Franchise opportunities compared
Uptown Cheapskate vs Wild Birds Unlimited, Inc.
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.
- Uptown Cheapskate and Wild Birds Unlimited, Inc. 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 (Uptown Cheapskate: 16, Wild Birds Unlimited, Inc.: 34). Different groups are not directly comparable.
| Disclosure |  Uptown Cheapskate |  Wild Birds Unlimited, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Financial commitment | ||
| Estimated initial investment (Item 7) | $364,015 – $728,030 2026 FDD · Item 7 | $190,135 – $346,892 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) | 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 | 4% ITEM 6 Other Fees 1 Type of Fee Amount Due Date Remarks Royalty — 4% 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14 |
| Brand / advertising fund (Item 6) | $2,000 ertising Expenditure National Marketing Program — “NMP”) Y ou must spend a minimum of — 2000 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14 | 1% Date Remarks of this Disclosure Document. W ILD B IRDS U NLIMITED Advertising Fund 5 — 1% — 1% 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15 |
| System scale & health | ||
| Total outlets (Item 20) | Not available No reviewed outlet counts | 690 Outlets at end of 2025 2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 65 |
| Net outlet change (Item 20) | Not available Only one year reported | +10 Calculated: 680 at end of 2023 → 690 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 | 1983 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 — 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 | Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Schedule5DSCparticipating24monthstores — 2024 78.26 percent other Percent of DSC Customer Sales to Total Sales · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 64 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Schedule5DSCparticipating24monthstores — 2025 79.48 percent other Percent of DSC Customer Sales to Total Sales · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 64 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Annual gross sales ranges12months;source total 101 stores other Schedule2C $500,000.01 - $750,000 · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 55 +31 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.
Uptown Cheapskate vs Wild Birds Unlimited, Inc.: common questions
- Which costs less to open, Uptown Cheapskate or Wild Birds Unlimited, Inc.?
- Uptown Cheapskate: $364,015 – $728,030 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Wild Birds Unlimited, Inc.: $190,135 – $346,892 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Wild Birds Unlimited, Inc.. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
- How do Uptown Cheapskate and Wild Birds Unlimited, Inc. royalties compare?
- Uptown Cheapskate: 1.5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16); Wild Birds Unlimited, Inc.: 4% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
- Do Uptown Cheapskate and Wild Birds Unlimited, Inc. disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- Uptown Cheapskate has reviewed Item 19 figures for 16 location groups; Wild Birds Unlimited, Inc. has reviewed Item 19 figures for 34 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.