Franchise opportunities compared
Plato’s Closet vs The Beef Jerky Outlet
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 (Plato’s Closet: 17, The Beef Jerky Outlet: 46). Different groups are not directly comparable.
| Disclosure |  Plato’s Closet | TBThe Beef Jerky Outlet |
|---|---|---|
| Financial commitment | ||
| Estimated initial investment (Item 7) | $355,700 Total initial investment 2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 18 | $193,250 – $406,900 Total estimated initial investment — single Store 2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 23 |
| Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5) | $25,000 2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 12 | Not available No single standard fee identified |
| Royalty (Item 6) | Not available No reviewed royalty record | 6% Royalty fee 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16 |
| Brand / advertising fund (Item 6) | $1,500 Annual marketing fee 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13 | $100 SMS and email marketing fee — low end 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 19 |
| System scale & health | ||
| Total outlets (Item 20) | 1,052 Outlets at end of 2025 2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 46 | 68 Outlets at end of 2025 2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 65 |
| Net outlet change (Item 20) | +40 Calculated: 1,012 at end of 2023 → 1,052 at end of 2025 | −20 Calculated: 88 at end of 2023 → 68 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) | 1999 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 | Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Opened 2024 6 units other Opened 2024 · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 44 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Opened 2023 12 percent other Opened 2023 · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 44 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Opened 2022 34 units other Opened 2022 · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 44 +14 more groups in the full report | Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Non-franchised Beef Jerky Experience Stores owned and operated by affiliates fo… $369,154 other gross product cost · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 61 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Non-franchised Beef Jerky Experience Stores owned and operated by affiliates fo… $392,966 other gross product cost · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 61 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Affiliate-owned Fueling Station Model Store — Beef Jerky category, FY2023 $1,004,425 other Gross product sales · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 63 +43 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.
Plato’s Closet vs The Beef Jerky Outlet: common questions
- Which costs less to open, Plato’s Closet or The Beef Jerky Outlet?
- Plato’s Closet: $355,700 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 18); The Beef Jerky Outlet: $193,250 – $406,900 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 23). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for The Beef Jerky Outlet. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
- Which has more locations, Plato’s Closet or The Beef Jerky Outlet?
- Plato’s Closet: 1,052 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 46); The Beef Jerky Outlet: 68 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 65). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
- Do Plato’s Closet and The Beef Jerky Outlet disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- Plato’s Closet has reviewed Item 19 figures for 17 location groups; The Beef Jerky Outlet has reviewed Item 19 figures for 46 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.