Franchise opportunities compared
Gong cha vs Gong Cha USA Franchising
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.
Before you compare
- Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
- Item 19 figures cover the location groups each FDD names (Gong cha: 7, Gong Cha USA Franchising: 8). Different groups are not directly comparable.
| Disclosure | GCGong cha | GCGong Cha USA Franchising |
|---|---|---|
| Financial commitment | ||
| Estimated initial investment (Item 7) | $207,450 – $648,460 Total initial investment ($207,450 low end) 2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 31 | $207,450 – $648,460 Total initial investment: $207,450–$648,460 2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 31 |
| Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5) | $18,500 2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 35 | $37,000 2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 20 |
| Royalty (Item 6) | 6% Royalty fee 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 22 | 6% ITEM 6 OTHER FEES Type of Fee Amount Due Date Remarks Royalty Fee — 6% 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 22 |
| Brand / advertising fund (Item 6) | 1% Brand Marketing Fee current — 1% 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 22 | 1% Brand Marketing Fee: 1% of weekly Net Sales, payable the third business day of each week; may increase to 2% upon 90 days’ prior written notice. — 1% 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 22 |
| System scale & health | ||
| Total outlets (Item 20) | 36 Outlets at end of 2025 2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 81 | Not available No reviewed outlet counts |
| Net outlet change (Item 20) | +34 Calculated: 2 at end of 2023 → 36 at end of 2025 | Not available Only one year reported |
| Outlet exits (Item 20) | Not available No complete exit records for a year | Not available No complete exit records for a year |
| Franchising since (Item 1) | Not available Not in reviewed records | Not available Not in reviewed records |
| Franchisor founded (Item 1) | Not available Not in reviewed records | Not available Not in reviewed records |
| Performance (Item 19) | ||
| Financial performance (Item 19), by location group | Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Second Quartile of 2025 Established Gong Cha Stores in the United States $364,163 other Lowest Net Sales · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 80 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Top Two Quartiles of 2025 Established Gong Cha Stores in the United States $534,690 other Net Sales · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 80 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Third Quartile of 2025 Established Gong Cha Stores in the United States 31 stores other Stores at or above average · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 80 +4 more groups in the full report | Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Top Quartile (56 Stores) $992,695 other Top Quartile · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 80 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Bottom Two Quartiles (111 Stores) $259,084 other Bottom Two Quartiles · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 80 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 2nd Quartile (55 Stores) $491,141 other 2nd Quartile · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 80 +5 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.
Gong cha vs Gong Cha USA Franchising: common questions
- Which costs less to open, Gong cha or Gong Cha USA Franchising?
- Gong cha: $207,450 – $648,460 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 31); Gong Cha USA Franchising: $207,450 – $648,460 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 31). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
- How do Gong cha and Gong Cha USA Franchising royalties compare?
- Gong cha: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 22); Gong Cha USA Franchising: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 22). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
- Do Gong cha and Gong Cha USA Franchising disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- Gong cha has reviewed Item 19 figures for 7 location groups; Gong Cha USA Franchising has reviewed Item 19 figures for 8 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.