Which costs less to open, Chem-Dry or Men In Kilts?

Chem-Dry: $74,150 – $249,500 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Men In Kilts: $101,375 – $148,195 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 26 · printed p. 18). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Chem-Dry. 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 Men In Kilts?

Chem-Dry: 963 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 65); Men In Kilts: 47 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 53 · printed p. 45). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.

Do Chem-Dry and Men In Kilts disclose financial performance (Item 19)?

Chem-Dry has reviewed Item 19 figures for 1 location group; Men In Kilts has reviewed Item 19 figures for 1 location group. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

Franchise opportunities compared

Chem-Dry vs Men In Kilts

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 FDD

Men In Kilts2026 FDD

Initial investment · Item 7

Chem-Dry

$74,150 – $249,500

2026 FDD · Item 7

Men In Kilts

$101,375 – $148,195

2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 26 · printed p. 18

Initial franchise fee · Item 5

Chem-Dry

$36,000

2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 15

Men In Kilts

$0.00

2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 17 · printed p. 9

Royalty · Item 6

Chem-Dry

4%–7% of gross sales

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17

Men In Kilts

6% · percent of monthly Gross Consumer Sales

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 19 · printed p. 11

Before you compare

Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
Chem-Dry discloses 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, Men In Kilts: 1). Different groups are not directly comparable.

Financial commitment

Disclosure

Chem-Dry

Men In Kilts

Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

Chem-Dry

$74,150 – $249,500

2026 FDD · Item 7

Men In Kilts

$101,375 – $148,195

Total

2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 26 · printed p. 18

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

Men In Kilts

$0.00

2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 17 · printed p. 9

Royalty (Item 6)

Chem-Dry

4%–7% of gross sales

Royalty

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17

Men In Kilts

6% · percent of monthly Gross Consumer Sales

Continuing Royalty

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 19 · printed p. 11

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

Men In Kilts

2% of gross consumer sales

Brand Fund Fee

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 20 · printed p. 12

System scale & health

Disclosure

Chem-Dry

Men In Kilts

Total outlets (Item 20)

Chem-Dry

963

Outlets at end of 2025

2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 65

Men In Kilts

Outlets at end of 2025

2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 53 · printed p. 45

Net outlet change (Item 20)

Chem-Dry

−320

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

Men In Kilts

Calculated: 42 at end of 2023 → 47 at end of 2025

Outlet exits (Item 20)

Chem-Dry

Not available

No complete exit records for a year

Men In Kilts

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

Men In Kilts

2019

2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 9

Franchisor founded (Item 1)

Chem-Dry

1977

2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 8

Men In Kilts

2019

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

Men In Kilts

Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record

$190,777

median Gross Consumer Sales

2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 49 · printed p. 41

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 Men In Kilts: common questions

Which costs less to open, Chem-Dry or Men In Kilts?: Chem-Dry: $74,150 – $249,500 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Men In Kilts: $101,375 – $148,195 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 26 · printed p. 18). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Chem-Dry. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
How do Chem-Dry and Men In Kilts royalties compare?: Chem-Dry: 4%–7% of gross sales (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17); Men In Kilts: 6% · percent of monthly Gross Consumer Sales (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 19 · printed p. 11). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
Which has more locations, Chem-Dry or Men In Kilts?: Chem-Dry: 963 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 65); Men In Kilts: 47 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 53 · printed p. 45). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
Do Chem-Dry and Men In Kilts disclose financial performance (Item 19)?: Chem-Dry has reviewed Item 19 figures for 1 location group; Men In Kilts has reviewed Item 19 figures for 1 location group. 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