Franopolis
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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Chester Fried vs Fundraising University

    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.

    Chester Fried2025 FDDFundraising University2025 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Chester Fried

    $27,500 – $301,500

    2025 FDD · Item 7

    Fundraising University

    $79,550 – $84,027

    2025 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Chester Fried

    Not available

    Fundraising University

    $750

    2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 10

    Royalty · Item 6

    Chester Fried

    Not available

    Fundraising University

    7.25%

    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2025 FDDs.
    • Chester Fried and Fundraising University disclose more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Only Fundraising University has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Chester Fried

    $27,500 – $301,500
    2025 FDD · Item 7

    Fundraising University

    $79,550 – $84,027
    2025 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Chester Fried

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified

    Fundraising University

    $750
    2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 10
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Chester Fried

    Not available
    No reviewed royalty record

    Fundraising University

    7.25%
    Royalty Fee
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Chester Fried

    $10,000
    De-Branding Fee
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

    Fundraising University

    3%
    Brand Fund Contribution maximum rate — 3%
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Chester Fried

    994
    Outlets at end of 2024
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 39

    Fundraising University

    58
    Outlets at end of 2024
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 42
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Chester Fried

    −87
    Calculated: 1,081 at end of 2022 → 994 at end of 2024

    Fundraising University

    +5
    Calculated: 53 at end of 2022 → 58 at end of 2024
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Chester Fried

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Fundraising University

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

    Chester Fried

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Fundraising University

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

    Chester Fried

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Fundraising University

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Chester Fried

    Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation

    Fundraising University
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Fundraising University upper third producer tier, comprising 6 franchisees acro…
    $12,944
    other Upper third producers
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 40
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Fundraising University Middle third producer tier, comprising 6 franchisees acr…
    110 units
    other Middle third producers
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 40
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Fundraising University Lower third producer tier, comprising 7 franchisees acro…
    7 units
    other Lower third producers
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 40
    +8 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.

    Chester Fried vs Fundraising University: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Chester Fried or Fundraising University?
    Chester Fried: $27,500 – $301,500 (2025 FDD · Item 7); Fundraising University: $79,550 – $84,027 (2025 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Chester Fried. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    Which has more locations, Chester Fried or Fundraising University?
    Chester Fried: 994 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 39); Fundraising University: 58 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 42). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Chester Fried and Fundraising University disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Chester Fried makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; Fundraising University has reviewed Item 19 figures for 11 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 Chester Fried report

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

    Full Fundraising University report

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

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    FDD glossary

    Plain-language meaning of each Item