Which costs less to open, The Back Nine or The Pickle Pad?

The Back Nine: $307,050 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 16); The Pickle Pad: $1,535,000 – $4,072,500 (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 Back Nine. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.

How do The Back Nine and The Pickle Pad royalties compare?

The Back Nine: 8% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 8); The Pickle Pad: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.

Which has more locations, The Back Nine or The Pickle Pad?

The Back Nine: 56 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 37); The Pickle Pad: 0 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 57). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.

Do The Back Nine and The Pickle Pad disclose financial performance (Item 19)?

The Back Nine has no reviewed Item 19 figures on file; The Pickle Pad makes no Item 19 financial performance representation. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

Franchise opportunities compared

The Back Nine vs The Pickle Pad

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.

The Back Nine2026 FDD

The Pickle Pad2026 FDD

Initial investment · Item 7

The Back Nine

$307,050

2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 16

The Pickle Pad

$1,535,000 – $4,072,500

2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 23

Initial franchise fee · Item 5

The Back Nine

$50,000

2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 7

The Pickle Pad

$50,000

2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 15

Royalty · Item 6

The Back Nine

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 8

The Pickle Pad

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

Before you compare

Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
Only neither brand has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

Financial commitment

Disclosure

The Back Nine

The Pickle Pad

Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

The Back Nine

$307,050

Total initial investment — low estimate $307,050

2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 16

The Pickle Pad

$1,535,000 – $4,072,500

Total Estimated Initial Investment: $1,535,000–$4,072,500

2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 23

Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

The Back Nine

$50,000

2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 7

The Pickle Pad

$50,000

2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 15

Royalty (Item 6)

The Back Nine

Royalty Fee — 8%

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 8

The Pickle Pad

Royalty: 6% of Gross Sales

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

The Back Nine

$50,000

Liquidated Damages — lesser of $50,000 or up to 24 months of Royalty fees and Brand Marketing Fund contributions

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13

The Pickle Pad

2% of subject to change

Brand Fund Contribution: 2% of Gross Sales

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

System scale & health

Disclosure

The Back Nine

The Pickle Pad

Total outlets (Item 20)

The Back Nine

Outlets at end of 2024

2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 37

The Pickle Pad

Outlets at end of 2025

2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 57

Net outlet change (Item 20)

The Back Nine

+55

Calculated: 1 at end of 2022 → 56 at end of 2024

The Pickle Pad

Calculated: 0 at end of 2023 → 0 at end of 2025

Outlet exits (Item 20)

The Back Nine

Not available

No complete exit records for a year

The Pickle Pad

Not available

No complete exit records for a year

Franchising since (Item 1)

The Back Nine

Not available

Not in reviewed records

The Pickle Pad

Not available

Not in reviewed records

Franchisor founded (Item 1)

The Back Nine

Not available

Not in reviewed records

The Pickle Pad

Not available

Not in reviewed records

Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

The Back Nine

No reviewed Item 19 figures

The Pickle Pad

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.

The Back Nine vs The Pickle Pad: common questions

Which costs less to open, The Back Nine or The Pickle Pad?: The Back Nine: $307,050 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 16); The Pickle Pad: $1,535,000 – $4,072,500 (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 Back Nine. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
How do The Back Nine and The Pickle Pad royalties compare?: The Back Nine: 8% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 8); The Pickle Pad: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
Which has more locations, The Back Nine or The Pickle Pad?: The Back Nine: 56 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 37); The Pickle Pad: 0 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 57). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
Do The Back Nine and The Pickle Pad disclose financial performance (Item 19)?: The Back Nine has no reviewed Item 19 figures on file; The Pickle Pad 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.

How Franopolis reviews FDD figures