Franchise opportunities compared
The UPS Store® vs Uptown Cheapskate
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 UPS Store® and Uptown Cheapskate 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 (The UPS Store®: 9, Uptown Cheapskate: 16). Different groups are not directly comparable.
| Disclosure |  The UPS Store® |  Uptown Cheapskate |
|---|---|---|
| Financial commitment | ||
| Estimated initial investment (Item 7) | $85,925 – $606,081 2026 FDD · Item 7 | $364,015 – $728,030 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) | 5% Royalty — percentage of subject-to-royalty sales 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 28 | 1.5% e of Fee Amount Due Date Remarks Interest on Unpaid Royalty and Other Fees Lesser of — 1.5% 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16 |
| Brand / advertising fund (Item 6) | 2.5% National Advertising Fee — 2.5% 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 29 | $2,000 ertising Expenditure National Marketing Program — “NMP”) Y ou must spend a minimum of — 2000 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14 |
| System scale & health | ||
| Total outlets (Item 20) | 5,503 Outlets at end of 2025 2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 83 | Not available No reviewed outlet counts |
| Net outlet change (Item 20) | +269 Calculated: 5,234 at end of 2023 → 5,503 at end of 2025 | 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) | 1980 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 — All franchised Traditional The UPS Store Centers in the United States operating… $724,293 other 2025 average annual adjusted gross sales · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 80 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — All franchised Traditional The UPS Store Centers in the United States operating… $719,842 other 2024 average annual adjusted gross sales · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 80 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Top-performing 10% of franchised Traditional Centers $1,248,208 other 2025 top-performing 10% average annual adjusted gross sales · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 81 +6 more groups in the full report | Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — COMPANY - OWNED LOCATIONS SECOND QUARTILE 3 units other COMPANY - OWNED LOCATIONS SECOND QUARTILE sample · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 62 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — FRANCHISED LOCATIONS GROUP AVERAGE 115 units other FRANCHISED LOCATIONS GROUP AVERAGE sample · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 58 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — COMPANY - OWNED LOCATIONS GROUP AVERAGE 14 units other COMPANY - OWNED LOCATIONS GROUP AVERAGE sample · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 61 +13 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.
The UPS Store® vs Uptown Cheapskate: common questions
- Which costs less to open, The UPS Store® or Uptown Cheapskate?
- The UPS Store®: $85,925 – $606,081 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Uptown Cheapskate: $364,015 – $728,030 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for The UPS Store®. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
- How do The UPS Store® and Uptown Cheapskate royalties compare?
- The UPS Store®: 5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 28); Uptown Cheapskate: 1.5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
- Do The UPS Store® and Uptown Cheapskate disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- The UPS Store® has reviewed Item 19 figures for 9 location groups; Uptown Cheapskate has reviewed Item 19 figures for 16 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.