How much does a Little Caesars franchise cost?
Opening a Little Caesars franchise takes a total initial investment of $376,500 to $1,769,200, according to the brand's 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document. That FDD makes no Item 19 financial performance representation, so it discloses no earnings figures at all.
The document franchises Little Caesars® restaurants. Category: Food & Beverage.
Item 7
What it costs to open a Little Caesars franchise
The franchisor's own estimated initial investment, as disclosed in its 2026 FDD. The total is $376,500 to $1,769,200. Each line below carries the FDD page it was read from.
Where the money goes
The largest costs are Leasehold Improvements ($50,000 to $1,000,000), Equipment and Technology from Blue Line ($235,000 to $460,000), and Other Fixtures, Equipment, and Signage ($15,000 to $158,000). Together they make up about 91% of the high-end estimate.
The initial franchise fee is $20,000, about 5.3% of the low-end total.
Our arithmetic from the Item 7 table below.
| Expenditure | Low | High | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 22 | $20,000 | $20,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 22 |
| Rent2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 22 | $1,500 | $8,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 22 |
| Leasehold Improvements2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 22 | $50,000 | $1,000,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 22 |
| Equipment and Technology from Blue Line2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 22 | $235,000 | $460,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 22 |
| Other Fixtures, Equipment, and Signage2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 22 | $15,000 | $158,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 22 |
| Grand Opening Advertising2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 22 | $15,000 | $15,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 22 |
| Training Expenses2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 22 | $12,000 | $16,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 22 |
| Opening Food, Paper Goods, Cleaning Chemicals and Supplies2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 22 | $7,000 | $9,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 22 |
| Insurance2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 22 | $500 | $1,200 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 22 |
| Utility Expenses2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 22 | $1,000 | $9,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 22 |
| Licenses and Permits2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 22 | $2,500 | $25,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 22 |
| Additional Funds – 3 months2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 22 | $17,000 | $47,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 22 |
| Total estimated initial investment2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 23 | $376,500 | $1,769,200 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 23 |
Source Little Caesars, 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 23, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Item 19
What Little Caesars franchisees actually report earning
This brand's FDD publishes no Item 19.
We do not make any representations about a franchisee's future financial performance or the past financial performance of company-owned or franchised outlets. We also do not authorize our employees or representatives to make any such representations either orally or in writing. If you are purchasing an existing Restaurant, however, we may provide you with the actual records of that location.
Source Little Caesars, 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 67, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Item 20
How many Little Caesars outlets there are, and how many closed
Little Caesars ended 2025 with 3,788 franchised outlets and 586 company-owned outlets. In that year 109 franchised outlets opened and 22 left the system.
Three years at a glance
From 2023 through 2025, Little Caesars opened 293 franchised outlets and 104 outlets left the system. That is a net gain of 189, from 3,599 to 3,788 franchised outlets. Of the outlets that left, 20 were not renewed and 84 closed for other reasons.
On average, about 1.0% of franchised outlets left the system each year, roughly 1 in 105.
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 | 3,701 | 109 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 3,788 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 76 |
| 2024 | 3,641 | 101 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 3,701 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 76 |
| 2023 | 3,599 | 83 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 21 | 3,641 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 76 |
Source Little Caesars, 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 76, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Compare
How Little Caesars 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 Little Caesars' estimated range is $1,072,850. It costs more to open than 72% of Food & Beverage franchises here.
- Outlets leaving each year. 1.0% for Little Caesars. That is lower than 93% of the 165 Food & Beverage franchises with at least 10 outlets.
- Three-year growth. Little Caesars' franchised system grew 5.3%. 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. Little Caesars is not 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 Little Caesars 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 Little Caesars' updated numbers when the next document is published, plus the brand-comparison worksheet.
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