Franchise opportunities compared
Prime Car Wash vs Tommy’s Express Car Wash
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
- Prime Car Wash figures come from its 2025 FDD and Tommy’s Express Car Wash figures from its 2026 FDD, so the years differ.
- Prime Car Wash and Tommy’s Express Car Wash 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 (Prime Car Wash: 9, Tommy’s Express Car Wash: 40). Different groups are not directly comparable.
| Disclosure |  Prime Car Wash |  Tommy’s Express Car Wash |
|---|---|---|
| Financial commitment | ||
| Estimated initial investment (Item 7) | $900,000 – $3,500,000 2025 FDD · Item 7 | $6,500 – $11,846,697 2026 FDD · Item 7 |
| Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5) | $50,000 2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 10 | Not available No single standard fee identified |
| Royalty (Item 6) | 4% oximately $500,000 to $1,500,000. ITEM 6. OTHER FEES NAME OF FEE AMOUNT DUE DATE REMARKS Royalty Fee — 4 2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11 | 2% h the Royalty Fee The Brand Development Fund is described in Item 11. Local Marketing — 2 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18 |
| Brand / advertising fund (Item 6) | 2% See Note 1 below. Brand Development Fund Then - current Fund Contribution, which may amount to up to — 2 — 2% 2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11 | 1% hdrawn by EFT from your designated bank account, as applicable. Brand Development Fee — 1 — 1% 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18 |
| System scale & health | ||
| Total outlets (Item 20) | 18 Outlets at end of 2024 2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 58 | 520 Outlets at end of 2025 2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 68 |
| Net outlet change (Item 20) | +2 Calculated: 16 at end of 2022 → 18 at end of 2024 | +170 Calculated: 350 at end of 2023 → 520 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) | Not available Not in reviewed records | 2016 From a verified franchisor listing |
| 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 — Affiliate 2; six affiliate and three franchised car washes open full year $2,243,443 other Affiliate 2 · 2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 56 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Affiliate 1; six affiliate and three franchised car washes open full year $251,166 other Affiliate 1 · 2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 56 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Affiliate 3; six affiliate and three franchised car washes open full year $488,934 other Affiliate 3 · 2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 56 +6 more groups in the full report | Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Top 25% of 25 Fifth Year Outlets opened in 2020, ranked by 2025 Gross Sales; si… 0.1 percent other Top25% Fifth Year 2025 · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 65 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Second Year Outlets open 12 to less than 24 months and open 12 full months in 2… 0.6 percent other Second Year · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 63 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Fourth Year Outlets open 48 to less than 60 months and open 12 full months in 2… $9,579 other Fourth Year · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 63 +37 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.
Prime Car Wash vs Tommy’s Express Car Wash: common questions
- Which costs less to open, Prime Car Wash or Tommy’s Express Car Wash?
- Prime Car Wash: $900,000 – $3,500,000 (2025 FDD · Item 7); Tommy’s Express Car Wash: $6,500 – $11,846,697 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Tommy’s Express Car Wash. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
- How do Prime Car Wash and Tommy’s Express Car Wash royalties compare?
- Prime Car Wash: 4% (2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11); Tommy’s Express Car Wash: 2% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
- Which has more locations, Prime Car Wash or Tommy’s Express Car Wash?
- Prime Car Wash: 18 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 58); Tommy’s Express Car Wash: 520 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 68). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
- Do Prime Car Wash and Tommy’s Express Car Wash disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- Prime Car Wash has reviewed Item 19 figures for 9 location groups; Tommy’s Express Car Wash has reviewed Item 19 figures for 40 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.