Captain D's Franchise Cost (2025)
Complete cost breakdown for Captain D's franchise: $899K–$1354K investment, 4.5% royalty, franchise fee, and ongoing costs. From the official 2025 FDD.
Source: 2025 FDD filed in MN
Total Investment
$899K–$1.4M
Franchise Fee
$18K–$35K
Non-refundable
Royalty
4.5%
Gross Sales. Veterans Program: 2.5% first full year of first restaurant, then standard 4.5% thereafter.
Ad Fund
1%
Gross Sales (Advertising Fee; may increase to max 2.0%). Local Restaurant Marketing: 2.0% of Gross Sales (currently suspended since COVID-19 pandemic). Advertising Marketing Contribution: 0.75% or 1.25% GS by location (increases to 1.50% or 2.00% from July 7, 2025).
Ongoing Fees
Monthly and annual costs after opening.
| Fee | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Royalty | 4.5% of gross sales | |
| Ad Fund | 1% of gross sales |
Revenue Context
Average Revenue
$1.1M
From Item 19 (2025 FDD)
Investment-to-Revenue Ratio
0.8x
Lower is better (min inv ÷ avg rev)
Annual Fee Burden
5.5%
Royalty + ad fund as % of gross sales
At average revenue of $1.1M, you'd pay approximately $49K/year in royalties alone, plus $11K/year in ad fund contributions.
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