Franopolis
    CSvs

    Franchise opportunities compared

    Candlewood Suites vs Structural Elements Franchising

    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.

    CSCandlewood Suites2026 FDDStructural Elements Franchising2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Candlewood Suites

    $15,296,866 – $23,004,446

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 51

    Structural Elements Franchising

    $11,116 – $23,250

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 16

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Candlewood Suites

    Not available

    Structural Elements Franchising

    $2,500

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 12

    Royalty · Item 6

    Candlewood Suites

    5.5%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 28

    Structural Elements Franchising

    Not available

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Item 19 figures cover the location groups each FDD names (Candlewood Suites: 1, Structural Elements Franchising: 44). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Candlewood Suites

    $15,296,866 – $23,004,446
    Total initial investment — $15,296,866–$23,004,446
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 51

    Structural Elements Franchising

    $11,116 – $23,250
    Total initial investment — $11,116–$23,250
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 16
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Candlewood Suites

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified

    Structural Elements Franchising

    $2,500
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 12
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Candlewood Suites

    5.5%
    Royalty — 5.5% of GSR
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 28

    Structural Elements Franchising

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

    Candlewood Suites

    $10
    Initial marketing contribution to loyalty program — $10/approved suite
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 28

    Structural Elements Franchising

    2%
    Regional marketing cooperative contribution — combined advertising cap 2%; no current cooperative — 2%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Candlewood Suites

    407
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 90

    Structural Elements Franchising

    10
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 40
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Candlewood Suites

    Not available
    Only one year reported

    Structural Elements Franchising

    −1
    Calculated: 11 at end of 2023 → 10 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Candlewood Suites

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Structural Elements Franchising

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

    Candlewood Suites

    1995
    From a verified franchisor listing

    Structural Elements Franchising

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

    Candlewood Suites

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Structural Elements Franchising

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    CSCandlewood Suites
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record
    152 units
    other Mature Hotels above-average occupancy count
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 87
    Structural Elements Franchising
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Micro-Franchise businesses — year 3 of operation
    $145,246
    other gross receipts
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 39
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Micro-Franchise businesses — year 5 of operation
    $160,982
    other gross receipts
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 39
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Micro-Franchise businesses — year 1 of operation
    $78,172
    other gross receipts
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 39
    +41 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.

    Candlewood Suites vs Structural Elements Franchising: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Candlewood Suites or Structural Elements Franchising?
    Candlewood Suites: $15,296,866 – $23,004,446 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 51); Structural Elements Franchising: $11,116 – $23,250 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 16). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Structural Elements Franchising. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    Which has more locations, Candlewood Suites or Structural Elements Franchising?
    Candlewood Suites: 407 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 90); Structural Elements Franchising: 10 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 40). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Candlewood Suites and Structural Elements Franchising disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Candlewood Suites has reviewed Item 19 figures for 1 location group; Structural Elements Franchising has reviewed Item 19 figures for 44 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

    CS

    Full Candlewood Suites report

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

    Full Structural Elements Franchising report

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

    Compare Candlewood Suites with

    Compare Structural Elements Franchising 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