Franchise opportunities compared

    Black Bear Diner vs Green Mill Restaurants

    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.

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Black Bear Diner

    $1,546,200 – $2,349,000

    2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 19

    Green Mill Restaurants

    $1,681,800 – $2,503,100

    2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 15

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Black Bear Diner

    $55,000

    2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 13

    Green Mill Restaurants

    Not available

    Royalty · Item 6

    Black Bear Diner

    4.5%

    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14

    Green Mill Restaurants

    Not available

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2025 FDDs.
    • Only Black Bear Diner has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Black Bear Diner

    $1,546,200 – $2,349,000
    Total Estimated Initial Investment (low)
    2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 19

    Green Mill Restaurants

    $1,681,800 – $2,503,100
    Full-service restaurant in leased strip center — Total initial investment: $1,681,800 - $2,503,100
    2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 15
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Black Bear Diner

    $55,000
    2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 13

    Green Mill Restaurants

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Black Bear Diner

    4.5%
    Royalty
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14

    Green Mill Restaurants

    Not available
    No reviewed royalty record
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Black Bear Diner

    1%
    Marketing Fund Contribution — 1%
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15

    Green Mill Restaurants

    1.5%
    Advertising fund — 1 1/2% of Gross Sales — 1.5%
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Black Bear Diner

    162
    Outlets at end of 2024
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 52

    Green Mill Restaurants

    14
    Outlets at end of 2024
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 40
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Black Bear Diner

    +9
    Calculated: 153 at end of 2022 → 162 at end of 2024

    Green Mill Restaurants

    −3
    Calculated: 17 at end of 2022 → 14 at end of 2024
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Black Bear Diner

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Green Mill Restaurants

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

    Black Bear Diner

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Green Mill Restaurants

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Black Bear Diner

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Green Mill Restaurants

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Black Bear Diner
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Company-affiliated restaurants, FY2024 All third group
    $2,785,159
    other Company-affiliated Restaurants Fiscal Year 2024 All third average Gross Sales per Restaurant
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 48
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Company-affiliated restaurants, FY2024 Top third group
    $3,596,276
    other Company-affiliated Restaurants Fiscal Year 2024 Top third average Gross Sales per Restaurant
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 48
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchised Restaurants, FY2024 All group
    $4,413,004
    other Franchised Restaurants Fiscal Year 2024 highest Gross Sales
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 49
    +24 more groups in the full report
    Green Mill Restaurants

    Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation

    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.

    Black Bear Diner vs Green Mill Restaurants: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Black Bear Diner or Green Mill Restaurants?
    Black Bear Diner: $1,546,200 – $2,349,000 (2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 19); Green Mill Restaurants: $1,681,800 – $2,503,100 (2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 15). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Black Bear Diner. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    Which has more locations, Black Bear Diner or Green Mill Restaurants?
    Black Bear Diner: 162 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 52); Green Mill Restaurants: 14 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 40). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Black Bear Diner and Green Mill Restaurants disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Black Bear Diner has reviewed Item 19 figures for 27 location groups; Green Mill Restaurants makes no Item 19 financial performance representation. 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

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