How I get the numbers

Last updated October 11, 2026

Every number on this site should tell you where it came from. Here is where they come from, how often they get checked, and what to do when one looks wrong.

Cost numbers in the guides

The cost to open, the cash you need and the break-even numbers in the guides come from Soft Open, the free calculator. It works out all-in planning midpoints for a mid-size US market, not the cheapest possible build. Your city, your deal and your concept will move the numbers, so run your own.

Each guide shows the month it was last updated, right under the headline.

Franchise brand numbers

Franchise numbers come from two public sources. Every number on a brand page names its source and its year.

• The brand's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD). Every franchisor has to give buyers this document. Item 19 is the part where a brand can share what its stores sell or earn (the federal rule, 16 CFR 436.5). Sharing it is optional, so when a brand shares nothing, the page says "Not disclosed". FDDs are public through state filing databases, such as Minnesota's CARDS.
• SBA loan data. The US Small Business Administration publishes the loans it has backed through its 7(a) and 504 programs since 1991, loan by loan (SBA 7(a) and 504 loan data).

How often they get checked

• A franchisor has to put out a new FDD every year, within 120 days after its fiscal year ends (16 CFR 436.7). Each brand page is checked against the new one.
• The SBA updates its loan data every quarter, usually about a month after the quarter ends. Brand pages are checked against each new release.
• Each guide and brand page shows when it was last updated.

Found a number that looks wrong?

Email hello@wilsonklee.com with the page, the number, and where you saw a different one. I check it against the source. If it's wrong, I fix the page and change its updated date. If it's right, I'll tell you where it came from.