The Human Bean Franchise
Cost, fees, owner earnings, closure rate and litigation for a The Human Bean franchise — pulled from the franchisor's own public FDD (2026), not its sales material.
Disclosure honesty
The Human Bean discloses earnings (Item 19) — but the grade is how honestly. We graded it C.
What their own earnings claim actually says
Affiliate EBITDA $112,992; franchisee adjusted EBITDA $94,115. Cost differential $18,877 (2.1% of sales) from higher coffee/supply costs. 140 franchisees in study.
What a The Human Bean franchise actually costs to run
| Fee | Disclosed | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $35,000 | Item 5 — paid up front, before you open |
| Advertising fund | 1% of gross sales | Item 6 — brand marketing, spent at the franchisor's discretion |
| Total recurring fees | 1% of gross sales | Before rent, labor, food or debt service |
| Total initial investment | $582,090 – $1,298,903 | Item 7 — franchisor's own low/high estimate |
No royalty; revenue from coffee/supply markup (40% max). Brand fee 1% (up to 2% future). Training $60/hr additional.
Royalty and ad-fund percentages are charged on gross sales — an owner pays them whether or not the location is profitable.
The Human Bean system size and owner turnover
| Total outlets | 188 |
| Ceased operations | 3 |
| Terminated by franchisor | 0 |
| Transferred to new owners | 4 |
| Closure rate | 1.6% of outlets |
3 closures in 2025; zero terminations/non-renewals recent years; modest growth
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 The Human Bean worth it? — how it compares to 32 similar franchises
| Ongoing fees | 1% of sales | lower than most (median 8%) |
| Startup cost | from $582,090 | pricier than 84% of peers |
| Disclosure honesty | Grade C | typical for the category |
| Closure rate | 1.6% of outlets | better than most (median 5.6%) |
| Disclosed lawsuits | 0 | fewer than most |
Benchmarked against every coffee & donuts franchise we've graded from public FDDs — the context the franchisor's pitch never gives you.
Owner take-home for a The Human Bean
The franchisor's framing: Affiliate EBITDA $112,992; franchisee adjusted EBITDA $94,115. Cost differential $18,877 (… 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
The Human Bean franchise — frequently asked
- How much does a The Human Bean franchise cost?
- The FDD lists a total initial investment of about $582,090–$1,298,903, including a $35,000 initial franchise fee.
- How much do The Human Bean franchise owners make?
- Affiliate EBITDA $112,992; franchisee adjusted EBITDA $94,115. Cost differential $18,877 (2.1% of sales) from higher coffee/supply costs. 140 franchisees in study. We grade this disclosure C for honesty.
- What are the The Human Bean franchise fees?
- The Human Bean's FDD discloses a $35,000 initial franchise fee, a 1% advertising-fund contribution, for roughly 1% of gross sales in recurring fees before rent, labor, or debt service. No royalty; revenue from coffee/supply markup (40% max). Brand fee 1% (up to 2% future). Training $60/hr additional.
- What is the The Human Bean franchise profit margin?
- The Human Bean does not publish a franchisee net-profit margin — almost no franchisor does. What Item 19 actually shows: Affiliate EBITDA $112,992; franchisee adjusted EBITDA $94,115. Cost differential $18,877 (2.1% of sales) from higher coffee/supply costs. 140 franchisees in study. Recurring fees alone take about 1% 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 The Human Bean franchise failure rate?
- 3 closures in 2025; zero terminations/non-renewals recent years; modest growth
- How many The Human Bean locations are there?
- The Human Bean's FDD reports 188 total outlets, with 3 that ceased operations in the most recent reporting year and 4 transferred to new owners. Item 20 is where system health shows up before the marketing does.
- Does The Human Bean have complaints or lawsuits?
- The Human Bean 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 The Human Bean franchise worth it?
- It depends on the numbers, not the pitch. The Human Bean scores C on disclosure honesty, carries about 1% of sales in ongoing fees. Get the real owner take-home before you sign.
Own a The Human Bean? Add your real numbers (anonymous)
We publish only aggregated benchmarks — never your name. Contribute and we'll show you how your numbers compare.
Compare The Human Bean to similar franchises
See all franchises ranked by disclosure honesty →
Source: WI DFI Franchise Registration (2026). FranchiseValidate is independent and not affiliated with The Human Bean or its franchisor. Figures are extracted from the franchisor's own public disclosure document; verify against the current FDD before any decision.