Franchise opportunities compared

    City Publications vs yorCMO

    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

    City Publications

    $35,300 – $68,900

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    yorCMO

    $38,492 – $118,338

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    City Publications

    $89,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 10

    yorCMO

    Not available

    Royalty · Item 6

    City Publications

    6%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 10

    yorCMO

    5% · Firm

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • City Publications and yorCMO disclose more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Only yorCMO has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    City Publications

    $35,300 – $68,900
    2026 FDD · Item 7

    yorCMO

    $38,492 – $118,338
    2026 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    City Publications

    $89,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 10

    yorCMO

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

    City Publications

    6%
    Royalty — standard card deck and booklet mailings
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 10

    yorCMO

    5% · Firm
    Solo/Firm royalty
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    City Publications

    3%
    Royalty — single-card mailings and digital advertising — 3%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 10

    yorCMO

    $750
    Sales and Marketing Fund
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    City Publications

    35
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 34

    yorCMO

    26
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 67
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    City Publications

    Not available
    Only one year reported

    yorCMO

    +0
    Calculated: 26 at end of 2023 → 26 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    City Publications

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    yorCMO

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

    City Publications

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    yorCMO

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

    City Publications

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    yorCMO

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    City Publications

    Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation

    yorCMO
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchise Outlet 1 (Firm yorCMO), Carol Stream, Illinois; opened September 2019
    $230,480
    other Franchise Outlet 1 gross sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 55
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Company Owned Outlet in Omaha, Nebraska; operated since March 2017, Solo yorCMO…
    $154,280
    other Company-owned gross sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 52

    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.

    City Publications vs yorCMO: common questions

    Which costs less to open, City Publications or yorCMO?
    City Publications: $35,300 – $68,900 (2026 FDD · Item 7); yorCMO: $38,492 – $118,338 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for City Publications. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do City Publications and yorCMO royalties compare?
    City Publications: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 10); yorCMO: 5% · Firm (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, City Publications or yorCMO?
    City Publications: 35 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 34); yorCMO: 26 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 67). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do City Publications and yorCMO disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    City Publications makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; yorCMO has reviewed Item 19 figures for 2 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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