GRIMALDI'S, GRIMALDI'S PIZZERIA, GRIMALDI'S COAL-BRICK OVEN PIZZERIA Franchise
Cost, fees, owner earnings, closure rate and litigation for a GRIMALDI'S, GRIMALDI'S PIZZERIA, GRIMALDI'S COAL-BRICK OVEN PIZZERIA franchise — pulled from the franchisor's own public FDD (2026), not its sales material.
Disclosure honesty
GRIMALDI'S, GRIMALDI'S PIZZERIA, GRIMALDI'S COAL-BRICK OVEN PIZZERIA discloses earnings (Item 19) — but the grade is how honestly. We graded it C.
What their own earnings claim actually says
2025 Gross Sales for 40 company-operated and 4 franchised restaurants. Top third average $4.24M, bottom third $2.08M. Four franchised restaurants averaged $2.06M. Limited franchisee data provided; unaudited.
What a GRIMALDI'S, GRIMALDI'S PIZZERIA, GRIMALDI'S COAL-BRICK OVEN PIZZERIA 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 | 6% of gross sales | Item 6 — charged on revenue, not profit |
| Advertising fund | 5% of gross sales | Item 6 — brand marketing, spent at the franchisor's discretion |
| Total recurring fees | 11% of gross sales | Before rent, labor, food or debt service |
| Total initial investment | $1,448,800 – $1,950,000 | Item 7 — franchisor's own low/high estimate |
6% royalty, 2-5% advertising. Transfer fee 25% of initial fee. Multiple ancillary fees apply.
Royalty and ad-fund percentages are charged on gross sales — an owner pays them whether or not the location is profitable.
GRIMALDI'S, GRIMALDI'S PIZZERIA, GRIMALDI'S COAL-BRICK OVEN PIZZERIA system size and owner turnover
| Total outlets | 44 |
| Ceased operations | 2 |
| Terminated by franchisor | 0 |
| Transferred to new owners | 0 |
| Closure rate | 4.5% of outlets |
2 company-operated closures in 2025; minimal franchisee data limits assessment.
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 GRIMALDI'S, GRIMALDI'S PIZZERIA, GRIMALDI'S COAL-BRICK OVEN PIZZERIA worth it? — how it compares to 38 similar franchises
| Ongoing fees | 11% of sales | steeper than 76% of pizza franchises |
| Startup cost | from $1,448,800 | pricier than 91% of peers |
| Disclosure honesty | Grade C | typical for the category |
| Closure rate | 4.5% of outlets | worse than 81% of peers |
| Disclosed lawsuits | 0 | fewer than most |
Benchmarked against every pizza franchise we've graded from public FDDs — the context the franchisor's pitch never gives you.
Owner take-home for a GRIMALDI'S, GRIMALDI'S PIZZERIA, GRIMALDI'S COAL-BRICK OVEN PIZZERIA
The franchisor's framing: 2025 Gross Sales for 40 company-operated and 4 franchised restaurants. Top third average $… 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
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GRIMALDI'S, GRIMALDI'S PIZZERIA, GRIMALDI'S COAL-BRICK OVEN PIZZERIA franchise — frequently asked
- How much does a GRIMALDI'S, GRIMALDI'S PIZZERIA, GRIMALDI'S COAL-BRICK OVEN PIZZERIA franchise cost?
- The FDD lists a total initial investment of about $1,448,800–$1,950,000, including a $50,000 initial franchise fee.
- How much do GRIMALDI'S, GRIMALDI'S PIZZERIA, GRIMALDI'S COAL-BRICK OVEN PIZZERIA franchise owners make?
- 2025 Gross Sales for 40 company-operated and 4 franchised restaurants. Top third average $4.24M, bottom third $2.08M. Four franchised restaurants averaged $2.06M. Limited franchisee data provided; unaudited. We grade this disclosure C for honesty.
- What are the GRIMALDI'S, GRIMALDI'S PIZZERIA, GRIMALDI'S COAL-BRICK OVEN PIZZERIA franchise fees?
- GRIMALDI'S, GRIMALDI'S PIZZERIA, GRIMALDI'S COAL-BRICK OVEN PIZZERIA's FDD discloses a $50,000 initial franchise fee, a 6% royalty on gross sales, a 5% advertising-fund contribution, for roughly 11% of gross sales in recurring fees before rent, labor, or debt service. 6% royalty, 2-5% advertising. Transfer fee 25% of initial fee. Multiple ancillary fees apply.
- What is the GRIMALDI'S, GRIMALDI'S PIZZERIA, GRIMALDI'S COAL-BRICK OVEN PIZZERIA franchise profit margin?
- GRIMALDI'S, GRIMALDI'S PIZZERIA, GRIMALDI'S COAL-BRICK OVEN PIZZERIA does not publish a franchisee net-profit margin — almost no franchisor does. What Item 19 actually shows: 2025 Gross Sales for 40 company-operated and 4 franchised restaurants. Top third average $4.24M, bottom third $2.08M. Four franchised restaurants averaged $2.06M. Limited franchisee data provided; unaudited. Recurring fees alone take about 11% 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 GRIMALDI'S, GRIMALDI'S PIZZERIA, GRIMALDI'S COAL-BRICK OVEN PIZZERIA franchise failure rate?
- 2 company-operated closures in 2025; minimal franchisee data limits assessment.
- How many GRIMALDI'S, GRIMALDI'S PIZZERIA, GRIMALDI'S COAL-BRICK OVEN PIZZERIA locations are there?
- GRIMALDI'S, GRIMALDI'S PIZZERIA, GRIMALDI'S COAL-BRICK OVEN PIZZERIA's FDD reports 44 total outlets, with 2 that ceased operations in the most recent reporting year and 0 transferred to new owners. Item 20 is where system health shows up before the marketing does.
- Does GRIMALDI'S, GRIMALDI'S PIZZERIA, GRIMALDI'S COAL-BRICK OVEN PIZZERIA have complaints or lawsuits?
- GRIMALDI'S, GRIMALDI'S PIZZERIA, GRIMALDI'S COAL-BRICK OVEN PIZZERIA discloses no material litigation in Item 3 of the filing we reviewed. That's a positive signal, though it covers only what the franchisor is required to report.
- Is a GRIMALDI'S, GRIMALDI'S PIZZERIA, GRIMALDI'S COAL-BRICK OVEN PIZZERIA franchise worth it?
- It depends on the numbers, not the pitch. GRIMALDI'S, GRIMALDI'S PIZZERIA, GRIMALDI'S COAL-BRICK OVEN PIZZERIA scores C on disclosure honesty, carries about 11% of sales in ongoing fees. 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 GRIMALDI'S, GRIMALDI'S PIZZERIA, GRIMALDI'S COAL-BRICK OVEN PIZZERIA or its franchisor. Figures are extracted from the franchisor's own public disclosure document; verify against the current FDD before any decision.