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DONATOS PIZZA
Donatos Pizza franchises operate brick-and-mortar restaurants featuring fresh, high-quality pizzas, sandwiches, and other foods in a distinctive setting, offering dine-in, carry-out, pick-up window, curbside delivery, and delivery services. The business model grants franchises to develop and operate these restaurants under strict operating standards, targeting the general public in competitive pizza markets with a focus on multi-unit development territories. They serve customers year-round, competing with other pizza chains and restaurants.
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Franchise Costs
4% royalty + 1% (up to 4%) national marketing fund + $185/mo proprietary computer software maintenance and support
Financial Performance
Item 19 Financial Performance
Data Based On: 110 Franchisee-Owned Covered Restaurants operating during the 2024 fiscal year were used for Net Sales data (Table 3, Page 4). A sample of 111 Franchisee-Owned Covered Restaurants from different sales tiers was used for EBITDA and cost percentages (Section II, Page 5).
* Average gross revenue, median gross revenue, revenue top quartile (High), and revenue bottom quartile (Low) are directly from 'Table 3: Net Sales of Franchisee Covered Restaurants' for 2024 Net Sales (Page 4). EBITDA percentages, Cost of Goods Sold percentages, Labor Costs percentages, and Controllable Costs percentages for different sales tiers were extracted from the 'Sales Ranges' table and its accompanying notes (Page 5). The unit counts for the EBITDA calculation tiers are: 29 units ($10,001 - $15,000), 40 units ($15,001 - $20,000), 24 units ($20,001 - $25,000), and 18 units ($25,000+), totaling 111 units. The average EBITDA margin percentage (0.08467567567567567) was calculated as a weighted average of the EBITDA percentages for each tier (-0.5%, 7.9%, 14.3%, 16.4%) based on their respective unit counts. Average EBITDA ($88,424.52) was calculated by multiplying the average gross revenue ($1,044,273) by the weighted average EBITDA margin percentage. The average Cost of Goods Sold percentage (0.3156666666666667) was calculated as a weighted average of the COGS percentages for each tier (32.5%, 31.5%, 30.9%, 31.1%) based on their respective unit counts. Average gross profit ($714,630.82) was calculated as average gross revenue ($1,044,273) * (1 - average_cogs_pct). Best guess profit low ($-5,221.365) and high ($171,260.772) were estimated by multiplying the average gross revenue ($1,044,273) by the lowest tier EBITDA percentage (-0.5%) and the highest tier EBITDA percentage (16.4%), respectively, to represent a range of potential EBITDA outcomes.
Extracted Item 19 Section
Avg. Revenue: $1,044,273
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Unlock financial performance dataDONATOS PIZZA Franchise Analysis
In the cutthroat pizza wars, Donatos Pizza stands out with its edge-to-edge toppings and Columbus roots, carving a niche in fast-casual dining since franchising began in 2005. Item 19 finally pulls back the curtain on revenue performance, while a stack of 23 SBA loans hints at real-world financing paths for operators. But with locations dipping slightly from 127 to 124 last year, is this a temporary hiccup or a red flag for expansion dreams?
Item 7 lays out the entry costs with a $30,000 franchise fee, plus ongoing 4% royalties, 1% brand fund (potentially up to 4%), and $185 monthly software fees—keeping overhead lean compared to bigger pizza rivals. Item 19 shines brightest: average gross revenue hits $1,044,273, median $957,664, but EBITDA margin sits at 0% with estimated profits swinging wildly from -$5,221 to $171,261 across units. This variance screams location matters; top performers thrive in high-traffic spots, yet the flat margins suggest tight squeezes from competition and rising food costs eating into the famously loaded pies.
System maturity shows in 51 corporate stores anchoring 125 franchises, but that -2% contraction flags caution—coupled with just 10 projected new units, growth feels cautious amid pizza saturation. SBA data bolsters credibility with 23 loans averaging $441,548, proving banks back multi-unit developers in competitive markets. For buyers eyeing Donatos, probe Item 20 for transfer/termination trends and validate those profit highs through current franchisee validation; the model's dine-in to delivery flexibility could pay off, but only if you nail the territory.
Analysis based on the 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document. All figures should be independently verified before making investment decisions.
How DONATOS PIZZA Compares
| Franchise | Investment | Fee | Royalty | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
DONATOS PIZZA Current | N/A | $30K | 4.0% | 125 |
| Tropical Smoothie Cafe | $276K – $771K | $35K | 6.0% | 1,650 |
| TROPICAL SMOOTHIE CAFÉ | $300K – $721K | $35K | 6.0% | 1,371 |
| FIREHOUSE SUBS RESTAURANTS (UNIT) | $405K – $1.6M | $20K | 6.0% | 1,249 |
| Zaxby's | $1.4M – $3.8M | $35K | 6.0% | 826 |
| Qdoba | $548K – $1.3M | $40K | 5.0% | 652 |
Fast Casual Average 107 franchises | $529K – $1.2M | $39K | 5.6% | – |
* Comparison based on latest FDD filings. Investment ranges from Item 7, fees from Item 5. Showing top 5 of 107 Fast Casual franchises by location count.
Locations & Growth
Outlet Growth Over Time
Total outlets at end of each year
Geographic Distribution (2024)
Outlets by state across the United States
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Unlock location growth dataSBA Loan History
Historical SBA 7(a) loan data for DONATOS PIZZA franchisees (2013 – 2023)
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.
23 SBA loans on record
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Unlock SBA loan historyFranchisee Contacts
132 franchisee contacts on file from official FDD filings.
132 Contacts Available
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Unlock contactsDue Diligence
Litigation (Item 3)
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
DONATOS PIZZA does disclose financial performance data (Item 19) in their 2025 FDD, including average and median gross revenue figures. Get full access to see the exact revenue numbers and detailed financial breakdown.
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