Domino's vs Papa John's vs Marco's Pizza franchise comparison from the 2026 FDDs: Item 7 investment, royalties, Item 19 median sales, unit counts and which brand fits which buyer.
Quick answer Per the 2026 FDDs, a traditional Domino's costs $231,450 to $743,500 with a $0 to $10,000 fee and 5.5% royalty; franchised stores had 2024 median weekly sales of $25,160. Papa John's costs $281,485 to $890,267 (5% royalty, $1,043,433 2025 franchised median). Marco's costs $286,477 to $811,186 (5.5% royalty, $832,403 median).
Pizza is one of the largest QSR franchise categories in the U.S. These three chains each occupy a different competitive position:
This comparison breaks down what franchise buyers should know about each in 2026.
| Metric (2026 FDDs) | Domino’s | Papa John’s | Marco’s Pizza |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concept | Carryout + delivery pizza | Carryout + delivery pizza | Carryout + delivery pizza |
| Typical square footage | Not stated | 1,200 to 1,600 sq ft | 1,200 to 1,600 sq ft |
| Total investment (Item 7) | $231,450 to $743,500 (traditional) | $281,485 to $890,267 (standard) | $286,477 to $811,186 |
| Franchise fee | $0 to $10,000 | $5,000 to $25,000 | $25,000 |
| Royalty | 5.5% | 5% (6% small-town) | 5.5% (up to 6.0%) |
| Advertising | 4% | 6% (1.5% non-traditional) | 4% national + 1% brand fund |
| Item 19 median sales | $25,160/week (2024 franchised) | $1,043,433 (2025 franchised) | $832,403 (2025 franchised) |
| U.S. outlets, end of 2025 (Item 20) | 7,236 | 3,294 | 1,184 |
| Brand trajectory | Mature leader | Recovery | Growth phase |
All figures come from each brand’s 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document. For a line-by-line look at the Domino’s numbers, see our Domino’s franchise cost breakdown.
Domino’s is the dominant U.S. delivery and carryout pizza franchise. The brand has:
The trade-offs:
About 96% of Domino’s U.S. stores are franchised, and the 2026 FDD requires 12 months as a store general manager before a new franchisee can qualify, as is Domino’s a franchise explains. The 2026 Item 7 puts a traditional store at $231,450 to $743,500, broken out in our Domino’s franchise cost guide.
Papa John’s has had a multi-year brand recovery process. The 2018 founder-departure controversy and subsequent brand challenges affected unit-level economics and franchise demand. Under newer leadership, the brand has:
For franchise buyers, Papa John’s offers more available territory than Domino’s. The trade-off is the recovery thesis itself: 82 franchised outlets ceased operations in 2025, up from 26 in 2024.
The 2026 Item 19 covers 2,389 standard franchised restaurants open all of 2025: average net sales of $1,097,987 and a median of $1,043,433. The bottom quarter averaged $697,463 across all standard restaurants, so the spread is wide.
Marco’s Pizza positions as the higher-quality alternative in the delivery-pizza category. The brand has:
For franchise buyers, Marco’s offers the broadest territory availability and a differentiated brand position. The trade-off is the smaller system: less national marketing scale, more dependence on local brand-building, and lower reported sales. Its 2026 Item 19 shows 997 franchised stores open all of 2025 with average net royalty sales of $878,180 and a median of $832,403.
Item 7 in each 2026 FDD gives the range by format:
Papa John’s and Marco’s both estimate 1,200 to 1,600 square feet per store. Real estate, buildout and whether the landlord funds improvements drive most of the spread within each range.
Each 2026 FDD reports sales differently, so compare carefully:
None of the three Item 19s reports franchisee profit. Read Item 19 for each brand, then validate costs with existing franchisees in markets that resemble yours.
| Buyer profile | Better fit |
|---|---|
| Current Domino’s general manager ready to own | Domino’s |
| Buyer in growing market with available Marco’s territory | Marco’s |
| Buyer comfortable with brand-recovery thesis | Papa John’s |
| Buyer wanting a smaller system with open territory | Marco’s |
| Buyer wanting established brand with technology advantage | Domino’s |
| Buyer wanting a lower-cost non-traditional format | Papa John’s or Domino’s |
For all three franchises:
Want a 12-section deep-dive on any of these brands? Get a $49 Research Report for Domino’s, Papa John’s, or Marco’s Pizza, or use our free side-by-side comparison tool.
The pizza franchise category has three distinct strategic options. Domino’s reports the highest sales and runs the most mature operating system, with the constraint of limited territory and a franchisee pool drawn from its own managers. Papa John’s offers a recovery thesis where current cohort economics matter more than historical performance. Marco’s offers the most available territory and a differentiated quality position, at the cost of lower reported sales and smaller-system support.
The right choice depends on your capital, your geographic market, and your view on each brand’s trajectory. Read all three FDDs, validate Item 19 with existing franchisees in your specific market, and pick based on brand strength, available territory, and operational fit.
For a category-level overview and side-by-side comparisons, see Best Pizza Franchises in 2026: Domino’s, Marco’s, Jet’s, Mountain Mike’s, and More.
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dominospapa johnsmarcos pizzapizza franchisefranchise comparison
About this analysis The franchise data in this article is drawn from VetMyFranchise's structured analysis of 2,400+ Franchise Disclosure Documents filed with U.S. state regulators. See our data & methodology.
Domino's, by a wide margin. Its 2026 FDD shows 7,210 traditional U.S. stores plus 26 non-traditional at the end of 2025, of which 6,974 were franchised. Papa John's ended 2025 with 3,294 U.S. restaurants (2,832 franchised) and Marco's with 1,184 (1,139 franchised). A larger footprint means stronger brand recognition; a smaller one usually means more open territory.
The 2026 Domino's FDD puts a traditional store at $231,450 to $743,500 and a non-traditional store at $107,450 to $709,500. The initial franchise fee runs $0 to $10,000, the royalty is 5.5% and the advertising contribution is 4%. Applicants must have managed a Domino's store for at least 12 months. Our Domino's franchise cost guide breaks down each Item 7 line.
Both print annual sales for franchised stores open the full 2025 fiscal year. Papa John's reports 2,389 standard franchised restaurants with average net sales of $1,097,987 and a median of $1,043,433. Marco's reports 997 franchised stores with average net royalty sales of $878,180 and a median of $832,403; 297 of them (29.8%) topped $1 million. Neither figure is profit.
Papa John's has had a multi-year recovery following the 2018 founder-departure controversy. The 2026 FDD shows franchised outlets rising from 2,752 to 2,832 in 2025, but much of that came from 85 company stores sold to franchisees, and 82 franchised outlets ceased operations. Validate Item 19 data and talk to franchisees in markets that look like yours.
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