Slab Creamery 20% of current fee


Business Experience Requirements
Experience
Tropical Smoothie Cafe Hands on management preferred, restaurant experience preferred (but not required), ability to follow a business system, financial capabilities, general business acumen, ability to work well in a team environment, and passion!!!
Marble Slab Creamery General business experience

Financing Options
 
Franchise Fees
Tropical Smoothie Cafe No
Marble Slab Creamery No
Start-up Costs
Tropical Smoothie Cafe
Marble Slab Creamery
Equipment
Tropical Smoothie Cafe}
Marble Slab Creamery
Inventory
Tropical Smoothie Cafe
Marble Slab Creamery
Receivables
Tropical Smoothie Cafe
Marble Slab Creamery
Payroll
Tropical Smoothie Cafe
Marble Slab Creamery

Training & Support
Training
Tropical Smoothie Cafe We believe in setting up our franchisees for success. We provide the following training: four-week training program, consisting of two weeks in a nearby Cafe, one week in a classroom setting at our Support Center in Atlanta, Georgia and one week onsite for your Grand Opening.
Marble Slab Creamery On-The-Job Training: 24.5 hours Classroom Training: 32.5 hours
Support
Tropical Smoothie Cafe Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marble Slab Creamery Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Field Operations Site Selection
Marketing
Tropical Smoothie Cafe Co-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social media SEO Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app
Marble Slab Creamery Co-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social media SEO Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app
Operations
Tropical Smoothie Cafe Tropical Smoothie Cafe has a very simple business operation since we do not utilize any fryers, grills, hooding systems or serve alcohol in the cafe. Absentee Ownership Allowed Number of Employees Required to Run: 10 - 20
Marble Slab Creamery 65% of all franchisees own more than one unit Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 8 - 10 Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (50% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

Expansion Plans
US Expansion
Tropical Smoothie Cafe 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
Marble Slab Creamery Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming,
Canada Expansion
Tropical Smoothie Cafe 0
Marble Slab Creamery
International Expansion
Tropical Smoothie Cafe
Marble Slab Creamery Canada, Middle East, Mexico, Western Europe,