Franopolis

    Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe

    Franchise research report · reviewed 2026 disclosure data

    Reviewed sources
    Franchising since
    2008
    Source: franchise.org
    Headquarters
    Hallsville, MO United States
    Source: franchise.org

    Pickleman's Gourmet Cafe franchise specializes in made-to-order sandwiches, salads, and soups with a focus on fresh, high-quality ingredients and fast-casual di

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    Headline figures

    Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe quick facts

    Is Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe a franchise?
    Yes. Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe offers franchises through a Franchise Disclosure Document. At the end of 2025, it reported 34 franchised and 1 company-owned outlets (2026 FDD, Item 20, PDF p. 39).
    How much does it cost to open a Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe franchise?
    The Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe Franchise Disclosure Document reports an estimated initial investment of $646,000–$1,112,750 (2026 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 15). This is the franchisor's disclosed estimate, not a quote. Details
    What is the Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe initial franchise fee?
    The disclosed initial franchise fee for a standard single unit is $35,000 (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 Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe charge?
    The disclosed ongoing royalty is 6% (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 Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Yes. The Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe FDD includes an Item 19 financial performance representation (2026 FDD, Item 19, PDF p. 36). Figures apply only to the locations and period each one covers. Details
    How many Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe locations are there?
    The FDD reports 35 outlets at the end of 2025 (2026 FDD, Item 20, PDF p. 39). Existing locations do not indicate territory availability. Details
    Is Pickleman’s Gourmet 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

    1. 1Opening costs are estimated at $646,000 – $1,112,750 in the 2026 FDD (Item 7); several initial fee options apply.
    2. 2Item 19 covers 16 separate groups: other measures for 8 franchised locations; other measures and revenue for 31 franchised locations; other measures and revenue for 27 franchised locations; revenue for 31 franchised locations; other measures for 7 franchised locations; other measures for franchised locations; other measures for 8 franchised locations; other measures for 8 franchised locations; revenue for 28 franchised locations; other measures for 20 franchised locations; other measures for 20 franchised locations; other measures for 7 franchised locations; other measures for 7 franchised locations; other measures for 5 franchised locations; other measures for 5 franchised locations; revenue for 34 franchised locations. They are not combined.
    3. 3Outlets grew by 3 in 2025, to 35 (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.

    Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe head-to-head

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

    Pickleman’s Gourmet CafeVSLittle Caesars
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    Pickleman’s Gourmet CafeVSWingstop
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    Pickleman’s Gourmet CafeVSSubway
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    Pickleman’s Gourmet CafeVSFive Guys
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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. 15

    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 percentage of gross salesMain ongoing fee

    40 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?

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

    Franchised locations

    Other measures · 8 locations

    Who is counted
    Quartile2 of31full-yearfranchises
    Period
    Average
    Excluded
    Threeof34year-endoutlets opened2025excluded.
    Method
    Unaudited actual gross revenues minus coupons, discounts and taxes; no expenses deducted.

    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. 39

    Net +6 outlets, 2023–2025

    0292023322024352025+3+3

    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 ($646,000 – $1,112,750) 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 32 to 35 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. [1]Estimated initial investment — Item 7 · PDF p. 15
    2. [2]Standard initial franchise fee — Item 5 · PDF p. 11
    3. [3]Item 19 — Franchised (8 locations) — other measures — Quartile2 of31full-yearfranchises · PDF p. 36
    4. [4]Item 19 — Franchised (31 locations) — other measures and revenue · PDF p. 36
    5. [5]Item 19 — Franchised (27 locations) — other measures and revenue · PDF p. 36
    6. [6]Item 19 — Franchised (31 locations) — revenue · PDF p. 38
    7. [7]Item 19 — Franchised (7 locations) — other measures — Quartile1 of31full-yearfranchises · PDF p. 36
    8. [8]Item 19 — Franchised locations — other measures · PDF p. 38
    9. [9]Item 19 — Franchised (8 locations) — other measures — Quartile3 of31full-yearfranchises · PDF p. 36
    10. [10]Item 19 — Franchised (8 locations) — other measures — Quartile4 of31full-yearfranchises · PDF p. 36
    11. [11]Item 19 — Franchised (28 locations) — revenue · PDF p. 37
    12. [12]Item 19 — Franchised (20 locations) — other measures — Top20 of28matchedfull-yearoutlets · PDF p. 37
    13. [13]Item 19 — Franchised (20 locations) — other measures — Bottom20 of28matchedfull-yearoutlets · PDF p. 37
    14. [14]Item 19 — Franchised (7 locations) — other measures — Topquartile of28matchedfull-yearoutlets · PDF p. 37
    15. [15]Item 19 — Franchised (7 locations) — other measures — Bottomquartile of28matchedfull-yearoutlets · PDF p. 37
    16. [16]Item 19 — Franchised (5 locations) — other measures — Top5 of28matchedfull-yearoutlets · PDF p. 38
    17. [17]Item 19 — Franchised (5 locations) — other measures — Bottom5 of28matchedfull-yearoutlets · PDF p. 38
    18. [18]Item 19 — Franchised (34 locations) — revenue · PDF p. 38
    19. [19]Outlet counts — Item 20, Table 1 · PDF p. 39

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

    Territory & operations

    37 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
    2025cash and cash equivalents$235,266
    2025accounts receivable$38,570
    2025advertising fund receivable$10,427
    2025inventory$86,151
    2025due from big dill productions, llc$15,081
    2025due from pickleman's enterprise, llc$23,438
    2025total current assets$636,545
    2025fixed assets computers, furniture, and equipment$145,589
    2025automobiles and trailers$381,402
    2025accumulated depreciation-$152,113
    2025total fixed assets$374,878
    2025total other assets$1,075,098

    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.

    Little CaesarsWingstopSubwayFive GuysSonic Drive-InJimmy John's

    Head-to-head comparisons

    Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe vs Little CaesarsPickleman’s Gourmet Cafe vs WingstopPickleman’s Gourmet Cafe vs SubwayPickleman’s Gourmet Cafe vs Five GuysPickleman’s Gourmet Cafe vs Sonic Drive-InPickleman’s Gourmet Cafe vs Jimmy John's
    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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