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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Golden Corral vs Pizza Ranch

    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.

    Golden Corral2026 FDDPizza Ranch2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Golden Corral

    $2,237,950 – $6,162,930

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Pizza Ranch

    $2,305,500 – $3,330,500

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Golden Corral

    $50,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 12

    Pizza Ranch

    Not available

    Royalty · Item 6

    Golden Corral

    4%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13

    Pizza Ranch

    3.5%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Golden Corral and Pizza Ranch 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 (Golden Corral: 9, Pizza Ranch: 12). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Golden Corral

    $2,237,950 – $6,162,930
    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Pizza Ranch

    $2,305,500 – $3,330,500
    2026 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Golden Corral

    $50,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 12

    Pizza Ranch

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

    Golden Corral

    4%
    Royaltyweekly GrossSales
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13

    Pizza Ranch

    3.5%
    Royalty — greater of $500 or 3.5% of Gross Revenues monthly
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Golden Corral

    $10,000
    Openingadvertising first90days
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13

    Pizza Ranch

    5%
    Marketing and Production Fund — up to 5% of Gross Revenues — 5%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Golden Corral

    348
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 80

    Pizza Ranch

    219
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 50
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Golden Corral

    −7
    Calculated: 355 at end of 2023 → 348 at end of 2025

    Pizza Ranch

    +1
    Calculated: 218 at end of 2023 → 219 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Golden Corral

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Pizza Ranch

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

    Golden Corral

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Pizza Ranch

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

    Golden Corral

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Pizza Ranch

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Golden Corral
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Small
    $3,698,944
    other Table1 Small 2025 Average Gross Sales dollars
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 71
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Nontraditional
    $4,475,585
    other Table1 Nontraditional 2025 Average Gross Sales dollars
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 71
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Metro
    $1,884,452
    other Table1 Metro Average Food Cost dollars
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 71
    +6 more groups in the full report
    Pizza Ranch
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Population within three-mile radius: 15,000 or Less
    $1,099,142
    other 15,000 or Less
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 44
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Population within three-mile radius: 15,001 to 30,000
    $1,937,561
    other 15,001 to 30,000
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 44
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Population within three-mile radius: 30,001 to 50,000
    32 restaurants
    other 30,001 to 50,000
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 44
    +9 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.

    Golden Corral vs Pizza Ranch: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Golden Corral or Pizza Ranch?
    Golden Corral: $2,237,950 – $6,162,930 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Pizza Ranch: $2,305,500 – $3,330,500 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Golden Corral. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Golden Corral and Pizza Ranch royalties compare?
    Golden Corral: 4% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13); Pizza Ranch: 3.5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, Golden Corral or Pizza Ranch?
    Golden Corral: 348 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 80); Pizza Ranch: 219 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 50). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Golden Corral and Pizza Ranch disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Golden Corral has reviewed Item 19 figures for 9 location groups; Pizza Ranch has reviewed Item 19 figures for 12 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 Golden Corral report

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

    Full Pizza Ranch report

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

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