How much does a Chatime franchise cost?
Opening a Chatime franchise takes a total initial investment of $291,100 to $499,900, according to the brand's 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document. That FDD's Item 19 publishes no median; it reports figures for net sales 2025 - location #1: $977,384 — one of 13 outlets the FDD reports separately, with no figure across them.
Chatime franchises Chatime Stores under Franchise Agreements. Category: Food & Beverage.
Item 7
What it costs to open a Chatime franchise
The franchisor's own estimated initial investment, as disclosed in its 2026 FDD. The total is $291,100 to $499,900. Each line below carries the FDD page it was read from.
Where the money goes
The largest costs are Leasehold Improvements ($135,000 to $246,000), Equipment ($33,500 to $46,000), and Rent ($4,000 to $33,000). Together they make up about 65% of the high-end estimate.
The initial franchise fee is $54,900, about 19% of the low-end total.
Our arithmetic from the Item 7 table below.
| Expenditure | Low | High | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $54,900 | $54,900 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Initial Training, Opening Support and Related Personnel Cost2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $5,000 | $5,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Rent2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $4,000 | $33,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Lease Security Deposit2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $4,000 | $22,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Storage Space Deposit2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $0 | $1,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Leasehold Improvements2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $135,000 | $246,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Equipment2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $33,500 | $46,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| External Signage2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $4,200 | $9,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Opening Inventory and Supplies2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $10,000 | $16,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Grand opening marketing2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $10,000 | $10,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Licenses, Permits, and Utility Deposits2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $3,500 | $5,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Technology Systems2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $10,500 | $14,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Uniforms2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $500 | $1,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Insurance2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $3,000 | $6,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Professional Fees2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $1,000 | $5,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Additional Funds – Three Months2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13-14 | $12,000 | $24,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13-14 |
| Total estimated initial investment2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13-14 | $291,100 | $499,900 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13-14 |
Source Chatime, 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13-14, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-10-28.
Item 19
What Chatime franchisees actually report earning
Chatime's 2026 FDD publishes no median in its Item 19. What it publishes instead is set out below, in the document's own terms. An average is not a median: it is pulled upward by the strongest outlets, and it does not tell you what the middle outlet made. We do not calculate a median the document does not state.
This Item 19 shows the historic Net Sales information for calendar year 2025 for the Chatime franchise locations operating within the United States of America which have been operating more than 12 months in their current location and were operating as of December 31, 2025 under franchise agreements issued by us (Chatime Franchise LLC).
What the FDD does publish
| Measure | Average | Low | High | Outlets | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net Sales 2025 - Location #1The FDD prints $977,384.90. | – | $977,384 | $977,384 | 1 | 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 48 |
| Net Sales 2025 - Location #2The FDD prints $419,388.61. | – | $419,388 | $419,388 | 1 | 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 48 |
| Net Sales 2025 - Location #3The FDD prints $381,398.94. | – | $381,398 | $381,398 | 1 | 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 48 |
| Net Sales 2025 - Location #4The FDD prints $342,474.10. | – | $342,474 | $342,474 | 1 | 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 48 |
| Net Sales 2025 - Location #5The FDD prints $268,328.42. | – | $268,328 | $268,328 | 1 | 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 48 |
| Net Sales 2025 - Location #6The FDD prints $260,760.13. | – | $260,760 | $260,760 | 1 | 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 48 |
| Net Sales 2025 - Location #7The FDD prints $181,697.31. | – | $181,697 | $181,697 | 1 | 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 48 |
| Net Sales 2025 - Location #8The FDD prints $172,667.69. | – | $172,667 | $172,667 | 1 | 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 48 |
| Net Sales 2025 - Location #9The FDD prints $155,437.85. | – | $155,437 | $155,437 | 1 | 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 48 |
| Net Sales 2025 - Location #10The FDD prints $148,172.53. | – | $148,172 | $148,172 | 1 | 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 48 |
| Net Sales 2025 - Location #11The FDD prints $121,524.32. | – | $121,524 | $121,524 | 1 | 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 48 |
| Net Sales 2025 - Location #12The FDD prints $100,399.69. | – | $100,399 | $100,399 | 1 | 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 48 |
| Net Sales 2025 - Location #13The FDD prints $93,938.72. | – | $93,938 | $93,938 | 1 | 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 48 |
A dash means the FDD does not print that figure. Chatime's Item 19 covers the calendar year 2025. Basis: Chatime franchise locations operating within the United States of America which have been operating more than 12 months in their current location and were operating as of December 31, 2025 under franchise agreements issued by us (Chatime Franchise LLC). Sample size: 13 outlets.
What the franchisor excluded from these figures
- Stores operating for 12 months or less in their current location are excluded because stores typically experience atypical results in the first few months due to ramp-up and opening promotions.
- Stores with agreements issued by affiliates La Kaffa or Chatime USA LLC are excluded because those agreements contain different terms than the agreements issued by Chatime Franchise LLC.
This is a disclosure of what some existing outlets reported, not a projection of what a new Chatime outlet would earn. Your results will differ.
Source Chatime, 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 48, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-10-28.
Item 20
How many Chatime outlets there are, and how many closed
Chatime ended 2025 with 16 franchised outlets and 2 company-owned outlets. In that year 2 franchised outlets opened and 2 left the system.
Three years at a glance
From 2023 through 2025, Chatime opened 6 franchised outlets and 6 outlets left the system. The franchised system ended the period the same size it started. Of the outlets that left, 1 was not renewed and 5 closed for other reasons.
On average, about 13% of franchised outlets left the system each year, roughly 1 in 8.
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 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 51 |
| 2024 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 51 |
| 2023 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 51 |
Source Chatime, 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 51, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-10-28.
Compare
How Chatime 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 Chatime's estimated range is $395,500. It costs less to open than 74% of Food & Beverage franchises here.
- Outlets leaving each year. 13% for Chatime. That is higher than 85% of the 165 Food & Beverage franchises with at least 10 outlets.
- Three-year growth. Chatime's franchised system grew 0.0%. The typical Food & Beverage franchise here grew 5.0%.
- Earnings disclosure. 152 of the 256 Food & Beverage franchises here publish earnings figures in Item 19. Chatime 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 Chatime files a new FDD
Franchisors reissue their FDD at least once a year, and the Item 7 and Item 19 figures move. Leave an email and we will send you Chatime's updated numbers when the next document is published, plus the brand-comparison worksheet.
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