Franopolis
    CPvsOA

    Franchise opportunities compared

    California Pizza Kitchen vs of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar

    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.

    CPCalifornia Pizza Kitchen2026 FDDOAof Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    California Pizza Kitchen

    $28,000 – $5,377,500

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar

    $616,682 – $5,822,933

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    California Pizza Kitchen

    $50,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 11

    of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar

    Not available

    Royalty · Item 6

    California Pizza Kitchen

    5%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12

    of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar

    4%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • California Pizza Kitchen and of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar disclose more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Only of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    California Pizza Kitchen

    $28,000 – $5,377,500
    2026 FDD · Item 7

    of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar

    $616,682 – $5,822,933
    2026 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    California Pizza Kitchen

    $50,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 11

    of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar

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

    California Pizza Kitchen

    5%
    Royalty
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12

    of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar

    4%
    Royalty
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    California Pizza Kitchen

    1%
    Brand fund current — 1%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12

    of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar

    4.25% of current
    National advertising fund contribution
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    California Pizza Kitchen

    121
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 50

    of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar

    1,480
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 54
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    California Pizza Kitchen

    −27
    Calculated: 148 at end of 2023 → 121 at end of 2025

    of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar

    −65
    Calculated: 1,545 at end of 2023 → 1,480 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    California Pizza Kitchen

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar

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

    California Pizza Kitchen

    2022
    From a verified franchisor listing

    of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar

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

    California Pizza Kitchen

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    CPCalifornia Pizza Kitchen

    Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation

    OAof Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Traditional franchised Applebee’s Restaurants in the South, active and operatin…
    $2,361,192
    other South median gross sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 53
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Traditional franchised Applebee’s Restaurants in the Midwest that were active a…
    $2,662,918
    other Midwest annualized average gross sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 53
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Traditional franchised Applebee’s Restaurants in the Northeast that were active…
    $3,830,089
    other Northeast annualized average gross sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 53
    +3 more groups in the full report

    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.

    California Pizza Kitchen vs of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar: common questions

    Which costs less to open, California Pizza Kitchen or of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar?
    California Pizza Kitchen: $28,000 – $5,377,500 (2026 FDD · Item 7); of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar: $616,682 – $5,822,933 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for California Pizza Kitchen. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do California Pizza Kitchen and of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar royalties compare?
    California Pizza Kitchen: 5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12); of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar: 4% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, California Pizza Kitchen or of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar?
    California Pizza Kitchen: 121 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 50); of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar: 1,480 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 54). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do California Pizza Kitchen and of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    California Pizza Kitchen makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar has reviewed Item 19 figures for 6 location groups. 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

    CP

    Full California Pizza Kitchen report

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

    OA

    Full of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar report

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

    Compare California Pizza Kitchen with

    Compare of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar with

    Add a third brand

    Compare up to four side by side

    Explore by brand

    Filter every published report

    FDD glossary

    Plain-language meaning of each Item