Quick Verdict · who it fits
Cousins Maine Lobster fits first-time franchise buyers with $50,000+ liquid looking for a mid-scale food & beverage concept.
The numbers a buyer needs first — straight from the filing.
Initial investment (Item 7)
$194K - $651K
Franchise fee (Item 5)
$40K
Royalty (Item 6)
8% + 2% ad
System size (Item 20)
73
Liquid capital
$50K
Agreement term
10 yrs
Years in business
12+ yrs
Company-owned units
8
Item 3 litigation
1 suit
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•1 Item 3 case
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 8% + ad fund 2% on gross sales.
PROJECTED ANNUAL SALES$500,000
$100k$2M
Royalty (8%)
—
Ad fund (2%)
—
Total / year
—
▪ Of-sales fees only · excludes rent, labor, COGS, and one-time costs · for illustration
How Cousins Maine Lobster ranks against 810 Food & Beverage peers we've analyzed.
Initial investment
20th pct · of 810 peers
Franchise fee
57th pct · of 810 peers
System size
70th pct · of 810 peers
Food & Beverage industry averages
Avg investment
$528K - $1.3M
Avg franchise fee
$38K
Avg system size
235
Franchises analyzed
810
Closest concepts by category and investment.
| Brand | Item 19 | Fee | Investment | Royalty | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cousins Maine Lobster | Disclosed | $40K | $194K - $651K | 8% | 73 |
| GacSimilar price | Disclosed | $25K | $309K - $652K | 6% | 389 |
| 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
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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.
Cousins Maine Lobster requires a $40,000 initial franchise fee and a total initial investment range of $193,500–$651,200, 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 in its FDD. See the financials sub-page for the disclosed figures.
Franchisees pay a royalty of 8% and an advertising fund contribution of 2% 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 73 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, a transfer fee of $10,000. Review Items 10 and 17 for the full renewal and termination provisions.
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