Quick Verdict · who it fits
Cousins Maine Lobster fits first-time franchise buyers with $50,000+ liquid looking for an emerging food & beverage concept.
The numbers a buyer needs first — straight from the filing.
Initial investment (Item 7)
$267K - $966K
Franchise fee (Item 5)
$40K
Royalty (Item 6)
6% + 2% ad
Item 19 median rev
$1.3M franchised units that operated for a full 12 months
System size (Item 20)
2
Liquid capital
$50K
Agreement term
10 yrs
Years in business
9+ yrs
Company-owned units
8
Item 3 litigation
None disclosed
Model Cousins Maine Lobster's costs in the investment calculator → Prefilled from this filing — startup cost, cash flow and break-even.
Buyer qualifications
•No exclusive territory•Owner-operator required✓No bankruptcy disclosed✓No Item 3 litigation
Data extracted from the 2026 FDD filed with state regulators. Fees and terms may have changed since filing — request the current FDD from the franchisor before deciding. Not legal, financial, or investment advice. Full disclaimer.
Drag to your projected annual sales. Royalty 6% + ad fund 2% on gross sales.
PROJECTED ANNUAL SALES$1,300,000
$100k$2.4M
Royalty (6%)
—
Ad fund (2%)
—
Total / year
—
▪ Of-sales fees only · excludes rent, labor, COGS, and one-time costs · for illustration
Free AI summary — the first read on the filing.
2
Total units open
0
Units opened last year
2
Units closed last year
-2
Net unit growth
What our analysis flagged across the 2026 filing.
5
Risks to review
3
Strengths identified
4
Questions to ask
How Cousins Maine Lobster ranks against 749 Food & Beverage peers we've analyzed.
Initial investment
36th pct · of 749 peers
Franchise fee
56th pct · of 749 peers
System size
13th pct · of 749 peers
Food & Beverage industry averages
Avg investment
$589K - $1.4M
Avg franchise fee
$37K
Avg system size
261
Franchises analyzed
749
Closest concepts by category and investment.
| Brand | Item 19 | Fee | Investment | Royalty | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cousins Maine Lobster | Disclosed | $40K | $267K - $966K | 6% | 2 |
| Cml StorefrontSimilar price | Disclosed | $40K | $267K - $966K | 6% | 2 |
| Doctor's AssociatesBiggest system | None | $15K | $227K - $630K | 8% | 18,773 |
| Vintage Hospitality GroupTop-rated in category | Disclosed | $50K | $3.5M - $6.4M | 5.5% | 33 |
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Free explainers to go deeper before you sign.
Brand Analysis
Chipotle reported 4,186 company-operated restaurants and 15 international licensed restaurants as of June 30, 2026. None are franchised, there is no FDD, and there is nothing to apply for. Qdoba is the franchised version of the same order line, and its 12/25 FDD puts a traditional restaurant at $548,100 to $1,294,000.
Brand Analysis
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. reported 656 company-operated stores in 43 states as of January 30, 2026, and the brand has never sold a franchise. Huddle House and Another Broken Egg cover the same daypart with filed FDDs, at $555,375 to $1,715,275 and $792,500 to $1,804,000.
Brand Analysis
The Häagen-Dazs Shoppe Company franchises the ice cream shops on a $30,000 fee and a 4% royalty, with a 2026 Item 7 range of $213,329 to $591,579. The trademark belongs to a different company, and the ice cream you are required to buy comes from a third.
Cousins Maine Lobster requires a $40,000 initial franchise fee and a total initial investment range of $266,600–$965,800, per the most recent FDD on file.
Cousins Maine Lobster is franchised by CML Franchise LLC, the franchisor entity of record on its Franchise Disclosure Document. Item 1 of the FDD discloses the franchisor's corporate history, parents, and predecessors.
Yes. Cousins Maine Lobster discloses Item 19 financial performance representations with reported revenue around $1,299,825. See the financials sub-page for the full distribution.
Franchisees pay a royalty of The greater of 6% of Gross Sales or $3,500 per month and an advertising fund contribution of Up to 2% of Gross Sales on gross sales as defined in Item 6 of the FDD.
Per the FDD, Cousins Maine Lobster typically expects $50,000 in liquid capital. Actual approval thresholds may vary by territory and program.
As of their 2026 FDD, Cousins Maine Lobster has 2 total locations. This information comes from Item 20 of the FDD.
No. Cousins Maine Lobster does not grant exclusive territory rights under Item 12. The franchisor retains the right to operate or grant additional units inside or adjacent to your trade area.
Per the FDD, Cousins Maine Lobster discloses an initial agreement term of 10 years, a renewal fee of $10,000. Review Items 10 and 17 for the full renewal and termination provisions.
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