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Papa John's FDD Analysis · 2026

Papa John's Franchise Cost (2026 FDD)

Inside the Papa John's franchise disclosure

You searched the right thing. The FDD is the document that spells out what a Papa John's 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
$281K–$890K
System size
3,2942,832 franchised
Financial perf. (Item 19)
Included
Year
2026analyzed Apr 24

§What changed — in 2025, Papa John's grew from 3,291 to 3,294 locations. (Item 20.)

§Already a Papa John's franchisee? See everything that changed since you signed →

01 · From the filing

Here's what their franchise disclosure tells you

Six of the items Papa John's 2026 FDD has to answer, drawn straight from the filing. The rest of the document — and the figures behind these — open in the Workspace. See what that looks like →

§
Item 7
·

Estimated Initial Investment

The full cost to open, low to high, including working capital.
$281,485–$890,267
§
Item 19
·

Financial Performance

Reports the distribution of locations across sales bands and the share of locations at or above the average.
Ask Clara what the figures mean →
§
Item 20
·

Outlets & Franchisees

Outlet counts, openings and closures, turnover.
3,294 locations
In 2025, opened 162 new locations and closed 82.
§
Item 6
·

Other Fees

The recurring fees — royalty, brand fund, and the rest.
5% royalty · 6% brand fund
See the full fee schedule with Clara →
§
Item 5
·

Initial Fees

The upfront fees due before opening.
$5,000–$25,000 franchise fee
§
Item 12
·

Territory

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

Papa John's $281K–$890K sits against a median of $689,000 across the 46 pizza franchises on file that disclose an investment range.

02 · Read it with Clara

Open Papa John's FDD in the Clearly Workspace — with Clara beside you.

Papa John's franchise agreement is a 10-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 Papa John's filing and she answers from the document itself, with the item and page she read it in — so you can check her.

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 Papa John's Workspace

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03 · Common questions

Common questions

How much does it cost to open a Papa John's franchise?

Papa John's 2026 FDD estimates a total initial investment of $281,485 to $890,267, including the $5,000–$25,000 franchise fee. (Item 7.)

What are the ongoing fees for a Papa John's franchise?

Papa John's reports a royalty of 5%, plus a 6% brand-fund contribution; the rest of the recurring fees are itemized in Item 6 of the 2026 FDD.

Does Papa John's share how its franchises perform financially?

Yes — Papa John's 2026 FDD reports the distribution of locations across sales bands and the share of locations at or above the average. The figures themselves are in your Clearly Workspace.

How many Papa John's locations are there?

Papa John's 2026 FDD reports 3,294 locations — 2,832 franchised and 462 company-owned (Item 20).

Drawn from Papa John's 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document · last updated April 24, 2026.

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