Elmer’s Breakfast*Lunch*Dinner
Franchise research report · reviewed 2026 disclosure data
Researching Elmer’s Breakfast*Lunch*Dinner franchise opportunities? Every figure below is cited to the FDD.
- Franchising since
- 1966 Source: eatatelmers.com
- Headquarters
- Portland, OR United States Source: franchise.org
Elmer’s Breakfast*Lunch*Dinner and Egg N’ Joe are family dining restaurant franchises serving made-from-scratch breakfast, lunch, and dinner items. Elmer’s offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner all day, while Egg N’ Joe serves breakfast and lunch.
Headline figures
Quick facts
- How much does it cost to open an Elmer’s Breakfast*Lunch*Dinner franchise?
- The Elmer’s Breakfast*Lunch*Dinner Franchise Disclosure Document reports separate estimated initial investments by format: $1,146,750–$3,881,500 for egg n’ joe / elmer’s kitchen — total estimated initial investment 16 (2026 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 18); $1,520,750–$4,672,125 for elmer’s restaurant — total estimated initial investment 16 (2026 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 17). These formats are not combined. Each is the franchisor's disclosed estimate, not a quote. Details
- What is the Elmer’s Breakfast*Lunch*Dinner initial franchise fee?
- The disclosed initial franchise fee for a standard single unit is $40,000 (2026 FDD, Item 5, PDF p. 11). Other fee options (for example multi-unit or conversion) are listed separately in the report. Details
- What ongoing fees does Elmer’s Breakfast*Lunch*Dinner charge?
- The disclosed ongoing royalty is $4 (2026 FDD, Item 6, PDF p. 12). The brand or advertising fund contribution is $3 (2026 FDD, Item 6, PDF p. 12). Other recurring fees are listed in Item 6. Details
- Does Elmer’s Breakfast*Lunch*Dinner disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- Yes. The Elmer’s Breakfast*Lunch*Dinner FDD includes an Item 19 financial performance representation (2026 FDD, Item 19, PDF p. 51). Figures apply only to the locations and period each one covers. Details
- How many Elmer’s Breakfast*Lunch*Dinner locations are there?
- The FDD reports 4 outlets at the end of 2025 (2026 FDD, Item 20, PDF p. 54). Existing locations do not indicate territory availability. Details
From reviewed FDD figures only. Not a recommendation or projection.
What the disclosures show
- 1The 2026 FDD (Item 7) estimates opening costs separately by format: $1,146,750 – $3,881,500 (Egg N’ Joe / Elmer’s Kitchen — TOTAL ESTIMATED INITIAL INVESTMENT 16); $1,520,750 – $4,672,125 (Elmer’s Restaurant — TOTAL ESTIMATED INITIAL INVESTMENT 16); several initial fee options apply.
- 2Item 19 covers 4 separate groups: revenue for 3 Affiliate-owned; one acquired by franchisee July 2025 after majority of year affiliate-operated locations; revenue for 2 Affiliate-owned locations; other measures for 7 Franchised locations; other measures for 13 Company-owned or managed locations. They are not combined.
- 3Outlets grew by 2 in 2025, to 4 (Franchised, as labeled in the FDD, Item 20).
From reviewed FDD figures only. Not a recommendation or projection.
Costs · Items 5–7
What does it cost to open?
Estimated opening costs and the fees payable to the franchisor.
Startup Investment — Item 7
Range across 2 single-unit formats
2026 FDD · Item 7
Formats disclosed in Item 7 (2)
Each format has its own total. The total depends on the format you choose.
- Egg N’ Joe / Elmer’s Kitchen — TOTAL ESTIMATED INITIAL INVESTMENT 16PDF p. 18$1,146,750 – $3,881,500
- Elmer’s Restaurant — TOTAL ESTIMATED INITIAL INVESTMENT 16PDF p. 17$1,520,750 – $4,672,125
Standard single-unit franchise fee
2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 11
Discounted and multi-unit options are separate; see all fees.
Ongoing Fees — Item 6
Selected recurring charges; payment bases and conditions remain attached to each fee.
- Royalty: 4% of Gross Sales, due weekly on or before Wednesday by ACHMain ongoing fee
35 reported fees, each with its payment basis, are listed below; they haven't been sorted into recurring, initial and occasional groups yet.
Financial Performance — Item 19
What results are disclosed—and for which locations?
4 separate populations, shown apart. Revenue is not owner income.
Locations counted: not stated in the reviewed record
Revenue · 3 locations
- Who is counted
- Egg N’ Joe restaurants operating at least one full year
- Excluded
- No excluded full-year restaurants stated
- Method
- Gross Sales include lottery commissions, insurance proceeds and gift redemption; exclude sales/use/service taxes; documented refunds/credits/discounts reduce sales up to 5%.
Locations counted: not stated in the reviewed record
Revenue · 2 locations
- Who is counted
- Elmer’s Kitchen restaurants operating at least one full year
- Excluded
- One affiliate restaurant opened 2025 excluded
- Method
- Gross Sales include lottery commissions, insurance proceeds and gift redemption; exclude sales/use/service taxes; documented refunds/credits/discounts reduce sales up to 5%.
Locations counted: not stated in the reviewed record
Other measures · 7 locations
- Who is counted
- Elmer’s Restaurants open at least one full year
- Period
- 2025 gross sales
- Excluded
- 2024: one closed franchised restaurant; 2025: three company restaurants opened during year.
- Method
- Gross Sales include lottery commissions, insurance proceeds and gift redemption; exclude sales/use/service taxes; documented refunds/credits/discounts reduce sales up to 5%. Franchisee reported sales. Franchise fiscal years vary: 13 four-week periods nearest December 31; company fiscal years ended December 29, 2024 / December 28, 2025.
Locations counted: not stated in the reviewed record
Other measures · 13 locations
- Who is counted
- Elmer’s Restaurants open at least one full year
- Period
- 2024 gross sales
- Excluded
- 2024: one closed franchised restaurant; 2025: three company restaurants opened during year.
- Method
- Gross Sales include lottery commissions, insurance proceeds and gift redemption; exclude sales/use/service taxes; documented refunds/credits/discounts reduce sales up to 5%. Franchisee reported sales. Franchise fiscal years vary: 13 four-week periods nearest December 31; company fiscal years ended December 29, 2024 / December 28, 2025.
These groups are never combined.
Outlet Changes — Item 20
How has the outlet count changed?
Franchised, as labeled in the FDD · counts as of Fiscal year ended December 28, 2025 of each year.
2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 57
Net −11 outlets, 2023–2025
Year-end counts reported in Item 20. The scale starts at zero; the labels between the dots show each year's change. Openings and closures for 2025 haven't been pulled from the Item 20 tables yet, so no turnover or churn is shown.
Questions to investigate
Prompts based on what this brand's reviewed disclosures do and don't show — not conclusions. Join free as a member to save questions to your research.
For the franchisor
Which line items in the 2026 Item 7 estimate ($1,146,750 – $4,672,125) vary most by market, and why?
Which initial fee option would apply to my situation, and what conditions or discounts affect it?
Which locations are included in the Item 19 figures, and which were excluded?
Reported units went from 2 to 4 in 2025. How many new units opened, closed or changed hands?
Is a territory available in my area, and how is it defined in my agreement?
For current and former owners
How did your actual startup costs and timeline compare with the Item 7 estimate?
How many hours a week do you work in the business, and in what role?
How do your results compare with the Item 19 figures, and what explains the difference?
What support from the franchisor has been most and least useful?
For your advisors
Ask a franchise attorney to review the territory, renewal, transfer and termination terms.
Ask an accountant to build a cash-flow plan using your own assumptions, not the franchisor's.
Sources & vintage history
Every displayed fact is retained with its disclosure vintage, item, page, and reviewed status. Prior vintages remain on file rather than being overwritten.
Citations (2026 FDD)
- [1]Standard initial franchise fee — Item 5 · PDF p. 11
- [2]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Egg N’ Joe restaurants operating at least one full year · PDF p. 51
- [3]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Elmer’s Kitchen restaurants operating at least one full year · PDF p. 53
- [4]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Elmer’s Restaurants open at least one full year · PDF p. 52
- [5]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Elmer’s Restaurants open at least one full year · PDF p. 52; PDF p. 53
- [6]Outlet counts — Item 20, Table 1 · PDF p. 57
"PDF p." is the page in the PDF file; "printed p." is the number printed on the FDD page. Source document: FDD
Territory & operations
These are contract disclosures, not confirmation that any territory is currently available.
Legal & agreement
Franchisor financial statements
| Fiscal year | Measure | Reported value |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | franchisor members equity | $56,235 |
These figures describe the franchisor company, not individual franchise locations.
SBA-backed loans to franchisees
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Source: U.S. Small Business Administration 7(a) & 504 FOIA data. Loan volume is not a measure of franchisee success.
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At a glance
Business history
Not reviewed
Owner participation
Not reviewed
Territory language
Litigation disclosure
Not reviewed
Bankruptcy disclosure
Not reviewed
Agreement term
Not reviewed
Independent analysis of franchisor-provided data. Not investment advice. Franopolis does not distribute FDDs.