Founded in Chicago in 1943, Pizzeria Uno was a casual restaurant known for its deep-dish pizza. More than 60 years later and going by the new moniker Uno Chicago Grill, the restaurant still evokes the style and memory of Old Chicago and it�s still known for its pizza, but now it has even more to offer with a menu that includes steak, ribs, salads, pasta, soups, sandwiches, desserts and a full bar.

An Uno Chicago Grill franchise is for those who think on the big side. General requirements for an Uno site include a 1.8-acre lot and a population of 50,000 with a median household income of $40,000 within a 5-mile radius. The company is especially interested in franchisees who would like to open multiple Uno Chicago Grill locations.

 

Investment Required
The fee for an Uno Chicago Grill franchise is $35,000 plus a $5,000 territorial fee per restaurant.

Uno Chicago Grill provides the following range of investments required to open your initial franchise. The range assumes that all items are paid for in cash. To the extent that you choose to finance any of these expense items, your front-end investment could be substantially reduced.

 

On-Going Expenses
Uno Chicago Grill franchisees pay a royalty fee equal to 5% of gross sales, and a marketing fee equal to 1% of gross sales. Minimum local advertising costs equal to up to 2% of gross sales and a systemwide marketing and media fund fee equal to up to 1% of gross sales. Other costs include local advertising association fees, if applicable, and an advertising and promotion materials fee.

What You Get�Training and Support
Uno Chicago Grill�s outpouring of support begins on-site before the restaurant even exists. Starting with site-selection assistance, Uno Chicago Grill guides franchisees through the design and construction process, working with the contractor and providing the architect with adaptable prototype plans. This support is then complemented by three visits to the under-construction site. When opening time rolls around, a pre-opening team arrives to train staff and provide opening assistance. Regional directors later conduct reviews and provide field resources. For assistance with point-of-sale systems, support is on call 24 hours a day.

For every Uno Chicago Grill manager, the franchisor offers a no-cost training program that lasts for eight to 12 weeks and is catered to meet each individual manager�s needs. Among the topics studied by new managers: kitchen, bar and dining-room operations, purchasing, accounting, employee relations and computer systems. Workbooks and training systems allow for self-paced, ongoing learning opportunities. Offered seminars cover interviewing and employee-retention techniques.

On the marketing side, a variety of supplies are available to franchisees, including quarterly promotions, media buying and analysis, in-store point-of-purchase materials and newspaper inserts. The marketing department produces two new menus each year, conducts research and develops radio and television ads and appetizer, drink and dessert merchandising pieces.

Uno Chicago Grill also maintains an in-house art department.

Territory
Uno Chicago Grill grants exclusive territories based on market evaluations of demographics and growth trends, the penetration of the Uno business system and its competitors and the availability of appropriate restaurant sites.