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Best Western FDD Analysis · 2026

Best Western Franchise Cost (2026 FDD)

Inside the Best Western franchise disclosure

You searched the right thing. The FDD is the document that spells out what a Best Western franchise is really about — what you're committing to, and what they're committing to you. Here's a sampling of what their 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document reveals:

Investment to open
$6.1M–$12.7M
System size
1,7501,748 franchised
Financial perf. (Item 19)
Not in this FDD
Year
2026analyzed May 6

§What changed — in 2025, Best Western opened 32 new locations and closed 52. (Item 20.)

§Already a Best Western franchisee? See everything that changed since you signed →

01 · From the filing

Here's what their franchise disclosure tells you

Six of the items Best Western's 2026 FDD has to answer, drawn straight from the filing. The rest of the document — and the figures behind these — open in your Clearly™ Workspace.

§
Item 7
·

Estimated Initial Investment

The full cost to open, low to high, including working capital.
$6,130,275–$12,658,075
Item 7 · First Item 7 total table.
§
Item 19
·

Financial Performance

Makes no financial performance representation — no earnings figures are disclosed.
§
Item 20
·

Outlets & Franchisees

Outlet counts, openings and closures, turnover.
1,750 locations
In 2025, opened 32 new locations and closed 52.
§
Item 6
·

Other Fees

The recurring fees — royalty, brand fund, and the rest.
5% royalty
See the full fee schedule with Clara →
§
Item 5
·

Initial Fees

The upfront fees due before opening.
$50,000–$59,000 franchise fee
§
Item 12
·

Territory

Does not give you a protected area of your own.
Ask Clara what the terms mean →

Best Western's $6.1M–$12.7M sits against a median of $20,173,000 across the 155 hotel franchises on file that disclose an investment range.

02 · Read it with Clara

Open Best Western's FDD in the Clearly Workspace — with Clara beside you.

Best Western's franchise agreement is a 20-year commitment — and the FDD spells out exactly what you're signing up for. You cannot change the FDD, and that's not the point. The point is to walk into your attorney conversation already knowing the document, so you ask the questions that matter most to you.

Clara is an expert FDD assistant. Ask her anything about Best Western's filing and she answers from the document itself, with the item and page she read it in — so you can check her.

You don't have to know what to ask first.

Open the Workspace and Clara offers to walk you through the filing, Item by Item: what it says, why it matters, and what to verify. Every answer links to the Item and page in the FDD. Ask your own questions whenever you want, and your Guided Review progress is saved, so you can stop and come back to it.

People ask Clara —

  • What does it actually cost to open?
  • What fees come after the franchise fee?
  • How do their locations perform?
  • Do I get a protected territory?
  • What happens if I want out?

The Best Western Workspace

$19

One-time · yours to keep

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A Clearly Workspace for McDonald's showing the Clearly Report, both FDD filings, and the Year-over-Year report, with Clara offering to start Guided Review
Shown: McDonald's, with both filings and the Year-over-Year report.
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The full FDD in your Clearly Workspace · Guided Review through the 23 Items · Clara beside you, unlimited questions · Year-over-Year report included · saved to your Clearly Library · yours to keep

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03 · Common questions

Common questions

How much does it cost to open a Best Western franchise?

Best Western's 2026 FDD estimates a total initial investment of $6,130,275 to $12,658,075 including the $50,000–$59,000 franchise fee. (Item 7.)

What are the ongoing fees for a Best Western franchise?

Best Western reports a royalty of 5%; the remaining recurring fees are itemized in Item 6 of the 2026 FDD.

Does Best Western share how its franchises perform financially?

Best Western's 2026 FDD does not include a financial performance representation — Item 19 makes no earnings claims.

How many Best Western locations are there?

Best Western's 2026 FDD reports 1,750 locations — 1,748 franchised and 2 company-owned (Item 20).

Can Clearly help me review the Best Western FDD?

Yes. Open the Best Western Workspace and Guided Review walks through the filing Item by Item: what each Item discloses, why it matters, and what to verify, with a link to the page in the FDD. Your progress is saved, and you can ask Clara unlimited follow-up questions along the way. Clearly explains what the FDD says. It does not score the franchise or give legal advice.

Drawn from Best Western's 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document · last updated May 6, 2026.

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