Franchise opportunities compared
Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe vs Wingstop
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 (Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe: 16, Wingstop: 5). Different groups are not directly comparable.
| Disclosure |  Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe |  Wingstop |
|---|---|---|
| Financial commitment | ||
| Estimated initial investment (Item 7) | $646,000 – $1,112,750 Total initial investment for one Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe — low estimate 2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 15 | $310,400 – $1,048,500 Total initial investment, excluding real estate 2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 22 |
| Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5) | $35,000 2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 11 | $25,000 2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 13 |
| Royalty (Item 6) | 6% Royalty percentage of gross sales 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12 | 6% Royalty 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14 |
| Brand / advertising fund (Item 6) | 3% Advertising fee percentage of gross sales — 3% 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12 | $5,000 Transfer marketing expenditure 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 19 |
| System scale & health | ||
| Total outlets (Item 20) | 35 Outlets at end of 2025 2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 39 | 5,172 Outlets at end of 2025 2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 67 |
| Net outlet change (Item 20) | +6 Calculated: 29 at end of 2023 → 35 at end of 2025 | +1,320 Calculated: 3,852 at end of 2023 → 5,172 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) | 2008 From a verified franchisor listing | 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 (8 locations) — other measures — Quartile2 of31full-yearfranchises $1,456,404 other Quartile2 · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 36 Franchised (31 locations) — other measures and revenue $1,447,902 other Table1 Average · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 36 Franchised (27 locations) — other measures and revenue $1,435,041 other Table2 Average · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 36 +13 more groups in the full report | Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — All Wingstop Restaurants in the U.S. open entire 2025 Measured Period, franchis… 55 restaurants other Systemwide WRI-owned count · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 65 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — WRI-owned Wingstop Restaurants open entire 2025 Measured Period $4,038,428 other WRI-owned highest annual net sales · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 66 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchised Wingstop Restaurants open entire 2025 Measured Period $1,890,866 other Franchised median annual net sales · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 65 +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.
Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe vs Wingstop: common questions
- Which costs less to open, Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe or Wingstop?
- Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe: $646,000 – $1,112,750 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 15); Wingstop: $310,400 – $1,048,500 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 22). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Wingstop. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
- How do Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe and Wingstop royalties compare?
- Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12); Wingstop: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
- Which has more locations, Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe or Wingstop?
- Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe: 35 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 39); Wingstop: 5,172 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 67). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
- Do Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe and Wingstop disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe has reviewed Item 19 figures for 16 location groups; Wingstop 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.