How much does a GRIMALDI'S franchise cost?
Opening a GRIMALDI'S franchise takes a total initial investment of $1,448,800 to $1,950,000, according to the brand's 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document. The FDD's Item 19 reports median gross sales of $1,938,783 across 4 outlets.
Grimaldi’s franchises full-service dine-in casual family restaurants serving lunch and dinner featuring fresh made, hand-tossed pizzas and calzones baked in a coal-fired brick oven, house made salads and cheesecakes made fresh in the restaurant, and a full bar that includes proprietary wines. Category: Food & Beverage.
Item 7
What it costs to open a GRIMALDI'S franchise
The franchisor's own estimated initial investment, as disclosed in its 2026 FDD. The total is $1,448,800 to $1,950,000. Each line below carries the FDD page it was read from.
Where the money goes
The largest costs are Construction and Leasehold Improvements ($630,000 to $900,000), Equipment ($269,000 to $300,000), and Coal Brick Oven ($65,000 to $130,000). Together they make up about 68% of the high-end estimate.
The initial franchise fee is $50,000, about 3.5% of the low-end total.
Our arithmetic from the Item 7 table below.
| Expenditure | Low | High | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction and Leasehold Improvements2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $630,000 | $900,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| Architectural and Engineering Fees2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $32,000 | $40,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| Equipment2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $269,000 | $300,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| Coal Brick Oven2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $65,000 | $130,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| Furniture and Fixtures2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $60,000 | $65,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Interior Finishes and Equipment2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $85,000 | $110,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Exterior Finishes and Equipment2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $40,000 | $65,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Initial Franchise Fee2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $50,000 | $50,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Professional Services2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $10,000 | $20,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Rent (3 months)2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $46,500 | $67,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Pre-opening Travel2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $24,500 | $31,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Pre-opening Labor2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $45,000 | $55,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Market Introduction (opening advertising)2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $13,000 | $18,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Business Permits and Licenses excluding a liquor license2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $800 | $1,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Opening Inventory2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $20,000 | $25,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Stationery, Printing and Supplies2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $1,000 | $1,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Insurance Pre-Payment2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $4,000 | $5,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Miscellaneous and Other Pre-Payments2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $3,000 | $5,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Additional Funds During the First Three Months of Operation2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $50,000 | $60,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Total estimated initial investment2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9-10 | $1,448,800 | $1,950,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9-10 |
Source GRIMALDI'S, 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 GRIMALDI'S franchisees actually report earning
Median Gross Sales
$1,938,783
GRIMALDI'S' 2026 FDD, Item 19, for the January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025 (the “Reporting Period”). Basis: Historic Gross Sales of Company-Operated Restaurants and Franchised Restaurants that were open during the Reporting Period.
Sample size: 4 outlets. The FDD also reports average gross sales of $2,056,543. 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 tables exclude the results of two Company-Operated Restaurants that closed during the Reporting Period.
This is a disclosure of what some existing outlets reported, not a projection of what a new GRIMALDI'S outlet would earn. Your results will differ.
Source GRIMALDI'S, 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 38-40, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Item 20
How many GRIMALDI'S outlets there are, and how many closed
GRIMALDI'S ended 2025 with 4 franchised outlets and 40 company-owned outlets. No franchised outlets opened or left the system that year.
Three years at a glance
From 2023 through 2025, GRIMALDI'S opened 3 franchised outlets and no outlets left the system. That is a net gain of 3, from 1 to 4 franchised outlets.
With fewer than 10 outlets, one closure moves the numbers a lot, so we do not calculate a yearly rate.
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 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 42 |
| 2024 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 42 |
| 2023 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 42 |
Source GRIMALDI'S, 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 42, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Compare
How GRIMALDI'S 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 GRIMALDI'S' estimated range is $1,699,400. It costs more to open than 85% of Food & Beverage franchises here.
- Earnings disclosure. 152 of the 256 Food & Beverage franchises here publish earnings figures in Item 19. GRIMALDI'S 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 GRIMALDI'S 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 GRIMALDI'S' updated numbers when the next document is published, plus the brand-comparison worksheet.
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