Pizza franchise cost
Put 8 pizza franchises side by side: opening costs run $231K to $2.13M.
| Brand | total, lowest to highest | one-time fee | ongoing, usually a % of sales | does the brand show sales figures | Year filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domino's | $231K to $744K | $10,000 | 5.5% | Yes | 2026 |
| Papa John's | $281K to $890K | $5,000 to $25,000 | 5% | Yes | 2026 |
| Marco's Pizza | $286K to $811K | $25,000 | 5.5% | Yes | 2026 |
| Little Caesars | $377K to $1.77M | $20,000 | 6% (at least $300 a week) | No | 2026 |
| Jet's Pizza | $573K to $786K | $15,000 to $30,000 | 12% of inventory bought | No | 2025 |
| Blaze Pizza | $757K to $1.3M | $30,000 | 5% | Yes | 2026 |
| Pizza Hut | $846K to $2.13M | $25,000 | 6% | Yes | 2026 |
| MOD Pizza | $1M to $1.3M | $30,000 | 5% | No | 2024 |
Before you buy, a brand has to hand over its Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD); the brand's latest one is where every figure comes from. Once you're open, you still owe the brand the royalty: either a share of sales or a fixed amount. "Sales or earnings shown" tells if a brand discloses what locations bring in. A K stands for thousand, an M for million. The filing year is the year that FDD was listed with the Minnesota Department of Commerce.
What does it cost to open a pizza franchise?
In this group, $474,500 is the middle cost to get in. Domino's starts lowest at $231,450, while Pizza Hut can reach $2,130,000. Starting out, you'll pay a franchise fee between $5,000 and $30,000.
Brands with published earnings numbers
In Item 19 of the FDD, 5 of the 8 publish earnings figures. The rest don't share any sales figures, so talk to their current owners about how the numbers add up. Reading an Item 19.
Weighing up pizza franchises?
A franchise consultant can shortlist pizza franchises that fit your cash and your area.