How much does a 16 Handles franchise cost?
Opening a 16 Handles franchise takes a total initial investment of $249,500 to $663,500, according to the brand's 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document. The FDD's Item 19 reports median gross sales of $779,233 across 23 outlets.
16 Handles franchises stores. Category: Food & Beverage.
Item 7
What it costs to open a 16 Handles franchise
The franchisor's own estimated initial investment, as disclosed in its 2026 FDD. The total is $249,500 to $663,500. Each line below carries the FDD page it was read from.
Where the money goes
The largest costs are Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment (Including Soft Serve Machines) ($110,000 to $300,000), Leasehold Improvements ($60,000 to $200,000), and Rent and Security Deposit ($5,000 to $30,000). Together they make up about 80% of the high-end estimate.
The initial franchise fee is $30,000, about 12% of the low-end total.
Our arithmetic from the Item 7 table below.
| Expenditure | Low | High | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 | $30,000 | $30,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 |
| Rent and Security Deposit2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 | $5,000 | $30,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 |
| Utility and Other Deposits2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 | $0 | $3,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 |
| Architect and Design Fees2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 | $7,500 | $17,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 |
| Leasehold Improvements2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 | $60,000 | $200,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 |
| Exterior Signage2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 | $5,000 | $12,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 |
| Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment (Including Soft Serve Machines)2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 | $110,000 | $300,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 |
| Smallwares2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 | $5,000 | $10,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 |
| POS System; License Fees2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 | $1,000 | $1,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 |
| Back-Office Computer, Office Equipment and Supplies2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 | $500 | $2,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 |
| Business Licenses & Permits2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 | $500 | $2,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 |
| Professional Fees2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 | $500 | $5,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 |
| Initial Inventory of Food and Paper Supplies2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $8,000 | $15,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Insurance (Initial 3 Months)2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $1,000 | $3,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Training Expenses (Travel and Accommodation)2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $500 | $3,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Grand Opening Marketing2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $10,000 | $10,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Additional Funds (for initial period of operations)2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $5,000 | $20,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Total estimated initial investment2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12-13 | $249,500 | $663,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12-13 |
Source 16 Handles, 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12-13, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-27. Read from a scanned copy of this FDD; figures and page citations were transcribed from the page images.
Item 19
What 16 Handles franchisees actually report earning
Median Gross Sales
$779,233
16 Handles' 2026 FDD, Item 19, for the January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025 (Measurement Period). Basis: 23 standard franchised stores, which had been open and operating for at least two years at the end of the Measurement Period (Standard Stores).
Sample size: 23 outlets. The FDD also reports average gross sales of $847,587. We lead with the median because an average is pulled upward by the strongest outlets; the median is the middle outlet.
What the franchisor excluded from this figure
- The Standard Stores figures exclude 12 of 37 franchised stores because they did not have two years of operating experience as of December 31, 2025.
- One franchised store was excluded because it was only open on a seasonal basis.
- One franchised store was excluded because it was permanently closed by the landlord.
This is a disclosure of what some existing outlets reported, not a projection of what a new 16 Handles outlet would earn. Your results will differ.
Source 16 Handles, 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 46, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-27. Read from a scanned copy of this FDD; figures and page citations were transcribed from the page images.
Item 20
How many 16 Handles outlets there are, and how many closed
16 Handles ended 2025 with 37 franchised outlets and no company-owned outlets. In that year 8 franchised outlets opened and 2 left the system.
Three years at a glance
From 2023 through 2025, 16 Handles opened 13 franchised outlets and 5 outlets left the system. That is a net gain of 8, from 29 to 37 franchised outlets. Of the outlets that left, 1 was not renewed and 4 closed for other reasons.
On average, about 5.6% of franchised outlets left the system each year, roughly 1 in 18.
Our arithmetic from the FDD's Item 20 table below. "Left the system" counts every outlet the franchisor reports as terminated, not renewed, bought back, or closed for other reasons.
| Year | Start | Opened | Terminated | Non-renewed | Reacquired | Ceased, other | End | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 31 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 37 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 50 |
| 2024 | 29 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 31 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 50 |
| 2023 | 29 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 29 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 50 |
Source 16 Handles, 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 50, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-27. Read from a scanned copy of this FDD; figures and page citations were transcribed from the page images.
Compare
How 16 Handles compares with other Food & Beverage franchises
Measured against the 256 Food & Beverage franchises on this site, using each brand's own FDD.
- Cost to open. The middle of 16 Handles' estimated range is $456,500. It costs less to open than 65% of Food & Beverage franchises here.
- Outlets leaving each year. 5.6% for 16 Handles. That is lower than 51% of the 165 Food & Beverage franchises with at least 10 outlets.
- Three-year growth. 16 Handles' franchised system grew 28%. The typical Food & Beverage franchise here grew 4.4%.
- Earnings disclosure. 152 of the 256 Food & Beverage franchises here publish earnings figures in Item 19. 16 Handles is one of them.
Our arithmetic from each brand's Item 7 and Item 20. Growth and departure comparisons leave out brands with fewer than 10 outlets, where one opening or closure distorts the figures. See every Food & Beverage franchise side by side.
Alert me when 16 Handles files a new FDD
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