Quick Verdict · who it fits
Just Between Friends fits owner-operators looking for a mid-scale retail concept.
The numbers a buyer needs first — straight from the filing.
Initial investment (Item 7)
$67K - $100K
Franchise fee (Item 5)
$25K
Royalty (Item 6)
3–5% + 1–3% ad
Item 19 median rev
$295k all franchised units that held at least two JBF Sales Events…
System size (Item 20)
144 +8
Agreement term
5 yrs
Years in business
23+ yrs
Item 3 litigation
2 suits
Model Just Between Friends's costs in the investment calculator → Prefilled from this filing — startup cost, cash flow and break-even.
Buyer qualifications
✓Exclusive territory•Owner-operator required✓No bankruptcy disclosed•2 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 3–5% + ad fund 1–3% on gross sales.
PROJECTED ANNUAL SALES$290,000
$100k$2M
Royalty (3–5%)
—
Ad fund (1–3%)
—
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.
151
Total units open
0
Units opened last year
2
Units closed last year
franchised ; 0 (company-owned net)
0
Net unit growth
What our analysis flagged across the 2026 filing.
5
Risks to review
4
Strengths identified
5
Questions to ask
How Just Between Friends ranks against 119 Retail peers we've analyzed.
Initial investment
15th pct · of 119 peers
Franchise fee
24th pct · of 119 peers
System size
69th pct · of 119 peers
Retail industry averages
Avg investment
$246K - $701K
Avg franchise fee
$37K
Avg system size
238
Franchises analyzed
119
Closest concepts by category and investment.
| Brand | Item 19 | Fee | Investment | Royalty | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Just Between Friends | Disclosed | $25K | $67K - $100K | 3–5% | 144 |
| Weathersby GuildSimilar price | None | $49K | $72K - $98K | 7% | 50 |
| 7-ElevenBiggest system | Disclosed | — | $163K - $1.7M | 45–56% | 7,274 |
| 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.
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Just Between Friends requires a $24,900 initial franchise fee and a total initial investment range of $67,365–$99,615, per the most recent FDD on file.
Just Between Friends is franchised by Just Between Friends Franchise System, Inc., 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. Just Between Friends discloses Item 19 financial performance representations with reported revenue around $294,943. See the financials sub-page for the full distribution.
Franchisees pay a royalty of 3% of Gross Sales, subject to annual minimums, up to 5% and an advertising fund contribution of 1% of Gross Sales, up to 3% on gross sales as defined in Item 6 of the FDD.
As of their 2026 FDD, Just Between Friends has 144 total locations, with 8 new locations opened in the most recent reporting year. This information comes from Item 20 of the FDD.
Yes. Just Between Friends 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, Just Between Friends discloses an initial agreement term of 5 years, a renewal fee of $3,000, a transfer fee of $7,500. Review Items 10 and 17 for the full renewal and termination provisions.
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