Fred Astaire Dance Studios Franchise
Cost, fees, owner earnings, closure rate and litigation for a Fred Astaire Dance Studios franchise — pulled from the franchisor's own public FDD (2026), not its sales material.
Disclosure honesty
Fred Astaire Dance Studios discloses earnings (Item 19) — but the grade is how honestly. We graded it B.
What their own earnings claim actually says
2025 data: 242 mature studios, avg revenue $819,696, median $624,953. Top performer Durham: $4.1M. Bottom performer Columbia: $85,567. 37% met/exceeded average.
What a Fred Astaire Dance Studios franchise actually costs to run
| Fee | Disclosed | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $50,000 | Item 5 — paid up front, before you open |
| Royalty | 7% of gross sales | Item 6 — charged on revenue, not profit |
| Advertising fund | 2% of gross sales | Item 6 — brand marketing, spent at the franchisor's discretion |
| Total recurring fees | 9% of gross sales | Before rent, labor, food or debt service |
| Total initial investment | $298,000 – $665,000 | Item 7 — franchisor's own low/high estimate |
7% weekly royalty on gross revenue; $150/mo advertising fee; technology fee $50-$100/week; escrow $5K-$25K + 3% gross revenue monthly; captive insurance $200-$800/mo
Royalty and ad-fund percentages are charged on gross sales — an owner pays them whether or not the location is profitable.
Fred Astaire Dance Studios system size and owner turnover
| Total outlets | 285 |
| Ceased operations | 4 |
| Closure rate | 1.4% of outlets |
4 studios closed in 2025; 43 of 285 excluded from 2025 data (8 non-reporting, 27 under 12mo, 8 international)
From Item 20 of the FDD 2026. Terminations and ceased operations are the franchisor's own count of owners who stopped — the number the sales pitch leaves out.
Is Fred Astaire Dance Studios worth it? — how it compares to 436 similar franchises
| Ongoing fees | 9% of sales | steeper than 60% of other franchises franchises |
| Startup cost | from $298,000 | pricier than 73% of peers |
| Disclosure honesty | Grade B | more honest than 84% of other franchises franchises |
| Closure rate | 1.4% of outlets | about average |
| Disclosed lawsuits | 2 | more litigious than 68% of peers |
Benchmarked against every other franchises franchise we've graded from public FDDs — the context the franchisor's pitch never gives you.
Owner take-home for a Fred Astaire Dance Studios
The franchisor's framing: 2025 data: 242 mature studios, avg revenue $819,696, median $624,953. Top performer Durham… We reconstruct what an owner actually keeps, from their own FDD.
- Reconstructed owner P&L — net take-home after royalty, ad fund, rent, labor & debt
- Break-even timeline + cash-on-cash ROI
- Full fee stack + required-purchase markups
- Decoded real failure / closure rate
- How it ranks vs comparable franchises
- Validation-call playbook — the exact questions to ask
See a full sample report → · 30-day guarantee
Fred Astaire Dance Studios franchise — frequently asked
- How much does a Fred Astaire Dance Studios franchise cost?
- The FDD lists a total initial investment of about $298,000–$665,000, including a $50,000 initial franchise fee.
- How much do Fred Astaire Dance Studios franchise owners make?
- 2025 data: 242 mature studios, avg revenue $819,696, median $624,953. Top performer Durham: $4.1M. Bottom performer Columbia: $85,567. 37% met/exceeded average. We grade this disclosure B for honesty.
- What are the Fred Astaire Dance Studios franchise fees?
- Fred Astaire Dance Studios' FDD discloses a $50,000 initial franchise fee, a 7% royalty on gross sales, a 2% advertising-fund contribution, for roughly 9% of gross sales in recurring fees before rent, labor, or debt service. 7% weekly royalty on gross revenue; $150/mo advertising fee; technology fee $50-$100/week; escrow $5K-$25K + 3% gross revenue monthly; captive insurance $200-$800/mo
- What is the Fred Astaire Dance Studios franchise profit margin?
- Fred Astaire Dance Studios does not publish a franchisee net-profit margin — almost no franchisor does. What Item 19 actually shows: 2025 data: 242 mature studios, avg revenue $819,696, median $624,953. Top performer Durham: $4.1M. Bottom performer Columbia: $85,567. 37% met/exceeded average. Recurring fees alone take about 9% of gross sales, before rent, labor, food or debt service. Margin has to be reconstructed from the disclosure, not read off it.
- What is the Fred Astaire Dance Studios franchise failure rate?
- 4 studios closed in 2025; 43 of 285 excluded from 2025 data (8 non-reporting, 27 under 12mo, 8 international)
- How many Fred Astaire Dance Studios locations are there?
- Fred Astaire Dance Studios' FDD reports 285 total outlets, with 4 that ceased operations in the most recent reporting year. Item 20 is where system health shows up before the marketing does.
- Does Fred Astaire Dance Studios have complaints or lawsuits?
- Fred Astaire Dance Studios discloses 2 legal matters in Item 3 of its FDD. Item 3 covers the franchisor's litigation history, which is the closest thing to a public record of how it treats franchisees — read the case descriptions, not just the count.
- Is a Fred Astaire Dance Studios franchise worth it?
- It depends on the numbers, not the pitch. Fred Astaire Dance Studios scores B on disclosure honesty, carries about 9% of sales in ongoing fees, and discloses 2 legal matters. Get the real owner take-home before you sign.
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Source: WI DFI Franchise Registration (2026). FranchiseValidate is independent and not affiliated with Fred Astaire Dance Studios or its franchisor. Figures are extracted from the franchisor's own public disclosure document; verify against the current FDD before any decision.