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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Famous Daves vs Ford’s Garage

    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.

    Famous Daves2026 FDDFord’s Garage2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Famous Daves

    $53,500 – $4,440,000

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Ford’s Garage

    $2,728,800 – $3,548,800

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Famous Daves

    Not available

    Ford’s Garage

    $50,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 11

    Royalty · Item 6

    Famous Daves

    Not available

    Ford’s Garage

    5.5% · percent of Gross Sales, excluding Gift Card sales

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Famous Daves and Ford’s Garage 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 (Famous Daves: 4, Ford’s Garage: 4). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Famous Daves

    $53,500 – $4,440,000
    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Ford’s Garage

    $2,728,800 – $3,548,800
    2026 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Famous Daves

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified

    Ford’s Garage

    $50,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 11
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Famous Daves

    Not available
    No reviewed royalty record

    Ford’s Garage

    5.5% · percent of Gross Sales, excluding Gift Card sales
    Royalty Fee
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Famous Daves

    2%
    Marketing Fund Fee annual increase up to 1/2% — 2%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 36

    Ford’s Garage

    1% of gross sales
    Marketing Fund Contribution
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Famous Daves

    100
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 71

    Ford’s Garage

    34
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 90
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Famous Daves

    −24
    Calculated: 124 at end of 2022 → 100 at end of 2025

    Ford’s Garage

    +9
    Calculated: 25 at end of 2023 → 34 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Famous Daves

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Ford’s Garage

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

    Famous Daves

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Ford’s Garage

    Not stated
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 6
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Famous Daves

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Ford’s Garage

    2014
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 6

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Famous Daves
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Company-owned
    $2,613,365
    other net revenues
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 74
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchised
    30 restaurants
    other Below average
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 73
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Company-owned Famous Dave’s restaurants open for all of fiscal 2025
    15 restaurants
    other Below median
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 74
    +1 more groups in the full report
    Ford’s Garage
    Franchised and company-owned (12 locations) — EBITDA and revenue
    $674,250
    other Operating EBITDA from Operations
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 81
    Franchised and company-owned (8 locations) — EBITDA and revenue
    $163,538
    other Operating EBITDA from Operations
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 81
    Franchised and company-owned (24 locations) — revenue
    $5,730,457
    other Gross Revenue
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 83
    +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.

    Famous Daves vs Ford’s Garage: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Famous Daves or Ford’s Garage?
    Famous Daves: $53,500 – $4,440,000 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Ford’s Garage: $2,728,800 – $3,548,800 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Famous Daves. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    Which has more locations, Famous Daves or Ford’s Garage?
    Famous Daves: 100 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 71); Ford’s Garage: 34 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 90). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Famous Daves and Ford’s Garage disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Famous Daves has reviewed Item 19 figures for 4 location groups; Ford’s Garage 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

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    Full Famous Daves report

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

    Full Ford’s Garage report

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

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