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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Bar-B-Clean vs Chem-Dry

    Reviewed figures from each brand's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), side by side. Each figure carries its FDD year and page. This is not a ranking or recommendation, and the two FDDs may cover different years and location groups.

    Bar-B-Clean2026 FDDChem-Dry2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Bar-B-Clean

    $78,200 – $99,120

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 17

    Chem-Dry

    $74,150 – $249,500

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Bar-B-Clean

    $1.50

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 10

    Chem-Dry

    $36,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 15

    Royalty · Item 6

    Bar-B-Clean

    2) — $500

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11

    Chem-Dry

    4%–7% of gross sales

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Chem-Dry discloses more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Item 19 figures cover the location groups each FDD names (Bar-B-Clean: 27, Chem-Dry: 1). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Bar-B-Clean

    $78,200 – $99,120
    TOTAL ESTIMATED INITIAL INVESTMENT — range low
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 17

    Chem-Dry

    $74,150 – $249,500
    2026 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Bar-B-Clean

    $1.50
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 10

    Chem-Dry

    $36,000
    Item 5 also requires an Initial Package costing $44,000 to $78,000, including equipment, supplies, inventory, and other items.
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 15
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Bar-B-Clean

    2) — $500
    Royalty
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11

    Chem-Dry

    4%–7% of gross sales
    Royalty
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Bar-B-Clean

    2%
    Brand Fund Contribution — 2% — 2%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11

    Chem-Dry

    3% of percentage of gross sales; minimum monthly payment of $150 for standard territory and $75 for small territory
    Marketing Fee
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Bar-B-Clean

    107
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 43

    Chem-Dry

    963
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 65
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Bar-B-Clean

    +78
    Calculated: 29 at end of 2023 → 107 at end of 2025

    Chem-Dry

    −320
    Calculated: 1,283 at end of 2023 → 963 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Bar-B-Clean

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Chem-Dry

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year
    Franchising since (Item 1)

    Bar-B-Clean

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Chem-Dry

    1994 under the Chem-Dry name and trademarks; predecessors began in 1978
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 8
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Bar-B-Clean

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Chem-Dry

    1977
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 8

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Bar-B-Clean
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Fulltime/affiliate;Central Texas
    11 units
    other Fulltime/affiliate Central Texas
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 38
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — NorthOCAffiliateLocation
    6 percent
    other Affiliate Location
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 40
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Fulltime/affiliate;Ventura
    $251,944
    other Fulltime/affiliate Ventura
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 38
    +24 more groups in the full report
    Chem-Dry
    Franchised locations — other measures and revenue
    $350 per job
    other Projected Average Income Per Job
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 65

    Item 19 groups are shown separately and never combined. Revenue or sales figures are not profit. Net outlet change and turnover are Franopolis calculations from the disclosed counts; turnover is a count-based rate, not a measure of owner earnings.

    Bar-B-Clean vs Chem-Dry: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Bar-B-Clean or Chem-Dry?
    Bar-B-Clean: $78,200 – $99,120 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 17); Chem-Dry: $74,150 – $249,500 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Chem-Dry. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Bar-B-Clean and Chem-Dry royalties compare?
    Bar-B-Clean: 2) — $500 (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11); Chem-Dry: 4%–7% of gross sales (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, Bar-B-Clean or Chem-Dry?
    Bar-B-Clean: 107 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 43); Chem-Dry: 963 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 65). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Bar-B-Clean and Chem-Dry disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Bar-B-Clean has reviewed Item 19 figures for 27 location groups; Chem-Dry has reviewed Item 19 figures for 1 location group. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

    Answers restate the reviewed figures above. Not a ranking or recommendation.

    How Franopolis reviews FDD figures

    Keep researching

    Full Bar-B-Clean report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

    Full Chem-Dry report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

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