Franchise opportunities compared

    California Pizza Kitchen vs Pizza Ranch

    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

    California Pizza Kitchen

    $28,000 – $5,377,500

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Pizza Ranch

    $2,305,500 – $3,330,500

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    California Pizza Kitchen

    $50,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 11

    Pizza Ranch

    Not available

    Royalty · Item 6

    California Pizza Kitchen

    5%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12

    Pizza Ranch

    3.5%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • California Pizza Kitchen and Pizza Ranch disclose more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Only Pizza Ranch 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

    Pizza Ranch

    $2,305,500 – $3,330,500
    2026 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    California Pizza Kitchen

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

    Pizza Ranch

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

    California Pizza Kitchen

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

    Pizza Ranch

    3.5%
    Royalty — greater of $500 or 3.5% of Gross Revenues monthly
    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

    Pizza Ranch

    5%
    Marketing and Production Fund — up to 5% of Gross Revenues — 5%
    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

    Pizza Ranch

    219
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 50
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    California Pizza Kitchen

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

    Pizza Ranch

    +1
    Calculated: 218 at end of 2023 → 219 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    California Pizza Kitchen

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Pizza Ranch

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

    California Pizza Kitchen

    2022
    From a verified franchisor listing

    Pizza Ranch

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

    California Pizza Kitchen

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Pizza Ranch

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    California Pizza Kitchen

    Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation

    Pizza Ranch
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Population within three-mile radius: 15,000 or Less
    $1,099,142
    other 15,000 or Less
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 44
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Population within three-mile radius: 15,001 to 30,000
    $1,937,561
    other 15,001 to 30,000
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 44
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Population within three-mile radius: 30,001 to 50,000
    32 restaurants
    other 30,001 to 50,000
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 44
    +9 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 Pizza Ranch: common questions

    Which costs less to open, California Pizza Kitchen or Pizza Ranch?
    California Pizza Kitchen: $28,000 – $5,377,500 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Pizza Ranch: $2,305,500 – $3,330,500 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for 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 Pizza Ranch royalties compare?
    California Pizza Kitchen: 5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12); Pizza Ranch: 3.5% (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 Pizza Ranch?
    California Pizza Kitchen: 121 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 50); Pizza Ranch: 219 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 50). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do California Pizza Kitchen and Pizza Ranch disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    California Pizza Kitchen makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; Pizza Ranch has reviewed Item 19 figures for 12 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

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