Franchise opportunities compared

    Five Guys vs Mai

    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

    Five Guys

    $52,100 – $927,850

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Mai

    $5,900 – $26,270

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Five Guys

    $25,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 15

    Mai

    $3,500

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 16

    Royalty · Item 6

    Five Guys

    8%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

    Mai

    Not available

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Five Guys and Mai disclose more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Only neither brand has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Five Guys

    $52,100 – $927,850
    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Mai

    $5,900 – $26,270
    2026 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Five Guys

    $25,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 15

    Mai

    $3,500
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 16
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Five Guys

    8%
    s. If the Restaurant is located in Alaska, Hawaii or Puerto Rico, the Royalty Fee is — 8%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

    Mai

    Not available
    No reviewed royalty record
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Five Guys

    $250
    , depending on your advertising needs When billed Prohibited Product or Service Fine — 250
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

    Mai

    1%
    Brand Fund Contribution maximum — 1%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Five Guys

    1,583
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 54

    Mai

    362
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 70
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Five Guys

    +62
    Calculated: 1,521 at end of 2023 → 1,583 at end of 2025

    Mai

    +47
    Calculated: 315 at end of 2023 → 362 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Five Guys

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Mai

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

    Five Guys

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Mai

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

    Five Guys

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Mai

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Five Guys

    Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation

    MMai

    No reviewed Item 19 figures

    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.

    Five Guys vs Mai: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Five Guys or Mai?
    Five Guys: $52,100 – $927,850 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Mai: $5,900 – $26,270 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Mai. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    Which has more locations, Five Guys or Mai?
    Five Guys: 1,583 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 54); Mai: 362 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 70). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Five Guys and Mai disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Five Guys makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; Mai has no reviewed Item 19 figures on file. 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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