Caribou Coffee vs The Human Bean: franchise cost side by side
The Human Bean is the cheaper of the two to open, from $672,000; Caribou Coffee starts at $898,100.
Every figure comes from the brand's FDD, the disclosure file it must hand you before you sign.
The Human Bean is the cheaper to open, from $672,000.
Caribou Coffee starts at $898,100, the lowest cost to open given in each FDD.
| From each FDD |  Caribou Coffee |  The Human Bean |
|---|
| Total cost to open | $898,100 to $1,515,000 | $672,000 to $1,532,000 |
|---|
| Upfront fee | $30,000 | $35,000 |
|---|
| Royalty (ongoing fee) | 5% of gross sales | none (the franchisor earns from the coffee and supplies it sells you) |
|---|
| Marketing fund | up to 3% of gross sales (2% to the brand fund now) | 1% of adjusted gross sales |
|---|
| Published sales | Published, no single figure | $813,587 a year (average of 155 locations, 2025) |
|---|
| Outlets | 144 franchised, 350 company | 176 franchised, 12 company |
|---|
| Year filed | 2026 | 2026 |
|---|
Not sure which brands to pick? Get help choosing or browse the full table.
More comparisons with Caribou Coffee and The Human Bean
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Read the full figures on the Caribou Coffee franchise page and the The Human Bean franchise page, or read how to compare franchise costs.
Every brand's fee, royalty and Item 7 range is also in one table you can download: the franchise fee comparison.
