How much does a Project LeanNation franchise cost?
Opening a Project LeanNation franchise takes a total initial investment of $237,500 to $354,000, according to the brand's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document. The FDD's Item 19 reports median of $613,707 across 19 outlets.
Project LeanNation franchises single-location businesses. Category: Food & Beverage.
Item 7
What it costs to open a Project LeanNation franchise
The franchisor's own estimated initial investment, as disclosed in its 2025 FDD. The total is $237,500 to $354,000. Each line below carries the FDD page it was read from.
Where the money goes
The largest costs are Leasehold Improvements ($50,000 to $100,000), Equipment and supplies acquired locally ($47,000 to $67,000), and Additional Operating funds – 3 months ($25,000). Together they make up about 54% of the high-end estimate.
The initial franchise fee is $60,000, about 25% of the low-end total.
Our arithmetic from the Item 7 table below.
| Expenditure | Low | High | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee for single location2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 15 | $60,000 | $60,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 15 |
| Real Estate Rent – 1ST Month2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 15 | $3,000 | $5,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 15 |
| Security Deposit(s)2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 15 | $0 | $5,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 15 |
| Leasehold Improvements2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 15 | $50,000 | $100,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 15 |
| Real Estate Project Management Fee2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 | $10,000 | $10,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 |
| Construction Project Management Fee2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 | $0 | $10,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 |
| Furnishings, Fixtures, and Decorating2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 | $4,000 | $6,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 |
| Signage2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 | $5,000 | $10,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 |
| Training2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 | $1,000 | $2,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 |
| Equipment and supplies acquired locally2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 | $47,000 | $67,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 |
| Computer System/ | $2,000 | $3,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 |
| Initial Inventory, supplies, packaging, uniforms and corporate identity materials2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 | $2,000 | $3,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 |
| Initial inventory of products for resale2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 | $6,000 | $8,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 |
| SBA fees and other financing costs2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 | $0 | $10,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 |
| Additional Operating funds – 3 months2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 | $25,000 | $25,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 |
| Professional Fees2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 | $4,000 | $10,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 |
| Pre-Opening Marketing2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 | $15,000 | $15,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 |
| Business Licenses2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 | $500 | $1,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 |
| Insurance2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 | $3,000 | $4,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 |
| Total estimated initial investment2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 | $237,500 | $354,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 |
Source Project LeanNation, 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 16, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-21. Read from a scanned copy of this FDD; figures and page citations were transcribed from the page images.
Item 19
What Project LeanNation franchisees actually report earning
Median
$613,707
Project LeanNation's 2025 FDD, Item 19, for the full 12-month period ending September 30, 2024. Basis: 19 units that were open and operating for the full 12-month period ending September 30, 2024 and were operated by the same franchisee during that time.
Sample size: 19 outlets. The FDD also reports average of $687,421. 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
- No franchised locations that were sold or transferred are included.
This is a disclosure of what some existing outlets reported, not a projection of what a new Project LeanNation outlet would earn. Your results will differ.
Source Project LeanNation, 2025 FDD, Item 19, p. 45-46, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-21. Read from a scanned copy of this FDD; figures and page citations were transcribed from the page images.
Item 20
How many Project LeanNation outlets there are, and how many closed
Project LeanNation ended 2024 with 28 franchised outlets and 1 company-owned outlet. In that year 8 franchised outlets opened and 1 left the system.
Three years at a glance
From 2022 through 2024, Project LeanNation opened 24 franchised outlets and 1 outlet left the system. That is a net gain of 23, from 5 to 28 franchised outlets. Of the outlets that left, 1 closed for other reasons.
On average, about 3.0% of franchised outlets left the system each year, roughly 1 in 33.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 21 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 28 | 2025 FDD, Item 20, p. 53 |
| 2023 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 2025 FDD, Item 20, p. 53 |
| 2022 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2025 FDD, Item 20, p. 53 |
Source Project LeanNation, 2025 FDD, Item 20, p. 53, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-21. Read from a scanned copy of this FDD; figures and page citations were transcribed from the page images.
Compare
How Project LeanNation 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 Project LeanNation's estimated range is $295,750. It costs less to open than 88% of Food & Beverage franchises here.
- Outlets leaving each year. 3.0% for Project LeanNation. That is lower than 73% of the 165 Food & Beverage franchises with at least 10 outlets.
- Earnings disclosure. 152 of the 256 Food & Beverage franchises here publish earnings figures in Item 19. Project LeanNation 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 Project LeanNation 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 Project LeanNation's updated numbers when the next document is published, plus the brand-comparison worksheet.
You get a confirmation email right away, then one email per new filing for the brands you ask about, and nothing else. No sharing, no selling, unsubscribe any time.