The Counter

Item 7 lays out a hefty initial investment of $713,133 to $1,988,750, covering build-out for full-service or non-traditional spots in that modern industrial vibe, plus equipment, inventory, and opening marketing. The $35,000 franchise fee gets you into the Counter System with proprietary recipes, training, and ops support from headquarters in Scottsdale, AZ—now backed by MTY Food Group. Ongoing fees hit 6% royalty, 1% brand fund (potentially up to 3%), plus extras like $65/month guest loyalty, $85/month online ordering, and up to $250/month data fees, which could squeeze margins if sales lag.

System size shrank from 8 to 6 franchise locations in 2025—a 25% drop—amid 1 termination and just 2 corporate units, raising flags on momentum since franchising began in 2006. No Item 19 means no disclosed revenues or profits, forcing reliance on 8 SBA loans averaging $979,813 for financing insights, but litigation history includes breach claims, terminations, trademark fights, and state law violations—even class actions. For buyers eyeing competitive burger markets, this suggests high risk without proven unit-level economics; the wide investment range rewards prime sites but punishes underperformers in a tough sector.