FAQs

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• What is the financial criterion to qualify for a Toppers Pizza Franchise?

  After subtracting your total liabilities from your total assets, as listed in the financial information section of your Pre-Qualification Questionnaire, you should have a minimum net worth of $400,000. Rent, household goods, jewelry and other personal items are not considered for net worth totals. Neither is your pet Iguana, or your collection of antique steamboat anchors. Sorry. However, if your net worth is below $400,000 you can still qualify for a Toppers Pizza franchise by securing a partner whose net worth does meet our minimum requirement. You would need to supply us with a resume and Pre-Qualification Questionnaire for each member of your potential franchise group.

• Does Toppers Pizza Inc. provide financing?

  No, we do not offer direct or indirect financing, nor do we guarantee your notes, leases or other obligations. Obtaining financing for your Toppers Pizza is one of the steps that you will need to complete on your own. However, we can provide you a list of companies that specialize in restaurant and restaurant equipment financing.

• What kind of professional experience does a qualified applicant possess?

  Obviously, applicants who have managed people in the restaurant industry in general, or the pizza delivery business in particular are especially well prepared for the work required. Retail managers or those who have retail business experience also have very useful experience. While such experience is helpful, it certainly is not a requirement.

  Most people in the restaurant business today came from totally unrelated fields of work, and never had any intention of getting into restaurants. Once in, they found that it is consuming and rewarding work that can provide a lifetime of challenges and opportunities (they also love the free food). Our extensive management training program and the ongoing guidance from your franchise representative more than prepares you to manage and operate your store.

• Does a franchisee have to personally manage their store?

  Yes. We are an owner/operator franchise system. At least one partner has to maintain a 50 percent ownership in the operating company and must be involved full-time in day-to-day operations.

• What is a FDD?

  Franchise Disclosure Document. This document explains the key points of the franchise relationship, including all services and support the franchisee can expect of Toppers Pizza Inc. and the legal franchise agreements. Because it is complex and detailed document we will not send it directly to you. We prefer you receive it at our first personal meeting so that we can walk you through each section to ensure your understanding of each party's obligations to one another.

• How much can a Toppers Pizza store earn per year?

  Basically, the amount of money you may make will depend on many factors including how well you manage your store and control variable costs, local marketing and advertising, the cost of your investment, and other factors. Unlike many franchisors, however, we do publish financial information in our Franchise Disclosure Document. This information contains certain historical gross sales information for existing Toppers Pizza stores as well average cost information. We can provide you with our proforma spreadsheet that you can plug in sales and cost assumptions to create your own 5-year financial statements and break-even projections on a high, medium, or low basis.

• How long does it take to open a Toppers Pizza store?

  On average it will take 6 - 9 months from the time you sign the franchise contract to the time you turn on your OPEN sign.

• Can I open multiple stores in one area?

  Yes, we will make area development agreements with qualified individuals. We offer Area Development Agreements (ADAs) to develop specific geographic areas. The terms of the ADA (including the number of stores to build and time requirements to have units opened) are determined by the available territory; the "potential" of the area to support new Toppers Pizza stores; the number of stores the franchisee agrees to build; and the ease or difficulty of development within the specific geographic area. The "potential" for the area is determined by Toppers Pizza Inc. based upon population, demographics, competition presence and other factors.

• What are the regulations surrounding incremental store openings?

  Toppers Pizza Inc. will grant you a specific "Protected Delivery Area" surrounding your store, which prohibits development of another store within that area. This protected area is a 1-mile radius.  Our Franchise Disclosure Document discusses this subject in greater detail.

• Do franchisees pay a continuing fee or royalty?

  Franchisees pay a fee of 5.5% of gross sales on a weekly basis. This fee permits you to use Toppers Pizza Inc. name, trademarks, logos and operating systems and provides access to new product and systems development, purchasing power discounts and continuous and comprehensive ongoing support.

• What about advertising and advertising fees?

  Franchisees are required to spend each calendar month an amount equal to 3% of their gross sales from the preceding calendar month for local advertising and promotion. Most franchisees spend more than this in order to grow their business. Franchisees also must remit a weekly advertising and marketing fee of 2.5% of gross sales to Toppers Pizza Inc.'s Advertising Fund. This fund is used to meet any and all costs of maintaining, administering, directing and developing advertising materials for the Toppers Pizza Inc. chain.

• Are franchisees responsible for procuring and maintaining delivery vehicles?

  You will employ delivery drivers possessing satisfactory driving records, valid drivers' licenses and insurance certificates. Drivers furnish their own vehicles and provide all maintenance and upkeep. Typically, drivers are compensated on the basis of an hourly wage plus gas allowance. They're also some of the most interesting people to walk the earth and can be counted on for endless delivery driver stories.

• Why are some markets closed and just specific markets available?

  The number of owners and stores in a market area are determined by the population, demographic and geographic studies. Once we have recruited the number of owners that a market requires, we then determine that market to be closed so that the existing owners may have the opportunity to operate multiple units and build the market successfully. The markets which are available require additional franchise owners to complete development. Rest assured there are plenty of great locations still available, so you won't be stuck opening your Toppers in, say, Homer, Alaska.

• What about areas that are not developed yet?

  New markets are developed in a contiguous method. Once one market is developed to an acceptable level of owners and stores, our development team and operational staff then focus development effort on an adjacent market.