How much does a La Madeleine franchise cost?
Opening a La Madeleine franchise takes a total initial investment of $1,230,360 to $2,254,160, according to the brand's 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document. The FDD's Item 19 reports median gross sales of $2,612,482 across 24 outlets.
The FDD franchises la Madeleine Bakery & Cafés. Category: Food & Beverage.
Item 7
What it costs to open a La Madeleine franchise
The franchisor's own estimated initial investment, as disclosed in its 2026 FDD. The total is $1,230,360 to $2,254,160. Each line below carries the FDD page it was read from.
Where the money goes
The largest costs are Building and Leasehold Improvements ($704,000 to $873,000), Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment ($271,000 to $407,000), and Site Work ($0 to $300,000). Together they make up about 70% of the high-end estimate.
The initial franchise fee is $40,000, about 3.3% of the low-end total.
Our arithmetic from the Item 7 table below.
| Expenditure | Low | High | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 14 | $40,000 | $40,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 14 |
| Design, Permitting Fees & Liquor License2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 14 | $56,000 | $75,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 14 |
| Building and Leasehold Improvements2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 14 | $704,000 | $873,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 14 |
| Optional Security Camera System2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 14 | $0 | $10,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 14 |
| Signage and Awnings2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 14 | $22,000 | $43,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 14 |
| Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 14 | $271,000 | $407,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 14 |
| Technology Suite2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 14 | $43,800 | $107,800 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 14 |
| Initial Technology Administrative Fee2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 14 | $2,860 | $2,860 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 14 |
| Site Work2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 14 | $0 | $300,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 14 |
| Start-up Inventory & Supplies2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 15 | $31,700 | $51,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 15 |
| Grand Opening Advertising2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 15 | $10,000 | $30,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 15 |
| Insurance2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 15 | $7,000 | $25,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 15 |
| Training & Managers’ Salary2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 15 | $19,000 | $54,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 15 |
| Utility Deposits/ | $3,000 | $5,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 15 |
| Legal and Accounting2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 15 | $5,000 | $30,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 15 |
| Additional Funds – 3 months2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 15 | $15,000 | $200,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 15 |
| Total estimated initial investment2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 15 | $1,230,360 | $2,254,160 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 15 |
Source La Madeleine, 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 15, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-16.
Item 19
What La Madeleine franchisees actually report earning
Median Gross Sales
$2,612,482
La Madeleine's 2026 FDD, Item 19, for the 2025. Basis: Franchised Bakery & Cafés operating at Traditional Locations.
Sample size: 24 outlets. The FDD also reports average gross sales of $2,815,342. 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
- Table 2 excludes 3 Bakery & Cafés that permanently closed during our last fiscal year as the applicable franchise agreements were not renewed.
- Table 2 excludes all 11 Express Bakery & Cafés operating at Non-Traditional Facilities as of December 30, 2025, 8 of which are detailed below in Table 3.
This is a disclosure of what some existing outlets reported, not a projection of what a new La Madeleine outlet would earn. Your results will differ.
Source La Madeleine, 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 61, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-16.
Item 20
How many La Madeleine outlets there are, and how many closed
La Madeleine ended 2025 with 59 franchised outlets and 27 company-owned outlets. In that year no franchised outlets opened and 3 left the system.
Three years at a glance
From 2023 through 2025, La Madeleine opened 7 franchised outlets and 8 outlets left the system. That is a net loss of 1, from 60 to 59 franchised outlets. Of the outlets that left, 2 were terminated, 3 were not renewed, and 3 were bought back by the franchisor.
On average, about 4.3% of franchised outlets left the system each year, roughly 1 in 23.
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 | 62 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 59 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 65 |
| 2024 | 64 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 62 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 65 |
| 2023 | 60 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 64 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 65 |
Source La Madeleine, 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 65, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-16.
Compare
How La Madeleine 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 La Madeleine's estimated range is $1,742,260. It costs more to open than 87% of Food & Beverage franchises here.
- Outlets leaving each year. 4.3% for La Madeleine. That is lower than 58% of the 165 Food & Beverage franchises with at least 10 outlets.
- Three-year growth. La Madeleine's franchised system shrank 1.7%. 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. La Madeleine 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 La Madeleine 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 La Madeleine's updated numbers when the next document is published, plus the brand-comparison worksheet.
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