Quick Verdict · who it fits
Ding Tea fits first-time franchise buyers looking for a mid-scale food & beverage concept.
The numbers a buyer needs first — straight from the filing.
Initial investment (Item 7)
$265K - $405K
Franchise fee (Item 5)
$30K
System size (Item 20)
120 +4
Agreement term
3 yrs
Years in business
7+ yrs
Item 3 litigation
4 suits
Model Ding Tea's costs in the investment calculator → Prefilled from this filing — startup cost, cash flow and break-even.
Buyer qualifications
Data extracted from the 2025 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.
How Ding Tea ranks against 811 Food & Beverage peers we've analyzed.
Initial investment
34th pct · of 811 peers
Franchise fee
18th pct · of 811 peers
System size
79th pct · of 811 peers
Food & Beverage industry averages
Avg investment
$528K - $1.3M
Avg franchise fee
$38K
Avg system size
235
Franchises analyzed
811
Closest concepts by category and investment.
| Brand | Item 19 | Fee | Investment | Royalty | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ding Tea | None | $30K | $265K - $405K | — | 120 |
| TablaSimilar price | Disclosed | $36K | $187K - $406K | 6% | 8 |
| 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.
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Brand Analysis
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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.
Ding Tea requires a $30,000 initial franchise fee and a total initial investment range of $265,270–$405,000, per the most recent FDD on file.
Ding Tea is franchised by Ding Tea Corporation (Unit), the franchisor entity of record on its Franchise Disclosure Document. Item 1 of the FDD discloses the franchisor's corporate history, parents, and predecessors.
No. Ding Tea does not include a financial performance representation in its FDD. Prospective buyers should rely on validation calls with existing franchisees and benchmark against industry medians.
Franchisees pay an advertising fund contribution of 3% on gross sales as defined in Item 6 of the FDD.
As of their 2025 FDD, Ding Tea has 120 total locations, with 4 new locations opened in the most recent reporting year. This information comes from Item 20 of the FDD.
Per the FDD, Ding Tea discloses an initial agreement term of 3 years, a renewal fee of $20,000, a transfer fee of $10,000. Review Items 10 and 17 for the full renewal and termination provisions.
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