Franchise opportunities compared
Gong cha vs Sharetea
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
- Gong cha figures come from its 2026 FDD and Sharetea figures from its 2025 FDD, so the years differ.
- Sharetea discloses more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
- Only Gong cha has reviewed Item 19 figures here.
| Disclosure | GCGong cha |  Sharetea |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | $10,000 – $648,800 2025 FDD · Item 7 |
| Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5) | $18,500 2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 35 | $12,000 2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 11 |
| Royalty (Item 6) | 6% Royalty fee 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 22 | $1,200 Area developer — 1) Amount Due Date Remarks Royalty Fees 6% of Gross Monthly Revenues , minimum — 1200 2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17 |
| Brand / advertising fund (Item 6) | 1% Brand Marketing Fee current — 1% 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 22 | Not available No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee |
| System scale & health | ||
| Total outlets (Item 20) | 36 Outlets at end of 2025 2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 81 | 153 Outlets at end of 2024 2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 60 |
| Net outlet change (Item 20) | +34 Calculated: 2 at end of 2023 → 36 at end of 2025 | +153 Calculated: 0 at end of 2022 → 153 at end of 2024 |
| 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 | Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation |
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 Sharetea: common questions
- Which costs less to open, Gong cha or Sharetea?
- Gong cha: $207,450 – $648,460 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 31); Sharetea: $10,000 – $648,800 (2025 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Sharetea. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
- How do Gong cha and Sharetea royalties compare?
- Gong cha: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 22); Sharetea: $1,200 (2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
- Which has more locations, Gong cha or Sharetea?
- Gong cha: 36 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 81); Sharetea: 153 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 60). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
- Do Gong cha and Sharetea disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- Gong cha has reviewed Item 19 figures for 7 location groups; Sharetea makes no Item 19 financial performance representation. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.
Answers restate the reviewed figures above. Not a ranking or recommendation.