Quick Verdict · who it fits
Gnc fits owner-operators looking for a mature retail concept.
The numbers a buyer needs first — straight from the filing.
Initial investment (Item 7)
$32K - $530K
Franchise fee (Item 5)
$20K
Royalty (Item 6)
6% + 3% ad
System size (Item 20)
643 +16
Agreement term
5 yrs
Company-owned units
1,437
Item 3 litigation
3 suits
Model Gnc's costs in the investment calculator → Prefilled from this filing — startup cost, cash flow and break-even.
Buyer qualifications
✓Exclusive territory✓Semi-absentee eligible•Bankruptcy disclosed•3 Item 3 cases
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 3% on gross sales.
PROJECTED ANNUAL SALES$500,000
$100k$2M
Royalty (6%)
—
Ad fund (3%)
—
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.
2,140
Total units open
703 franchised + 1,437 company-owned
22 franchised; 13 company-owned
Units opened last year
69 franchised; 117 company-owned
Units closed last year
-165 total system-wide
Net unit growth
-47 franchised, -118 company-owned
What our analysis flagged across the 2026 filing.
4
Risks to review
3
Strengths identified
5
Questions to ask
How Gnc ranks against 118 Retail peers we've analyzed.
Initial investment
8th pct · of 118 peers
Franchise fee
18th pct · of 118 peers
System size
93rd pct · of 118 peers
Retail industry averages
Avg investment
$247K - $707K
Avg franchise fee
$37K
Avg system size
238
Franchises analyzed
118
Closest concepts by category and investment.
| Brand | Item 19 | Fee | Investment | Royalty | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gnc | Disclosed | $20K | $32K - $530K | 6% | 643 |
| Batteries Plus, L.l.c.Similar price | Disclosed | $15K | $285K - $537K | 5% | 734 |
| 7-ElevenBiggest system | Disclosed | — | $163K - $1.7M | 45–56% | 7,229 |
| Byrider Franchising PartnersTop-rated in category | Disclosed | $60K | $947K - $1.6M | 1–2.5% | 81 |
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Free explainers to go deeper before you sign.
Brand Analysis
The '$0 franchise fee' is the bottom of a range, not the fee. 7-Eleven's 2026 FDD prices the Franchise Fee at $0 to $1,100,000 per store, and the ongoing 7-Eleven Charge is not just a royalty: Item 6 says it is also your lease of the store and equipment. Here is the full cost stack, line by line.
Brand Analysis
Ace Hardware Corporation is a retailer-owned cooperative, not a conventional franchisor. It counted 5,250 cooperative locations in the United States at the end of 2025, members buy stock rather than paying a royalty, and some states still deem those member-owned stores franchises.
Investment Guide
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Gnc requires a $20,000 initial franchise fee and a total initial investment range of $31,870–$530,342, per the most recent FDD on file.
Gnc franchises are sold by GNC Holdings, LLC, the franchisor entity of record on its Franchise Disclosure Document. Item 1 of the FDD discloses the corporate structure, including any parent companies and predecessors.
Yes. Gnc discloses Item 19 financial performance representations in its FDD. See the financials sub-page for the disclosed figures.
Franchisees pay a royalty of 6% of total gross sales and an advertising fund contribution of 3% of total gross sales on gross sales as defined in Item 6 of the FDD.
As of their 2026 FDD, Gnc has 643 total locations, with 16 new locations opened in the most recent reporting year. This information comes from Item 20 of the FDD.
Yes. Gnc grants franchisees an exclusive territory under Item 12 of the FDD. Note that exclusive territories often carve out online sales, alternative distribution channels, and non-traditional venues — review the full Item 12 language before signing.
Per the FDD, Gnc discloses an initial agreement term of 5 years, a renewal fee of $12,500, a transfer fee of $20,000. Review Items 10 and 17 for the full renewal and termination provisions.
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