Franopolis

    Giordanos Restaurants

    Franchise research report · reviewed 2026 disclosure data

    Reviewed sources

    Giordano's Restaurants franchise specializes in Chicago-style stuffed pizza and Italian cuisine, building a loyal following through its signature deep-dish offe

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    Headline figures

    Giordanos Restaurants quick facts

    Is Giordanos Restaurants a franchise?
    Yes. Giordanos Restaurants offers franchises through a Franchise Disclosure Document. At the end of 2025, it reported 32 franchised and 24 company-owned outlets (2026 FDD, Item 20, PDF p. 50).
    How much does it cost to open a Giordanos Restaurants franchise?
    The Giordanos Restaurants Franchise Disclosure Document reports an estimated initial investment of $633,000 (2026 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 18). This is the franchisor's disclosed estimate, not a quote. Details
    What is the Giordanos Restaurants initial franchise fee?
    The disclosed initial franchise fee for a standard single unit is $40,000 (2026 FDD, Item 5, PDF p. 13). Other fee options (for example multi-unit or conversion) are listed separately in the report. Details
    What ongoing fees does Giordanos Restaurants charge?
    The disclosed ongoing royalty is 2% (2026 FDD, Item 6, PDF p. 16). The brand or advertising fund contribution is 3% · 3)(4) Up to — 3 (2026 FDD, Item 6, PDF p. 14). Other recurring fees are listed in Item 6. Details
    Does Giordanos Restaurants disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Yes. The Giordanos Restaurants FDD includes an Item 19 financial performance representation (2026 FDD, Item 19, PDF p. 47). Figures apply only to the locations and period each one covers. Details
    How many Giordanos Restaurants locations are there?
    The FDD reports 56 outlets at the end of 2025 (2026 FDD, Item 20, PDF p. 50). Existing locations do not indicate territory availability. Details
    Is Giordanos Restaurants a good franchise to buy?
    Franopolis does not rate or recommend franchises. From the reviewed FDD: Item 19 includes financial performance figures; check which locations and period they cover; Item 20 lists outlet openings, closures and transfers; Item 6 includes a brand or advertising fund contribution on top of royalty; Item 20 also lists current and former franchisees you can contact. Review the full FDD with a franchise attorney and accountant before deciding.

    From reviewed FDD figures only. Not a recommendation or projection.

    What the disclosures show

    1. 1Opening costs are estimated at $633,000 in the 2026 FDD (Item 7); several initial fee options apply.
    2. 2Item 19 covers 20 separate groups: other measures for 6 Company and franchised locations; other measures for 20 Franchised locations; other measures for 29 Company and franchised locations; other measures for 4 Company and franchised locations; other measures for 6 Company and franchised locations; other measures for 8 Company and franchised locations; other measures for 5 Affiliate owned locations; other measures for 9 Affiliate owned locations; other measures for 1 Affiliate owned locations; other measures for 2 Affiliate owned locations; other measures for 6 Affiliate owned locations; other measures for 1 Franchised locations; other measures for 3 Franchised locations; other measures for 4 Franchised locations; other measures for 2 Franchised locations; other measures for 1 Franchised locations; other measures for 19 Franchised locations; other measures for 3 Franchised locations; other measures for 4 Franchised locations; other measures for 2 Franchised locations. They are not combined.
    3. 3Outlets declined by 4 in 2025, to 56 (United States, as labeled in the FDD, Item 20).

    From reviewed FDD figures only. Not a recommendation or projection.

    Compare outlet trendsPut Item 20 counts side by side with up to 3 other brands.

    Giordanos Restaurants head-to-head

    Closest peers in the same subcategory, side by side from reviewed FDD figures. Not a ranking or recommendation.

    Giordanos RestaurantsVSApplebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar
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    Giordanos RestaurantsVSIHOP
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    Giordanos RestaurantsVSBrinker International Payrollmpany L P
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    Giordanos RestaurantsVSHuddle House
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    Costs · Items 5–7

    What does it cost to open?

    Estimated opening costs and the fees payable to the franchisor.

    Startup Investment — Item 7

    Total estimated initial investment

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 18

    Standard single-unit franchise fee

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 13
    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.

    s, including a lower percentage for the Continuing License Fee and an Advertising Fee capped at — 2Main ongoing fee

    31 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?

    20 separate populations, shown apart. Revenue is not owner income.

    6 locations

    Other measures · 6 locations

    Who is counted
    Table 1 Chicagoland Full-Service City / Tourist
    Period
    Number of restaurants
    Excluded
    Not open full-time for 12 months; one closed franchised restaurant; one company restaurant opened in 2025.
    Method
    Management prepared unaudited Gross Revenue; excludes remitted sales taxes and authorized discounts capped at 5% weekly.

    These groups are never combined.

    Outlet Changes — Item 20

    How has the outlet count changed?

    United States, as labeled in the FDD · counts as of 2025 of each year.

    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 50

    Net −6 outlets, 2023–2025

    0622023602024562025−2−4

    Year-end counts reported in Item 20. The scale starts at zero, so the line looks nearly flat; 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 ($633,000) 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 decreased from 60 to 56 in 2025. What drove the change?

    • 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. [1]Estimated initial investment — Item 7 · PDF p. 18
    2. [2]Standard initial franchise fee — Item 5 · PDF p. 13
    3. [3]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Table 1 Chicagoland Full-Service City / Tourist · PDF p. 47
    4. [4]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Table 3 Chicagoland Full-Service Suburban / Urban · PDF p. 48
    5. [5]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Table 1 Chicagoland Full-Service Suburban / Urban · PDF p. 47
    6. [6]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Table 1 Chicagoland Limited-Service Suburban / Urban · PDF p. 47
    7. [7]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Table 1 Outside Illinois Full-Service City / Tourist · PDF p. 47
    8. [8]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Table 1 Outside Illinois Full Service Suburban · PDF p. 47
    9. [9]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Table 2 Chicagoland Full-Service City / Tourist · PDF p. 47
    10. [10]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Table 2 Chicagoland Full-Service Suburban / Urban · PDF p. 47
    11. [11]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Table 2 Chicagoland Limited-Service Suburban / Urban · PDF p. 47
    12. [12]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Table 2 Outside Illinois Full-Service City / Tourist · PDF p. 47
    13. [13]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Table 2 Outside Illinois Full-Service Suburban · PDF p. 47
    14. [14]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Table 3 Chicagoland Full-Service City / Tourist · PDF p. 48
    15. [15]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Table 3 Chicagoland Limited-Service Suburban / Urban · PDF p. 48
    16. [16]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Table 3 Outside Illinois Full-Service City / Tourist · PDF p. 48
    17. [17]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Table 3 Outside Illinois Full-Service Suburban · PDF p. 48
    18. [18]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Table 4 Chicagoland Full-Service City / Tourist · PDF p. 49
    19. [19]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Table 4 Chicagoland Full-Service Suburban / Urban · PDF p. 49
    20. [20]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Table 4 Chicagoland Limited-Service Suburban / Urban · PDF p. 49
    21. [21]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Table 4 Outside Illinois Full-Service City / Tourist · PDF p. 49
    22. [22]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Table 4 Outside Illinois Full-Service Suburban · PDF p. 49
    23. [23]Outlet counts — Item 20, Table 1 · PDF p. 50

    "PDF p." is the page in the PDF file; "printed p." is the number printed on the FDD page. Source document: FDD

    Territory & operations

    34 addresses in Franopolis's imported location list. Coverage may differ from Item 20 outlet counts.

    These are contract disclosures, not confirmation that any territory is currently available.

    Legal & agreement

    Franchisor financial statements

    Fiscal yearMeasureReported value
    2025royalty receivables, netMore than one value recorded for this year — open the FDD source before comparing$336,180
    2025total current assets$1,918,415
    2025franchise rights, net$14,000
    2025total assets$1,932,415
    2025accounts payable - tradeMore than one value recorded for this year — open the FDD source before comparing$62
    2025accrued liabilitiesMore than one value recorded for this year — open the FDD source before comparing$92,998
    2025deferred franchise feesMore than one value recorded for this year — open the FDD source before comparing$60,193
    2025deferred franchise fees, net of current$273,911
    2025long-term debt, net of current maturities and deferred financing costs$3,478,591
    2025total liabilities$4,699,444
    2025member’s deficit-$2,767,029
    2025initial franchise fees$70,443

    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.

    Related research

    Brands in the same subcategory first, then the wider industry, ordered by shared business format, overlapping investment range, Item 20 outlet count and search interest. This is not a ranking or recommendation.

    Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + BarIHOPBrinker International Payrollmpany L PHuddle HouseGolden CorralFamous Daves

    Head-to-head comparisons

    Giordanos Restaurants vs Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + BarGiordanos Restaurants vs IHOPGiordanos Restaurants vs Brinker International Payrollmpany L PGiordanos Restaurants vs Huddle HouseGiordanos Restaurants vs Golden CorralGiordanos Restaurants vs Famous Daves
    Compare reviewed facts

    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.

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