Nautical Bowls
Disclosure honesty
Nautical Bowls discloses earnings (Item 19) — but the grade is how honestly. We graded it C.
What their own earnings claim actually says
Average net sales for 43 reporting outlets (Jan-Dec 2024): $357,453 overall; Tier 1 (14 units): $484,913; Tier 2 (14 units): $359,820; Tier 3 (15 units): $236,281. Only 51.2% met/exceeded average. No operating expenses included.
Is Nautical Bowls worth it? — how it compares to 164 similar franchises
| Ongoing fees | 8% of sales | lower than most (median 8%) |
| Startup cost | from $220,200 | cheaper than most (median $481,500) |
| Disclosure honesty | Grade C | typical for the category |
| Closure rate | 9.7% of outlets | worse than 86% of peers |
| Disclosed lawsuits | 3 | more litigious than 74% of peers |
Benchmarked against every quick service restaurants franchise we've graded from public FDDs — the context the franchisor's pitch never gives you.
Owner take-home for a Nautical Bowls
The franchisor's framing: Average net sales for 43 reporting outlets (Jan-Dec 2024): $357,453 overall; Tier 1 (14 un… 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
Nautical Bowls franchise — frequently asked
- How much does a Nautical Bowls franchise cost?
- The FDD lists a total initial investment of about $220,200–$439,850, including a $20,000 initial franchise fee.
- How much do Nautical Bowls franchise owners make?
- Average net sales for 43 reporting outlets (Jan-Dec 2024): $357,453 overall; Tier 1 (14 units): $484,913; Tier 2 (14 units): $359,820; Tier 3 (15 units): $236,281. Only 51.2% met/exceeded average. No operating expenses included. We grade this disclosure C for honesty.
- What is the Nautical Bowls franchise failure rate?
- 7 ceased operations in 2024; 11 ceased in 2023. Early-stage system with significant outlet volatility.
- Is a Nautical Bowls franchise worth it?
- It depends on the numbers, not the pitch. Nautical Bowls scores C on disclosure honesty, carries about 8% of sales in ongoing fees, and discloses 3 legal matters. Get the real owner take-home before you sign.
Own a Nautical Bowls? Add your real numbers (anonymous)
We publish only aggregated benchmarks — never your name. Contribute and we'll show you how your numbers compare.
Compare Nautical Bowls to similar franchises
See all franchises ranked by disclosure honesty →
Source: WI DFI Franchise Registration (2025). FranchiseValidate is independent and not affiliated with Nautical Bowls or its franchisor. Figures are extracted from the franchisor's own public disclosure document; verify against the current FDD before any decision.