About GN Independents Franchise
Glass Nickel Pizza Co.
is a modern pizza franchise where franchisees operate either a carryout and delivery restaurant or a dine-in restaurant and bar.
Franchisees offer fresh traditional American foods with gourmet complements on the menu to the general public, including specialty pizzas, appetizers, salads, sandwiches, pasta, and desserts.
GN Independents Franchise Cost & Fees
Minimum Investment
$933K
Average Investment
$1.3M
Maximum Investment
$1.7M
| Fee Type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $25,000 - $35,000 | One-time payment upon signing |
| Royalty Fee | 4% of Gross Sales of gross sales | Ongoing; paid monthly |
| Marketing/Ad Fund | Up to 2% of Gross Sales (Marketing Fund Contribution) | National brand fund |
| Total Investment Range | $933,000 – $1,698,500 | Includes build-out, inventory, working capital |
The investment range of $933K–$1.7M reflects variability in build-out costs, store size, lease terms, and market. The combined royalty (4% of Gross Sales) and marketing fee (Up to 2% of Gross Sales (Marketing Fund Contribution)) are ongoing costs paid as a percentage of gross sales.
Investment Breakdown (Item 7)
| Item | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Franchise Fee (Carryout/Delivery) | $25,000 | $25,000 |
| Real Estate/Rent (Carryout/Delivery) | $5,000 | $15,000 |
| Utility Deposits (Carryout/Delivery) | $0 | $3,000 |
| Leasehold Improvements (Carryout/Delivery) | $150,000 | $400,000 |
| Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment (Carryout/Delivery) | $275,000 | $350,000 |
| POS System (Carryout/Delivery) | $35,000 | $65,000 |
| Initial Inventory (Carryout/Delivery) | $15,000 | $20,000 |
| Insurance (Carryout/Delivery) | $10,000 | $30,000 |
| Signage (Carryout/Delivery) | $10,000 | $30,000 |
| Office Equipment & Supply (Carryout/Delivery) | $15,500 | $37,500 |
| Grand Opening or Pre-Opening (Carryout/Delivery) | $0 | $8,000 |
| Vehicle (Carryout/Delivery) | $0 | $40,000 |
| Training (Carryout/Delivery) | $15,000 | $50,000 |
| Uniforms (Carryout/Delivery) | $2,000 | $4,000 |
| Licenses & Permits (Carryout/Delivery) | $500 | $3,000 |
| Legal & Accounting (Carryout/Delivery) | $15,000 | $20,000 |
| Initial Payroll/Training Wages (Carryout/Delivery) | $20,000 | $30,000 |
| Additional Funds - 3 months (Carryout/Delivery) | $150,000 | $200,000 |
| Franchise Fee (Dine-In) | $35,000 | $35,000 |
| Real Estate/Rent (Dine-In) | $10,000 | $25,000 |
| Utility Deposits (Dine-In) | $0 | $3,000 |
| Leasehold Improvements (Dine-In) | $250,000 | $500,000 |
| Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment (Dine-In) | $340,000 | $515,000 |
| POS System (Dine-In) | $40,000 | $65,000 |
| Initial Inventory (Dine-In) | $18,000 | $35,000 |
| Insurance (Dine-In) | $15,000 | $35,000 |
| Signage (Dine-In) | $10,000 | $30,000 |
| Office Equipment & Supply (Dine-In) | $15,500 | $37,500 |
| Grand Opening or Pre-Opening (Dine-In) | $0 | $8,000 |
| Vehicle (Dine-In) | $0 | $40,000 |
| Training (Dine-In) | $30,000 | $50,000 |
| Uniforms (Dine-In) | $2,500 | $5,000 |
| Licenses & Permits (Dine-In) | $500 | $5,000 |
| Legal & Accounting (Dine-In) | $15,000 | $20,000 |
| Dues & Subscriptions (Dine-In) | $0 | $0 |
| Initial Payroll/Training Wages (Dine-In) | $30,000 | $40,000 |
| Additional Funds/Working Capital - 3 months (Dine-In) | $175,000 | $300,000 |
Additional Fees (Item 6)
| Fee Type | Amount |
|---|---|
| Transfer Fee | $10,000 |
| Renewal Fee | No renewal fee (must sign then-current franchise agreement) |
| Audit Fee | All costs and expenses associated with an audit (payable only if audit shows understatement of 3% or more) |
| Local Advertising | At least 2% of Gross Sales |
| Digital Location Listings / E-Mail Account | Varies according to area and type of listing |
| Accounting Oversight | Varies according to area and level of assistance |
| Late Fees | 1.5% per month or highest rate allowed by state law, whichever is less |
| Approval of Products or Suppliers | All reasonable costs of evaluation |
| Insurance Policies | Amount of unpaid premiums plus reasonable expenses (if franchisee fails to maintain coverage) |
| Substitute or New Manager Training/Additional Training | $300 per day per person, plus expenses |
| Customer Service | All costs incurred in assisting customers |
| Additional Operations Assistance | $300 per person per day, plus expenses |
| Ongoing Training | Franchisee's expenses to attend (no fee charged) |
| Temporary Management Assistance | $500 per day, plus expenses |
| Cost of Enforcement | All costs including reasonable attorneys' fees |
| Indemnification | All costs including reasonable attorneys' fees |
| Gift Cards | Amounts necessary to reconcile receipt of funds (annually) |
Training Program (Item 11)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Total Duration | Approximately 399 hours of on-the-job training (carryout/delivery) or 454 hours (dine-in including bar training) |
| Classroom Training | 0 |
| On-the-Job Training | 399 hours (carryout/delivery); 454 hours (dine-in) |
| Training Location | Headquarters in Madison, Wisconsin and franchisee's restaurant |
| Additional Training | Ongoing refresher training programs may be required, not more than 2 sessions per calendar year and not exceeding 4 total days per year. Additional training for new designated managers or substitute managers available at $300 per day per person. |
Territory Rights (Item 12)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Territory Type | Non-exclusive (Area of Primary Responsibility) |
| Exclusive Territory | No |
| Territory Size | Defined by zip codes or physical, political, or natural boundaries |
| Description | Franchisees receive a non-exclusive Area of Primary Responsibility. Franchisor reserves the right to establish other franchised or company-owned businesses within the area, as well as alternate channels of distribution including Internet sales, catalog sales, and telemarketing. Franchisees may not directly market to or solicit customers within another franchisee's area of primary responsibility. No minimum sales quotas required. |
Renewal, Termination & Transfer (Item 17)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Initial Term | 5 years |
| Renewal Term | 3 additional terms of 5 years each (up to 20 years total) |
| Renewal Fee | No franchise fee for renewal, but must sign then-current franchise agreement |
| Renewal Conditions | Must have substantially complied with franchise agreement; maintain possession of approved location; make necessary capital expenditures; satisfy all monetary obligations; not be in default; give written notice 9-12 months before term end; sign current franchise agreement; comply with current qualifications and training; sign a general release. |
| Transfer Fee | $10,000 |
| Transfer Conditions | Must satisfy right of first refusal; pay all obligations; execute general release; transferee must meet franchisor's standards; transferee signs then-current franchise agreement; pay $10,000 transfer fee; transferee's designated manager must complete initial training. |
| Termination for Cause | Non-curable defaults include: failure to select site or open on time, material misrepresentation, felony conviction, unauthorized use of trade secrets, abandonment for 5+ consecutive days, unauthorized transfer, bankruptcy, repeated breaches. Curable defaults: 30 days to cure general defaults; 10 days to cure payment or insurance failures. |
| Non-Compete Period | 2 years |
| Non-Compete Details | For 2 years after termination or expiration, franchisee and holders of any legal or beneficial interest are prohibited from owning or working for a competitive business within 25 miles of the franchise location or within 25 miles of any other Glass Nickel Pizza Restaurant, and from soliciting employees or business associates of franchisor. |
Operations & Supply (Items 8 & 15)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Owner-Operator Required | Yes |
| Participation Details | The franchised restaurant must always be under the direct full-time day-to-day supervision of a designated manager. During the first two years, the designated manager must be the franchisee (if individual) or an individual who owns at least 40% interest in the entity or has an employment contract for at least 25% of annual net profits. Full-time means at least 35 hours per week. |
| Required Suppliers | Franchisees must purchase furniture, fixtures, equipment, inventory, and signage under specifications in the Operations Manual. Specific required equipment includes a Middleby Marshall pizza oven, a Hobart mixer, and the Microworks PrISM POS system. Franchisees may not contract with third-party delivery services (e.g., DoorDash, Eatstreet) without prior written consent. |
| Supply Restrictions | Approximately 38% to 65% of initial expenditures and 35% to 85% of ongoing expenditures must be purchased from approved suppliers or in accordance with franchisor specifications. Franchisor must approve any new suppliers or products not previously approved, with evaluation typically within 30 days. |
| Franchisor Revenue from Suppliers | Franchisor receives rebates from some designated suppliers, including a 1% rebate on year-to-year increases in purchases from Reinhart Foodservice, as well as rebates from other suppliers and manufacturers. Franchisor also received promotional payments from WP Beverages (Pepsi distributor) and Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin. |
Financing (Item 10)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Financing Available | No |
| Description | Franchisor does not offer direct financing. On occasion in the past, franchisor provided franchisees with limited financial assistance including leasing and purchasing equipment leased to franchisees at cost, but it is not the intention to provide such assistance to new franchisees in the future. |
GN Independents Franchise Earnings — Item 19
GN Independents does not make an Item 19 financial performance representation in their FDD. This means they do not disclose revenue, profit, or earnings data for franchised locations. Before investing, ask the franchisor directly for franchisee contact information so you can speak with existing owners about their actual financial performance.
GN Independents does not include an Item 19 financial performance representation in their FDD. Contact information for current and former franchisees is listed in Item 20 of the FDD.
GN Independents Litigation & Risk Flags
Clean Litigation RecordGN Independents has no pending litigation actions listed in their FDD. There is also no bankruptcy history disclosed.
Litigation and bankruptcy data is sourced from Items 3 and 4 of the FDD. Always verify current status directly from the most recent FDD.
GN Independents System Growth
Total Units
10
Franchised
10
Company-Owned
0
GN Independents currently operates 10 franchised locations and 0 company-owned units. Unit count data is sourced from Item 20 of the FDD.
Unit History (Item 20)
| Year | Opened | Closed | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
Transfers: 2 | Closures: 0
State Registrations
Registered in 1 states: WI
GN Independents Franchise — FAQ
The total investment to open a GN Independents franchise ranges from $933,000 to $1,698,500, per their Franchise Disclosure Document. This includes the initial franchise fee of $25,000 - $35,000. The investment covers build-out, inventory, equipment, signage, working capital, and other startup costs.
GN Independents charges a royalty fee of 4% of Gross Sales of gross sales, plus a Up to 2% of Gross Sales (Marketing Fund Contribution) contribution to the marketing/advertising fund. These fees are paid on an ongoing basis.
You can download the GN Independents Franchise Disclosure Document free on this page. The FDD is a public document filed with state franchise registries. Always also request the current FDD directly from GN Independents to ensure you have the most up-to-date version.
GN Independents does not provide an Item 19 financial performance representation in their FDD, which means they do not disclose franchisee revenue or earnings data. Prospective investors should contact existing franchisees directly (listed in Item 20 of the FDD) to gather real-world financial performance information.
GN Independents has been franchising since 2006. The FDD shows an investment range of $933,000-$1,698,500, a 4% of Gross Sales royalty, and no Item 19 earnings disclosure. There is no pending litigation. Review the full FDD and contact current franchisees listed in Item 20 before making any investment decision.
The franchise fee is $25,000 - $35,000 and the total investment ranges from $933,000 to $1,698,500 depending on location size and market. Contact the franchisor directly for current net worth and liquid capital requirements, territory availability, and application details.
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Data Source & Disclaimer: This website is for informational purposes only. It is not an offer to sell or buy a franchise. This profile is based on publicly available FDD data sourced from state franchise registry filings. All information is for research purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or investment advice. Data may be outdated or contain errors. Always obtain the current FDD directly from GN Independents and consult a qualified franchise attorney before making any investment decision. FranchiseOverview.com is operated by Franchising Compliance, LLC and is not affiliated with GN Independents or any of its subsidiaries. To report an inaccuracy: info@franchiseoverview.com