Frequently Asked Questions

PlainFranchise covers 223 franchise brands across 15 business sectors, from food and beverage to home services, health and fitness, retail, and business services.

An FDD — Franchise Disclosure Document — is a legally required document that franchisors must provide to prospective franchisees under FTC Rule 16 CFR Part 436. It contains 23 standardized items including fees, initial investment, territory rights, litigation history, and financial performance data where disclosed.

Item 19 is the financial performance representations section of the FDD. Disclosing revenue or sales data is voluntary — franchisors are not required to include it. Many brands choose not to disclose Item 19 data, which is why revenue figures are shown as 'Not disclosed' for those brands.

The initial investment range (Item 7) includes all typical startup costs: the franchise fee, real estate or leasehold improvements, equipment and signage, initial inventory, working capital, and other pre-opening expenses as disclosed by the franchisor. The actual cost for any individual location will vary.

Not necessarily. Royalty rates need to be evaluated alongside the brand's support system, training quality, territory size, and average unit volume. A brand with a higher royalty but strong support infrastructure may provide better value than a low-royalty brand with minimal support.

FDDs are updated annually. The data year is listed on each brand profile. We update our database when new FDD filings become available. Always request the current FDD directly from the franchisor before making any investment decision.

No. PlainFranchise is not affiliated with the International Franchise Association, any franchisor, franchise broker, or franchise consultant. We receive no compensation from franchise brands for being listed or for favorable placement.

PlainFranchise provides FDD data as a starting point for research only. Nothing on this site constitutes financial, legal, or investment advice. Before any franchise investment decision, you should consult a qualified franchise attorney, a CPA with franchise experience, and ideally speak with existing and former franchisees.