Franchise opportunities compared
Mac Tools vs traditional
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.
- Mac Tools and traditional 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 (Mac Tools: 1, traditional: 5). Different groups are not directly comparable.
| Disclosure |  Mac Tools | Ttraditional |
|---|---|---|
| Financial commitment | ||
| Estimated initial investment (Item 7) | $9,750 – $418,385 2026 FDD · Item 7 | $1,330,000 – $4,841,500 2026 FDD · Item 7 |
| Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5) | $8,000 2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 16 | Not available No single standard fee identified |
| Royalty (Item 6) | Not available No reviewed royalty record | 5% Royalty 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14 |
| Brand / advertising fund (Item 6) | Not available No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee | 3% Brand Development Fund — 3% 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15 |
| System scale & health | ||
| Total outlets (Item 20) | 832 Outlets at end of 2025 2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 82 | 161 Outlets at end of 2025 2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 80 |
| Net outlet change (Item 20) | +19 Calculated: 813 at end of 2023 → 832 at end of 2025 | +0 Calculated: 161 at end of 2023 → 161 at end of 2025 |
| 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) | March 2007 2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 10 | 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 | Franchised (894 routes) — revenue $19,457 per Route other Gross sales · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 80 | Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — All 154 franchised Mellow Mushroom restaurants operating throughout the 2025 Me… $154 other all group · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 78 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Top 25% performing group: 38 franchised restaurants $3,039,278 other top group · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 78 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Bottom group: 38 franchised restaurants in the disclosure's Bottom 25% cohort $38 other bottom group · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 79 +2 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.
Mac Tools vs traditional: common questions
- Which costs less to open, Mac Tools or traditional?
- Mac Tools: $9,750 – $418,385 (2026 FDD · Item 7); traditional: $1,330,000 – $4,841,500 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Mac Tools. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
- Which has more locations, Mac Tools or traditional?
- Mac Tools: 832 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 82); traditional: 161 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 80). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
- Do Mac Tools and traditional disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- Mac Tools has reviewed Item 19 figures for 1 location group; traditional has reviewed Item 19 figures for 5 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.