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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Chem-Dry vs Lapels Dry Cleaning

    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.

    Chem-Dry2026 FDDLapels Dry Cleaning2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Chem-Dry

    $74,150 – $249,500

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Lapels Dry Cleaning

    $40,900 – $1,711,738

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Chem-Dry

    $36,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 15

    Lapels Dry Cleaning

    Not available

    Royalty · Item 6

    Chem-Dry

    4%–7% of gross sales

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17

    Lapels Dry Cleaning

    Not available

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Chem-Dry and Lapels Dry Cleaning disclose 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 (Chem-Dry: 1, Lapels Dry Cleaning: 4). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Chem-Dry

    $74,150 – $249,500
    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Lapels Dry Cleaning

    $40,900 – $1,711,738
    2026 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    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

    Lapels Dry Cleaning

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

    Chem-Dry

    4%–7% of gross sales
    Royalty
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17

    Lapels Dry Cleaning

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

    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

    Lapels Dry Cleaning

    Not available
    No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Chem-Dry

    963
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 65

    Lapels Dry Cleaning

    83
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 52
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Chem-Dry

    −320
    Calculated: 1,283 at end of 2023 → 963 at end of 2025

    Lapels Dry Cleaning

    +0
    Calculated: 83 at end of 2023 → 83 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Chem-Dry

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Lapels Dry Cleaning

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

    Chem-Dry

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

    Lapels Dry Cleaning

    2018
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 9
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Chem-Dry

    1977
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 8

    Lapels Dry Cleaning

    2018
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 9

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Chem-Dry
    Franchised locations — other measures and revenue
    $350 per job
    other Projected Average Income Per Job
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 65
    Lapels Dry Cleaning
    Franchised (83 locations) — other measures
    83 outlets
    other Franchised outlets
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 43
    Franchised (28 locations) — other measures
    28 outlets
    other Satellite Stores included in Item 19
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 45
    Franchised (2 locations) — other measures
    2 locations
    other Laundromat locations
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 49
    +1 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.

    Chem-Dry vs Lapels Dry Cleaning: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Chem-Dry or Lapels Dry Cleaning?
    Chem-Dry: $74,150 – $249,500 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Lapels Dry Cleaning: $40,900 – $1,711,738 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Lapels Dry Cleaning. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    Which has more locations, Chem-Dry or Lapels Dry Cleaning?
    Chem-Dry: 963 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 65); Lapels Dry Cleaning: 83 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 52). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Chem-Dry and Lapels Dry Cleaning disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Chem-Dry has reviewed Item 19 figures for 1 location group; Lapels Dry Cleaning has reviewed Item 19 figures for 4 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

    Full Chem-Dry report

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

    Full Lapels Dry Cleaning report

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

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