Franchise opportunities compared
Surestay vs The James
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.
- The James discloses more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
- Only neither brand has reviewed Item 19 figures here.
| Disclosure |  Surestay |  The James |
|---|---|---|
| Financial commitment | ||
| Estimated initial investment (Item 7) | $880,775 – $2,920,725 Total initial investment: $880,775 to $2,920,725 2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 30 | $3,165,107 – $158,220,099 2026 FDD · Item 7 |
| Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5) | Not available No single standard fee identified | Not available No single standard fee identified |
| Royalty (Item 6) | Not available No reviewed royalty record | 5% General Royalty — 5% 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 24 |
| Brand / advertising fund (Item 6) | 10% Performance Based Marketing — 10% — 10% 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 24 | Not available No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee |
| System scale & health | ||
| Total outlets (Item 20) | Not available No reviewed outlet counts | Not available No reviewed outlet counts |
| Net outlet change (Item 20) | Not available Only one year reported | Not available Only one year reported |
| 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 | 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 | Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation | Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation |
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.
Surestay vs The James: common questions
- Which costs less to open, Surestay or The James?
- Surestay: $880,775 – $2,920,725 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 30); The James: $3,165,107 – $158,220,099 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Surestay. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
- Do Surestay and The James disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- Surestay makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; The James makes no Item 19 financial performance representation. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.
Answers restate the reviewed figures above. Not a ranking or recommendation.