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Mason's Famous Lobster Roll

Mason's Famous Lobster Roll

Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls is a fast-casual restaurant franchise specializing in authentic Maine-style lobster rolls, New England-style soups, salads, side dishes, desserts, and beverages, offered for on-premises dining, carryout, catering, and delivery. The franchisor, Mason’s Lobster Franchising LLC, offers single-unit franchise agreements and multi-unit development agreements for 2-10 restaurants in designated territories, requiring adherence to proprietary systems, approved products, and locations in high-traffic urban, tourist, or food hall areas. The business model focuses on franchising to entrepreneurs targeting customers seeking premium, quick-service seafood experiences.

28locations
$241K–$629K
Since 2016
Food & BeverageAnnapolis, MDwww.masonslobster.comDisclaimer

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Franchise Costs

Franchise Fee
$35,000
Initial Investment
$241,450 – $629,050
Royalty Rate
5.00%
Brand Fund
1.00%
Fixed Monthly Fees
$283 – $783

5% royalty + 1% brand development fund (up to 2%) + $283/mo business management system + technology fee up to $500/mo.

Financial Performance


Item 19 Financial Performance

Average Gross Revenue
$807,618.5
Median Gross Revenue
$732,851.5
Top Quartile Revenue
$1,177,254
Bottom Quartile Revenue
$506,737.67

Data Based On: 22 Operational Franchise Outlets open for full year 2024, as listed in Table 3.

* Financial performance data extracted from Table 3: Operational Franchise Outlets Gross Sales Data for the 2024 Calendar Year. The data used comprises the gross sales figures for the 22 operational franchise outlets listed in the table. The average, median, top quartile, and bottom quartile revenues were calculated from these individual outlet sales figures. Top and bottom quartile revenues are the average sales of the top 25% and bottom 25% of outlets, respectively (rounded up to the nearest whole unit). No information on net income, net profit, EBITDA, or specific expense data was provided for franchised outlets, so those fields are null.

Extracted Item 19 Section

Avg. Revenue: $807,619

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Mason's Famous Lobster Roll Franchise Analysis

Craving a seafood franchise that delivers outsized performance in a niche market? Mason's Famous Lobster Roll's Item 19 disclosure uncovers revenue benchmarks that challenge expectations for a brand focused on premium Maine-style lobster rolls amid just 28 units. With SBA financing painting an active picture and expansion plans in motion, the real question is whether this fast-casual contender can sustain its momentum in high-traffic spots.

Item 7 lays out the financial entry: total initial investment ranges from $241,450 to $629,050, covering buildout for urban, tourist, or food hall sites emphasizing on-premises, carryout, and delivery. Ongoing fees include a $35,000 franchise fee, 5% royalty, 1% brand fund (potentially up to 2%), plus $283 monthly for business management and up to $500 tech fees. Item 19 shines brightest, reporting average gross revenue of $807,618 and median $732,852 across comparable units—impressive for a 2016-launched system, signaling strong per-unit productivity despite the premium pricing on lobster rolls, soups, and sides.

System health metrics bolster the case: from 25 to 28 locations in 2024 (+12% growth), only 2 terminations, 4 corporate stores, and 6 projected new units. Twelve SBA loans averaging $227,208 indicate accessible financing for operators. For investors eyeing quick-service seafood, these figures suggest a healthy, scaling brand with real earning potential, though the higher-end investment and niche menu demand prime locations to hit those revenue marks.

Analysis based on the 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document. All figures should be independently verified before making investment decisions.

How Mason's Famous Lobster Roll Compares

Key Insights

  • Lower investment than 81% of Fast Casual franchises
FranchiseInvestmentFeeRoyaltyLocations
Mason's Famous Lobster Roll
Current
$241K – $629K$35K5.0%28
Tropical Smoothie Cafe$276K – $771K$35K6.0%1,650
TROPICAL SMOOTHIE CAFÉ$300K – $721K$35K6.0%1,371
FIREHOUSE SUBS RESTAURANTS (UNIT)$405K – $1.6M$20K6.0%1,249
Zaxby's$1.4M – $3.8M$35K6.0%826
Qdoba$548K – $1.3M$40K5.0%652
Fast Casual Average
107 franchises
$529K – $1.2M$39K5.6%

* 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

Top States
1FL
8
2MD
5
3VA
5
4NC
2
5MN
1
6SC
1
7TX
1
8AZ
1
9WA
1
10CO
1
11DC
1
12DE
1

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SBA Loan History


Historical SBA 7(a) loan data for Mason's Famous Lobster Roll franchisees (20212025)

Total Loans
12
Average Loan
$227,208
Total Volume
$2.7M
Default Rate
0.0%

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.

12 SBA loans on record

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Franchisee Contacts

37 franchisee contacts on file from official FDD filings.

37 Contacts Available

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Due Diligence


Litigation (Item 3)

Franchisee Cases0
No litigation involving franchisees reported

Bankruptcy (Item 4)

Bankruptcy HistoryNo
No bankruptcy history reported

System Health (Item 20)

Franchise system changes reported in the most recent fiscal year

Terminations
2
Non-Renewals
0
Reacquired
1
Ceased Ops
0
Transfers
0
Sold to Franchisees
0
Projected New
6

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Frequently Asked Questions

The total initial investment to open a Mason's Famous Lobster Roll franchise ranges from $241,450 to $629,050. This includes a franchise fee of $35,000. Ongoing royalty fees are 5.0% of gross sales.