Hotels and large-format restaurant concepts lead the seven-figure category: property-heavy operations where the franchise fee makes up only a small share of the total project cost. Each brand listed below reports an Item 7 minimum above $1,000,000.
34 US franchise brands, ranked by FDD Item 7 minimum
| Rank | Brand | Initial investment | Store count |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $1,003,500–$1,503,000 | ||
| #2 | $1,163,650–$1,345,750 | ||
| #3 | $1,202,400–$1,886,300 | ||
| #4 | $1,222,045–$3,923,245 | ||
| #5 | $1,282,500–$5,386,000 | ||
| #6 | $1,385,000–$2,637,395 | ||
| #7 | $1,460,000–$3,810,500 | ||
| #8 | $1,472,000–$2,807,000 | ||
| #9 | $1,472,500–$2,874,650 | ||
| #10 | $1,485,200–$2,522,900 | ||
| #11 | $1,497,200–$3,321,000 | ||
| #12 | $1,510,100–$2,550,100 | ||
| #13 | $1,580,457–$3,105,000 | ||
| #14 | $1,586,334–$2,802,000 | ||
| #15 | $1,618,575–$3,055,925 | ||
| #16 | $1,663,263–$3,746,733 | ||
| #17 | $1,816,500–$3,304,700 | ||
| #18 | $1,909,500–$4,041,500 | ||
| #19 | $2,107,575–$4,155,000 | ||
| #20 | $2,147,500–$5,367,000 | ||
| #21 | $2,152,500–$7,265,300 | ||
| #22 | $2,249,200–$3,320,600 | ||
| #23 | $2,851,880–$3,951,200 | ||
| #24 | $2,852,887–$5,441,558 | ||
| #25 | $2,896,445–$4,900,320 | ||
| #26 | $3,192,516–$5,076,178 | ||
| #27 | $3,406,350–$10,294,100 | ||
| #28 | $3,482,389–$4,163,279 | ||
| #29 | $3,631,328–$4,508,130 | ||
| #30 | $5,043,737–$7,141,542 | ||
| #31 | $12,289,300–$27,222,300 | ||
| #32 | $13,851,273–$20,877,080 | ||
| #33 | $13,851,273–$20,877,080 | ||
| #34 | $17,043,739–$24,732,532 |
Frequently asked
Why are hotel franchises so much more expensive?
The Item 7 amount covers the full property project: land, construction or renovation, furnishings, and finishes required by brand standards, rather than only the franchise fee. For some brands, the disclosed minimum is based on converting an existing building instead of building new.
Is net worth or liquidity disclosed for this tier?
Certain FDDs set minimum net-worth or liquid-capital thresholds far above the Item 7 investment. Review the brand's own Item 5 and Item 7 disclosures before treating the stated minimum as the complete entry requirement.