Quick Verdict · who it fits
Duck Donuts Holdings, LLC 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)
$394K - $629K
Franchise fee (Item 5)
$40K
Royalty (Item 6)
6% + 2% ad
Item 19 median rev
$467k
System size (Item 20)
145 +23
Years in business
5+ yrs
Company-owned units
1
Item 3 litigation
1 suit
Buyer qualifications
•No exclusive territory✓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.
Where units actually land — not just the headline average.
P25
$306k
Median
$467k
P75
$792k
▪ n = 105 units · franchised outlets · calendar year 2024 · Source: 2026 FDD Item 19
Drag to your projected annual sales. Royalty 6% + ad fund 2% on gross sales.
PROJECTED ANNUAL SALES$470,000
$100k$2M
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.
146
Total units open
23
Units opened last year
20
Units closed last year
6 terminated + 0 non-renewed + 1 reacquired + 14 ceased operations
3
Net unit growth
What our analysis flagged across the 2026 filing.
4
Risks to review
3
Strengths identified
5
Questions to ask
How Duck Donuts ranks against 561 Food & Beverage peers we've analyzed.
Initial investment
55th pct · of 561 peers
Franchise fee
56th pct · of 561 peers
System size
76th pct · of 561 peers
Food & Beverage industry averages
Avg investment
$594K - $1.4M
Avg franchise fee
$44K
Avg system size
346
Franchises analyzed
561
Closest concepts by category and investment.
| Brand | Item 19 | Fee | Investment | Royalty | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duck Donuts | Disclosed | $40K | $394K - $629K | 6% | 145 |
| Doctor's AssociatesSimilar price | Disclosed | $15K | $227K - $630K | 8% | 18,773 |
| McDonald's USABiggest system | Disclosed | $45K | $701K - $2.8M | 4–5% | 13,062 |
| Vintage Hospitality GroupTop-rated in category | Disclosed | $50K | $3.5M - $6.4M | 5.5% | 33 |
Free explainers to go deeper before you sign.
Duck Donuts Holdings, LLC requires a $40,000 initial franchise fee and a total initial investment range of $394,150–$628,700, per the most recent FDD on file.
Yes. Duck Donuts Holdings, LLC discloses Item 19 financial performance representations with reported revenue around $466,950. See the financials sub-page for the full distribution.
Franchisees pay a royalty of 6% and an advertising fund contribution of 2% on gross sales as defined in Item 6 of the FDD.
As of their 2026 FDD, Duck Donuts Holdings, LLC has 145 total locations, with 23 new locations opened in the most recent reporting year. This information comes from Item 20 of the FDD.
No. Duck Donuts Holdings, LLC 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, Duck Donuts Holdings, LLC discloses a transfer fee of $20,000. Review Items 10 and 17 for the full renewal and termination provisions.
This page is part of VetMyFranchise. View all pages: llms.txt · llms-full.txt