Which costs less to open, Five Guys or Simple Plan?

Five Guys: $52,100 – $927,850 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Simple Plan: $107,650 – $147,900 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Five Guys. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.

How do Five Guys and Simple Plan royalties compare?

Five Guys: 8% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16); Simple Plan: $0.50 (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.

Which has more locations, Five Guys or Simple Plan?

Five Guys: 1,583 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 54); Simple Plan: 3 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 44). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.

Do Five Guys and Simple Plan disclose financial performance (Item 19)?

Five Guys makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; Simple Plan has reviewed Item 19 figures for 1 location group. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

Franchise opportunities compared

Five Guys vs Simple Plan

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.

Five Guys2026 FDD

Simple Plan2026 FDD

Initial investment · Item 7

Five Guys

$52,100 – $927,850

2026 FDD · Item 7

Simple Plan

$107,650 – $147,900

2026 FDD · Item 7

Initial franchise fee · Item 5

Five Guys

$25,000

2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 15

Simple Plan

Not available

Royalty · Item 6

Five Guys

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

Simple Plan

$0.50

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11

Before you compare

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

Financial commitment

Disclosure

Five Guys

Simple Plan

Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

Five Guys

$52,100 – $927,850

2026 FDD · Item 7

Simple Plan

$107,650 – $147,900

2026 FDD · Item 7

Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

Five Guys

$25,000

2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 15

Simple Plan

Not available

No single standard fee identified

Royalty (Item 6)

Five Guys

s. If the Restaurant is located in Alaska, Hawaii or Puerto Rico, the Royalty Fee is — 8%

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

Simple Plan

$0.50

Royalty per meal

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11

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

Simple Plan

Not available

No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee

System scale & health

Disclosure

Five Guys

Simple Plan

Total outlets (Item 20)

Five Guys

1,583

Outlets at end of 2025

2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 54

Simple Plan

Outlets at end of 2024

2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 44

Net outlet change (Item 20)

Five Guys

+62

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

Simple Plan

Calculated: 1 at end of 2022 → 3 at end of 2024

Outlet exits (Item 20)

Five Guys

Not available

No complete exit records for a year

Simple Plan

Not available

No complete exit records for a year

Franchising since (Item 1)

Five Guys

Not available

Not in reviewed records

Simple Plan

Not available

Not in reviewed records

Franchisor founded (Item 1)

Five Guys

Not available

Not in reviewed records

Simple Plan

Not available

Not in reviewed records

Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

Five Guys

Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation

Simple Plan

Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record

$655,592

other Gross revenue

2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 43

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 Simple Plan: common questions

Which costs less to open, Five Guys or Simple Plan?: Five Guys: $52,100 – $927,850 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Simple Plan: $107,650 – $147,900 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Five Guys. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
How do Five Guys and Simple Plan royalties compare?: Five Guys: 8% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16); Simple Plan: $0.50 (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
Which has more locations, Five Guys or Simple Plan?: Five Guys: 1,583 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 54); Simple Plan: 3 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 44). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
Do Five Guys and Simple Plan disclose financial performance (Item 19)?: Five Guys makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; Simple Plan has reviewed Item 19 figures for 1 location group. 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