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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Green Mill Restaurants vs Happy Joes

    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.

    Green Mill Restaurants2025 FDDHappy Joes2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Green Mill Restaurants

    $1,681,800 – $2,503,100

    2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 15

    Happy Joes

    $252,750

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 12

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Green Mill Restaurants

    Not available

    Happy Joes

    $40,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 11

    Royalty · Item 6

    Green Mill Restaurants

    Not available

    Happy Joes

    Not available

    Before you compare

    • Green Mill Restaurants figures come from its 2025 FDD and Happy Joes figures from its 2026 FDD, so the years differ.
    • Only Happy Joes has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Green Mill Restaurants

    $1,681,800 – $2,503,100
    Full-service restaurant in leased strip center — Total initial investment: $1,681,800 - $2,503,100
    2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 15

    Happy Joes

    $252,750
    Total initial investment — $252,750–$846,250
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 12
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Green Mill Restaurants

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified

    Happy Joes

    $40,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 11
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Green Mill Restaurants

    Not available
    No reviewed royalty record

    Happy Joes

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

    Green Mill Restaurants

    1.5%
    Advertising fund — 1 1/2% of Gross Sales — 1.5%
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11

    Happy Joes

    Not available
    No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Green Mill Restaurants

    14
    Outlets at end of 2024
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 40

    Happy Joes

    1
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 25
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Green Mill Restaurants

    −3
    Calculated: 17 at end of 2022 → 14 at end of 2024

    Happy Joes

    +0
    Calculated: 1 at end of 2023 → 1 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Green Mill Restaurants

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Happy Joes

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

    Green Mill Restaurants

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Happy Joes

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

    Green Mill Restaurants

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Happy Joes

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Green Mill Restaurants

    Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation

    Happy Joes
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Locust restaurant
    100 percent
    other Total revenue
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 22
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Bettendorf restaurant
    58 percent
    other Gross profit
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 22
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — West 50th restaurant
    28.9 percent
    other Total controllable payroll expenses
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 22
    +10 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.

    Green Mill Restaurants vs Happy Joes: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Green Mill Restaurants or Happy Joes?
    Green Mill Restaurants: $1,681,800 – $2,503,100 (2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 15); Happy Joes: $252,750 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 12). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Happy Joes. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    Which has more locations, Green Mill Restaurants or Happy Joes?
    Green Mill Restaurants: 14 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 40); Happy Joes: 1 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 25). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Green Mill Restaurants and Happy Joes disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Green Mill Restaurants makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; Happy Joes has reviewed Item 19 figures for 13 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

    Keep researching

    Full Green Mill Restaurants report

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

    Full Happy Joes report

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

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