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CIRCLE K (STANDARD)
Circle K (Standard) franchises allow operators to run retail convenience stores and motor fuel businesses under the Circle K brand and system, selling Circle K-sourced motor fuel along with grocery items, consumer goods, food service items, and other merchandise. The business emphasizes distinctive design, uniform standards, and procedures for operations, inventory, and customer service. It targets everyday consumers seeking quick access to fuel, snacks, beverages, and essential convenience products.
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Franchise Costs
3.5% royalty (greater of 3.5% Gross Sales, $0.0075/gallon Motor Fuel Sales, or $1,500 per ~monthly Accounting Period) + promotional fees (0.25% general + up to 1.25% local/regional + up to 0.25% national on Gross Sales up to $125k/period) + $600-$1,000 per period POS/back-office support fee
Financial Performance
Item 19 Financial Performance
Data Based On: 41 franchised Circle K Businesses operating in the U.S. open and operating the entire 12-month period ending April 27, 2025, and for which complete monthly Merchandise Sales information was received.
* Used the 'Overall' average gross revenue as provided for Franchised Businesses Merchandise Sales (Page 4). Revenue top quartile is the 'Average Merchandise Sales' for the Top Quartile, and revenue bottom quartile is the 'Average Merchandise Sales' for the 4th Quartile, both from the same table.
Extracted Item 19 Section
Avg. Revenue: $1,694,457
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Unlock financial performance dataCIRCLE K (STANDARD) Franchise Analysis
Picture fueling America's roads while stocking shelves with snacks and essentials—Circle K's franchise model taps into that daily grind. Item 19 lays out revenue snapshots across its units, and a solid history of SBA financing hints at real-world viability for operators. Yet with rapid expansion and some courtroom friction in the mix, is this high-volume play a steady bet or a fuel-injected gamble?
Item 7 pegs the initial investment for a Circle K Standard at $2,600,000 to $8,000,000, covering real estate, construction, equipment, and inventory for these fuel-and-convenience hybrids—think pumps plus groceries under a proven banner. The $25,000 franchise fee gets you in, but ongoing royalties hit 3.5% of gross sales (or the greater of $0.0075 per gallon on motor fuel or $1,500 monthly), plus 0.2% brand fund and layered promo fees up to 1.75% total on sales. Item 19 shines here: average gross revenue clocks $1,694,457 with a median of $1,458,338 across 54 franchised units, suggesting top performers pull ahead while the middle pack holds steady in a corporate-dominated system of 4,577 company stores.
Growth tells a bullish story—41 locations in 2024 jumped 32% to 54 in 2025, with 45 new units projected, fueled by Alimentation Couche-Tard's empire. SBA data backs it: 41 loans averaging $1,240,895 show banks' comfort with the model despite litigation around terminations, fuel breaches, and sales disputes. For deep-pocketed buyers eyeing $1.5M+ median sales in convenience retail, Circle K delivers scale and traffic, but those complex fees and fuel dependency demand sharp margins to thrive.
Analysis based on the 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document. All figures should be independently verified before making investment decisions.
How CIRCLE K (STANDARD) Compares
Key Insights
- One of the lowest investment costs in Convenience Stores (ranked #3 of 4)
- #3 largest franchise system in Convenience Stores
- One of the lowest SBA loan default rates in Convenience Stores
| Franchise | Investment | Fee | Royalty | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
CIRCLE K (STANDARD) Current | $2.6M – $8.0M | $25K | 3.5% | 54 |
| APLUS SUNOCO | $240K – $727K | $15K | 6.0% | 246 |
| HOLIDAY STATIONSTORES | $3.4M – $7.7M | $25K | 3.5% | 83 |
| STREET CORNER | $128K – $596K | $30K | 5.0% | 24 |
Convenience Stores Average 4 franchises | $1.6M – $4.3M | $24K | 4.5% | – |
* Comparison based on latest FDD filings. Investment ranges from Item 7, fees from Item 5.
Locations & Growth
Outlet Growth Over Time
Total outlets at end of each year
Geographic Distribution (2025)
Outlets by state across the United States
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Unlock location growth dataSBA Loan History
Historical SBA 7(a) loan data for CIRCLE K (STANDARD) franchisees (2010 – 2018)
Loans by Year
SBA 7(a) loan activity over time
* Data sourced from SBA 7(a) FOIA loan records. Default rate calculated from charged-off loans.
41 SBA loans on record
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Unlock SBA loan historyFranchisee Contacts
113 franchisee contacts on file from official FDD filings.
113 Contacts Available
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Unlock contactsDue Diligence
Litigation (Item 3)
Primarily termination disputes, post-termination obligations, liquidated damages, breach of fuel agreements, and misrepresentation claims in franchise sales.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
System Health (Item 20)
Franchise system changes reported in the most recent fiscal year
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Unlock due diligence reportsFrequently Asked Questions
The total initial investment to open a CIRCLE K (STANDARD) franchise ranges from $2,600,000 to $8,000,000. This includes a franchise fee of $25,000. Ongoing royalty fees are 3.5% of gross sales.
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