How much does a Dunn Brothers Coffee franchise cost?
Opening a Dunn Brothers Coffee franchise takes a total initial investment of $448,600 to $728,400, according to the brand's 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document. The FDD's Item 19 reports median gross sales of $560,550 across 26 outlets.
Dunn Brothers Coffee franchises shops that use on-site micro-roasting techniques to produce daily fresh-roasted coffee and coffee beans and offer bakery items, sandwiches, salads, wraps, desserts, other food offerings, beverages and related products. Category: Food & Beverage.
Item 7
What it costs to open a Dunn Brothers Coffee franchise
The franchisor's own estimated initial investment, as disclosed in its 2026 FDD. The total is $448,600 to $728,400. Each line below carries the FDD page it was read from.
Where the money goes
The largest costs are Construction, Remodeling, Leasehold Improvements ($187,500 to $300,200), Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment ($150,500 to $225,000), and Additional Funds - 3 Months ($14,500 to $54,000). Together they make up about 80% of the high-end estimate.
The initial franchise fee is $30,000, about 6.7% of the low-end total.
Our arithmetic from the Item 7 table below.
| Expenditure | Low | High | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $30,000 | $30,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| Architecture Design, Approval and Permit Fees2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $5,000 | $26,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| Construction, Remodeling, Leasehold Improvements2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $187,500 | $300,200 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| Sewer and Water Access Charge2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $0 | $10,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| Rent, Security Deposit, Utility Deposits, Business Licenses and Attorney Fees2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $8,700 | $16,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $150,500 | $225,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| Computer System (including point-of-sale system)2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $3,000 | $7,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| Roaster and Associated Leasehold Improvements for Venting2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $27,100 | $27,100 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Travel Expenses While Training2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $500 | $4,400 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Opening Inventory2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $9,000 | $12,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Grand Opening Expenses2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $10,000 | $10,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Insurance Premiums2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $2,800 | $6,700 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Additional Funds - 3 Months2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $14,500 | $54,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Total estimated initial investment2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9-10 | $448,600 | $728,400 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9-10 |
Source Dunn Brothers Coffee, 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9-10, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Item 19
What Dunn Brothers Coffee franchisees actually report earning
Median Gross Sales
$560,550
Dunn Brothers Coffee's 2026 FDD, Item 19, for the 2025 calendar year. Basis: The remaining 26 franchised Shops that have a drive-thru and operated throughout the 2025 calendar year.
Sample size: 26 outlets. The FDD also reports average gross sales of $571,901. 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
- 1 Shop was excluded because it commenced initial operations during 2025 and therefore was not operational throughout calendar year 2025.
- 12 Shops were excluded because they do not feature a drive-thru and therefore operate differently than a typical Shop for which the franchisor offers franchises under the Disclosure Document.
- The 3 licensed Dunn Brothers Coffee locations operating on a college campus, in a stadium, and in a convention center were excluded.
This is a disclosure of what some existing outlets reported, not a projection of what a new Dunn Brothers Coffee outlet would earn. Your results will differ.
Source Dunn Brothers Coffee, 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 35-36, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Item 20
How many Dunn Brothers Coffee outlets there are, and how many closed
Dunn Brothers Coffee ended 2025 with 39 franchised outlets and 4 company-owned outlets. In that year 1 franchised outlet opened and 3 left the system.
Three years at a glance
From 2023 through 2025, Dunn Brothers Coffee opened 2 franchised outlets and 13 outlets left the system. That is a net loss of 11, from 50 to 39 franchised outlets. Of the outlets that left, 1 was terminated, 5 were not renewed, 1 was bought back by the franchisor, and 6 closed for other reasons.
On average, about 9.5% of franchised outlets left the system each year, roughly 1 in 11.
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 | 41 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 38 |
| 2024 | 46 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 41 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 38 |
| 2023 | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 46 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 38 |
Source Dunn Brothers Coffee, 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 38, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Compare
How Dunn Brothers Coffee 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 Dunn Brothers Coffee's estimated range is $588,500. It costs more to open than 52% of Food & Beverage franchises here.
- Outlets leaving each year. 9.5% for Dunn Brothers Coffee. That is higher than 72% of the 165 Food & Beverage franchises with at least 10 outlets.
- Three-year growth. Dunn Brothers Coffee's franchised system shrank 22%. 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. Dunn Brothers Coffee 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 Dunn Brothers Coffee 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 Dunn Brothers Coffee's updated numbers when the next document is published, plus the brand-comparison worksheet.
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