Quick Verdict · who it fits
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf fits first-time franchise buyers looking for an emerging food & beverage concept.
The numbers a buyer needs first — straight from the filing.
Initial investment (Item 7)
$539K - $1.5M
Franchise fee (Item 5)
$25K
Royalty (Item 6)
5.5% + 2% ad
Item 19 median rev
$860k Traditional Franchised Cafés, excluding Drive Thru Cafés, Spe…
System size (Item 20)
22
Net worth required
$75K
Agreement term
10 yrs
Years in business
7+ yrs
Training (Item 11)
5 days
Company-owned units
107
Item 3 litigation
4 suits
Model The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf's costs in the investment calculator → Prefilled from this filing — startup cost, cash flow and break-even.
Buyer qualifications
•No exclusive territory✓Semi-absentee eligible✓No bankruptcy disclosed•4 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.
Where units actually land — not just the headline average.
P25
$471k
Median
$860k
P75
$1.27M
▪ n = 11 units · Traditional Franchised Cafés, excluding Drive Thru Cafés, Special Distribution Cafés and Kiosks · fiscal year 2025 · Source: 2026 FDD Item 19
Drag to your projected annual sales. Royalty 5.5% + ad fund 2% on gross sales.
PROJECTED ANNUAL SALES$860,000
$100k$2M
Royalty (5.5%)
—
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.
120 domestic outlets
Total units open
98 company-owned, 22 franchised
0 new franchised units; 5 company-owned closures
Units opened last year
2 franchised units ceased operations; 5 company-owned closed
Units closed last year
-8 units (net decline from 12
Net unit growth
What our analysis flagged across the 2026 filing.
4
Risks to review
3
Strengths identified
5
Questions to ask
How The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf ranks against 751 Food & Beverage peers we've analyzed.
Initial investment
71st pct · of 751 peers
Franchise fee
12th pct · of 751 peers
System size
46th pct · of 751 peers
Food & Beverage industry averages
Avg investment
$589K - $1.4M
Avg franchise fee
$37K
Avg system size
261
Franchises analyzed
751
Closest concepts by category and investment.
| Brand | Item 19 | Fee | Investment | Royalty | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf | Disclosed | $25K | $539K - $1.5M | 5.5% | 22 |
| Modern Market Franchising, Llc (modern Market Eatery)Similar price | Disclosed | — | $929K - $1.5M | 5% | 3 |
| 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
Chipotle reported 4,186 company-operated restaurants and 15 international licensed restaurants as of June 30, 2026. None are franchised, there is no FDD, and there is nothing to apply for. Qdoba is the franchised version of the same order line, and its 12/25 FDD puts a traditional restaurant at $548,100 to $1,294,000.
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.
Brand Analysis
The Häagen-Dazs Shoppe Company franchises the ice cream shops on a $30,000 fee and a 4% royalty, with a 2026 Item 7 range of $213,329 to $591,579. The trademark belongs to a different company, and the ice cream you are required to buy comes from a third.
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf requires a $25,000 initial franchise fee and a total initial investment range of $539,000–$1,468,000, per the most recent FDD on file.
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is franchised by Super Magnificent Coffee Company Ireland Limited, 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. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf discloses Item 19 financial performance representations with reported revenue around $860,002. See the financials sub-page for the full distribution.
Franchisees pay a royalty of 5.5% and an advertising fund contribution of 2% on gross sales as defined in Item 6 of the FDD.
Per the FDD, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf typically expects $75,000 net worth. Actual approval thresholds may vary by territory and program.
As of their 2026 FDD, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf has 22 total locations. This information comes from Item 20 of the FDD.
Yes. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf's most recent FDD documents approximately 5 days of initial training, typically split between classroom and on-site components. See Item 11 of the FDD for the full training and support schedule.
No. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf 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, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf discloses an initial agreement term of 10 years, a renewal fee of $12,500. Review Items 10 and 17 for the full renewal and termination provisions.
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