La Madeleine French Bakery Cafe
Franchise research report · reviewed 2026 disclosure data
Researching La Madeleine French Bakery Cafe franchise opportunities? Every figure below is cited to the FDD.
la Madeleine operates French-inspired bakery cafes serving pastries, breads, breakfast and lunch dishes, coffee, and other beverages. Its customers are diners seeking cafe meals, baked goods, or catering for gatherings and meetings.
Headline figures
La Madeleine French Bakery Cafe quick facts
- How much does it cost to open a La Madeleine French Bakery Cafe franchise?
- The La Madeleine French Bakery Cafe Franchise Disclosure Document reports separate estimated initial investments by format: $1,230,360 for full bakery & café total excluding real estate (2026 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 23); $448,250–$856,360 for express bakery & café total excluding real estate (2026 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 27); $859,000–$2,254,000 for refranchised full bakery total excluding real estate (2026 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 30). These formats are not combined. Each is the franchisor's disclosed estimate, not a quote. Details
- What ongoing fees does La Madeleine French Bakery Cafe charge?
- The disclosed ongoing royalty is 5% (2026 FDD, Item 6, PDF p. 16). The brand or advertising fund contribution is 2.25% (2026 FDD, Item 6, PDF p. 17). Other recurring fees are listed in Item 6. Details
- Does La Madeleine French Bakery Cafe disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- Yes. The La Madeleine French Bakery Cafe FDD includes an Item 19 financial performance representation (2026 FDD, Item 19, PDF p. 68). Figures apply only to the locations and period each one covers. Details
- Is La Madeleine French Bakery Cafe 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
- 1The 2026 FDD (Item 7) estimates opening costs separately by format: $1,230,360 (Full Bakery & Café total excluding real estate); $448,250 – $856,360 (Express Bakery & Café total excluding real estate); $859,000 – $2,254,000 (Refranchised Full Bakery total excluding real estate); several initial fee options apply.
- 2Item 19 covers 5 separate groups: other measures for 24 franchised locations; other measures for 24 franchised locations; other measures for 8 franchised locations; other measures for 13 company-owned locations; other measures for 13 company-owned locations. They are not combined.
From reviewed FDD figures only. Not a recommendation or projection.
La Madeleine French Bakery Cafe head-to-head
Closest peers in the same subcategory, side by side from reviewed FDD figures. Not a ranking or recommendation.
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 3 single-unit formats
2026 FDD · Item 7
Formats disclosed in Item 7 (3)
Each format has its own total. The total depends on the format you choose.
- Express Bakery & Café total excluding real estatePDF p. 27$448,250 – $856,360
- Refranchised Full Bakery total excluding real estatePDF p. 30$859,000 – $2,254,000
- Full Bakery & Café total excluding real estatePDF p. 23$1,230,360
Ongoing Fees — Item 6
Selected recurring charges; payment bases and conditions remain attached to each fee.
- Refranchised affiliate Full Bakery royalty maximumMain ongoing fee
23 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?
5 separate populations, shown apart. Revenue is not owner income.
Franchised locations
Other measures · 24 locations
- Who is counted
- Top 50% of Covered Franchised Bakery & Cafés at Traditional Locations
- Period
- Top 50% Low gross sales
- Excluded
- 3 permanently closed during last fiscal year; all 11 Express Non-Traditional outlets excluded
- Method
- Sales reports submitted by outlets; raw data and figures unaudited
These groups are never combined.
Outlet Changes — Item 20
How has the outlet count changed?
Coverage not stated in the reviewed record · counts as of year end of each year.
2026 FDD · Item 20 ·
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 ($448,250 – $2,254,000) 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?
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]Item 19 — Franchised (24 locations) — other measures — Top 50% of Covered Franchised Bakery & Cafés at Traditional Locations · PDF p. 69
- [2]Item 19 — Franchised (24 locations) — other measures — Bottom 50% of Covered Franchised Bakery & Cafés at Traditional Locations · PDF p. 69
- [3]Item 19 — Franchised (8 locations) — other measures · PDF p. 70
- [4]Item 19 — Company-owned (13 locations) — other measures — Top 50% of Covered Company-Owned Bakery & Cafés at Traditional Locations · PDF p. 68
- [5]Item 19 — Company-owned (13 locations) — other measures — Bottom 50% of Covered Company-Owned Bakery & Cafés at Traditional Locations · PDF p. 68
"PDF p." is the page in the PDF file; "printed p." is the number printed on the FDD page.
Territory & operations
No territory or operating requirements have been reviewed yet.
These are contract disclosures, not confirmation that any territory is currently available.
Legal & agreement
Franchisor financial statements
| Fiscal year | Measure | Reported value |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | net cash from financing activities | $779,129 |
| 2025 | cash and cash equivalents | $3,895,351 |
| 2025 | total liabilities | $45,146,220 |
| 2025 | total revenue, net | $76,087,738 |
| 2025 | total assets | $66,914,743 |
| 2025 | total stockholder’s equity | $21,768,523 |
| 2025 | net cash from operating activities | -$11,139 |
| 2025 | net cash from investing activities | -$1,747,664 |
| 2024 | net cash from operating activities | $2,965,775 |
| 2024 | net cash from investing activities | -$3,661,341 |
| 2024 | net cash from financing activities | -$204,058 |
| 2024 | total assets | $69,018,455 |
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.
Head-to-head comparisons
At a glance
Business history
Not reviewed
Owner participation
Not reviewed
Territory language
Not reviewed
Litigation disclosure
Not reviewed
Bankruptcy disclosure
Not reviewed
Agreement term
Not reviewed
Reader notes on wording
Our automated check found that these summaries may not match the FDD's exact wording. Read the FDD excerpt itself; it is the authoritative text. Core cost, fee, Item 19 and outlet figures are not affected.
Item 20 · PDF p. 73 · 2026 FDD
Our summary: Table 3 — Texas — 2024 — terminations
“Texas 2024 41 1 1 0 0 0 41”
Note: This is a state-specific Item 20 entry. The review criteria allow only national/systemwide Total rows.
Item 20 · PDF p. 73 · 2026 FDD
Our summary: Table 3 — Texas — 2024 — non-renewals
“Texas 2024 41 1 1 0 0 0 41”
Note: This is a state-specific Item 20 entry. The review criteria allow only national/systemwide Total rows.
Item 20 · PDF p. 73 · 2026 FDD
Our summary: Table 3 — Texas — 2024 — reacquired by franchisor
“Texas 2024 41 1 1 0 0 0 41”
Note: This is a state-specific company-owned Item 20 entry. The review criteria allow only national/systemwide Total rows.
Item 20 · PDF p. 73 · 2026 FDD
Our summary: Table 3 — Texas — 2024 — ceased operations — other reasons
“Texas 2024 41 1 1 0 0 0 41”
Note: This is a state-specific Item 20 entry. The review criteria allow only national/systemwide Total rows.
Item 20 · PDF p. 73 · 2026 FDD
Our summary: Table 3 — Texas — 2025 — outlets at start of year
“Texas 2025 41 0 0 3 0 0 38”
Note: This is a Texas state row; the Item 20 rule permits national/systemwide Total rows only.
Item 20 · PDF p. 73 · 2026 FDD
Our summary: Table 3 — Texas — 2025 — terminations
“Texas 2025 41 0 0 3 0 0 38”
Note: Texas state row is outside the allowed Item 20 national/systemwide Total rows.
Item 20 · PDF p. 73 · 2026 FDD
Our summary: Table 3 — Texas — 2025 — non-renewals
“Texas 2025 41 0 0 3 0 0 38”
Note: This is a state-level row or a systemwide non-Total row. Item 20 checks are limited to national/systemwide Total rows, so this claim cannot be confirmed under that rule.
Item 20 · PDF p. 73 · 2026 FDD
Our summary: Table 3 — Texas — 2025 — reacquired by franchisor
“Texas 2025 41 0 0 3 0 0 38”
Note: This is a state-level outlet row. Item 20 checks are limited to national/systemwide Total rows, so this claim cannot be confirmed under that rule.
Item 20 · PDF p. 73 · 2026 FDD
Our summary: Table 3 — India — 2023 — reacquired by franchisor
“India 2023 0 2 0 0 0 0 2”
Note: This is a state-level or systemwide non-Total row. Item 20 checks are limited to national/systemwide Total rows.
Item 20 · PDF p. 73 · 2026 FDD
Our summary: Table 3 — India — 2023 — terminations
“India 2023 0 2 0 0 0 0 2”
Note: This is a state-level or systemwide non-Total row. Item 20 checks are limited to national/systemwide Total rows.
Item 20 · PDF p. 73 · 2026 FDD
Our summary: Table 3 — Texas — 2025 — outlets at end of year
“Texas 2025 41 0 0 3 0 0 38”
Note: This is a state-level or systemwide non-Total row. Item 20 checks are limited to national/systemwide Total rows.
Item 20 · PDF p. 73 · 2026 FDD
Our summary: Table 3 — India — 2023 — outlets opened
“India 2023 0 2 0 0 0 0 2”
Note: This is a state-level or systemwide non-Total row. Item 20 checks are limited to national/systemwide Total rows.
Item 20 · PDF p. 73 · 2026 FDD
Our summary: Table 3 — India — 2023 — non-renewals
“India 2023 0 2 0 0 0 0 2”
Note: This is a state-level or systemwide non-Total row. Item 20 checks are limited to national/systemwide Total rows.
Item 20 · PDF p. 73 · 2026 FDD
Our summary: Table 3 — India — 2023 — ceased operations — other reasons
“India 2023 0 2 0 0 0 0 2”
Note: This is a state-level or systemwide non-Total row. Item 20 checks are limited to national/systemwide Total rows.
Item 20 · PDF p. 73 · 2026 FDD
Our summary: Table 3 — India — 2023 — outlets at start of year
“India 2023 0 2 0 0 0 0 2”
Note: This is a state-level or systemwide non-Total row. Item 20 checks are limited to national/systemwide Total rows.
Item 20 · PDF p. 73 · 2026 FDD
Our summary: Table 3 — Texas — 2025 — outlets opened
“Texas 2025 41 0 0 3 0 0 38”
Note: Texas state row is outside the allowed Item 20 national/systemwide Total rows.
Independent analysis of franchisor-provided data. Not investment advice. Franopolis does not distribute FDDs.