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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Cowboy Jacks vs IHOP

    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.

    Cowboy Jacks2026 FDDIHOP2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Cowboy Jacks

    $1,458,050 – $6,130,000

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    IHOP

    $380,550 – $4,823,457

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Cowboy Jacks

    $45,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 8

    IHOP

    $15,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 19

    Royalty · Item 6

    Cowboy Jacks

    5%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 9

    IHOP

    4.5%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 21

    Before you compare

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

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Cowboy Jacks

    $1,458,050 – $6,130,000
    2026 FDD · Item 7

    IHOP

    $380,550 – $4,823,457
    2026 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Cowboy Jacks

    $45,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 8

    IHOP

    $15,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 19
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Cowboy Jacks

    5%
    Royalty monthly gross sales percentage or minimum when greater
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 9

    IHOP

    4.5%
    Royalty rate
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 21
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Cowboy Jacks

    1%
    Marketing Fund monthly gross sales percentage — 1%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 9

    IHOP

    3.5%
    National Advertising Fee rate — 3.5%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 21

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Cowboy Jacks

    9
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 35

    IHOP

    5,142
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 57
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Cowboy Jacks

    −1
    Calculated: 10 at end of 2023 → 9 at end of 2025

    IHOP

    +3,459
    Calculated: 1,683 at end of 2022 → 5,142 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Cowboy Jacks

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    IHOP

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

    Cowboy Jacks

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    IHOP

    1960
    From a verified franchisor listing
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Cowboy Jacks

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    IHOP

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Cowboy Jacks

    Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation

    IHOP
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Traditional franchised IHOP Restaurants in the Northeast U.S. Census Bureau reg…
    $2,176,716
    other Gross Sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 66
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Traditional franchised IHOP Restaurants in the Midwest U.S. Census Bureau region
    $1,551,817
    other Gross Sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 66
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Traditional franchised IHOP Restaurants using the freestanding prototype, 2024…
    $1,970,976
    other Gross Sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 67
    +36 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.

    Cowboy Jacks vs IHOP: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Cowboy Jacks or IHOP?
    Cowboy Jacks: $1,458,050 – $6,130,000 (2026 FDD · Item 7); IHOP: $380,550 – $4,823,457 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for IHOP. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Cowboy Jacks and IHOP royalties compare?
    Cowboy Jacks: 5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 9); IHOP: 4.5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 21). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, Cowboy Jacks or IHOP?
    Cowboy Jacks: 9 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 35); IHOP: 5,142 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 57). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Cowboy Jacks and IHOP disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Cowboy Jacks makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; IHOP has reviewed Item 19 figures for 39 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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    Full Cowboy Jacks report

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

    Full IHOP report

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

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