About The Counter Franchise
The Counter is a fast casual burger franchise known for its build your own burger concept, where customers choose from an extensive selection of proteins, cheeses, toppings, sauces, and bun options to create a custom burger.
The brand has been franchising since 2006 under MTY Franchising Inc., part of the MTY Food Group.
Each location combines premium ingredients with a modern, inviting dining atmosphere.
The Counter Franchise Cost & Fees
Minimum Investment
$724K
Average Investment
$1.4M
Maximum Investment
$2.0M
| Fee Type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $35,000 (Traditional) / $25,000 (Non-Traditional) | One-time payment upon signing |
| Royalty Fee | 6% of total weekly Gross Sales of gross sales | Ongoing; paid monthly |
| Marketing/Ad Fund | Up to 3% of weekly Gross Sales (currently 1%) | National brand fund |
| Total Investment Range | $724,133 – $1,983,750 | Includes build-out, inventory, working capital |
The investment range of $724K–$2.0M reflects variability in build-out costs, store size, lease terms, and market. The combined royalty (6% of total weekly Gross Sales) and marketing fee (Up to 3% of weekly Gross Sales (currently 1%)) are ongoing costs paid as a percentage of gross sales.
Investment Breakdown (Item 7)
| Item | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee for Traditional Location | $28,000 | $35,000 |
| Initial Training Program expenses, including travel, room and board | $12,500 | $50,000 |
| Lease Payments for Franchise Location Premises for First Three Months Plus Lease Security Deposit | $23,333 | $70,000 |
| Professional Design Fees (Architect, Engineer, Kitchen Designer) | $10,000 | $17,000 |
| Construction Costs and Leasehold Improvements | $280,000 | $515,000 |
| Utility Hook Up and Impact Fees | $5,000 | $75,000 |
| Kitchen Equipment Package | $155,000 | $262,500 |
| Restaurant Equipment, Furniture, Small Wares, Interior Signage and Menu Panels | $75,000 | $136,500 |
| POS Computer. tablet computers, and Software | $20,300 | $40,750 |
| Project Management and Construction Management, Expediting and Submission Service | $0 | $30,000 |
| Signs, Interior Art Package and Décor Items | $12,000 | $30,000 |
| Attorney and Accounting Fees | $4,000 | $10,000 |
| Security Deposits (excluding real estate); Utility Deposits and Business Licenses and Permits | $3,000 | $30,000 |
| Tableware, Small Wares and Supplies | $10,000 | $12,000 |
| Inventory (Proprietary Products; Non-Proprietary Products; | $20,000 | $50,000 |
| Insurance | $5,000 | $10,000 |
| Grand Opening Marketing Traditional | $10,000 | $10,000 |
| Wine/Beer or Full Liquor License | $1,000 | $400,000 |
| Miscellaneous costs to begin operations and Additional Funds for first 3 months of operations | $50,000 | $200,000 |
Additional Fees (Item 6)
| Fee Type | Amount |
|---|---|
| Transfer Fee | $12,500 |
| Renewal Fee | 50% of the then-current Initial Franchise Fee |
| Technology Fee | Standard Service $100/hr (billed in 15 minute increments) |
| Audit Fee | Cost of Audit plus interest at Default Rate on underpayments or the maximum rate permissible by law |
| Surcharge | maximum of $10 per week |
| Additional Persons Training Fee | $1,750 per person |
| Additional Training Fee | $250 per person per day |
| Annual Meeting Registration Fee | Up to $1,000 plus incidental costs to attend |
| Depository Account | $3,000 (must be replenished on a regular basis) |
| Data Fees | Up to $250 per month |
| Guest Loyalty The Counter Note | $65.00 per month |
| OLO Online Ordering | $85.00 per month per location plus tax where applicable. Plus delivery fees |
| Food Safety Audit | $155 per audit |
| Relocation Fee | $500 |
| Transfer Training Fee | $10,000 for up to four individuals ($500 for each additional individual) |
| Document Administration Fee | $500 |
| Default Interest | $50 plus interest at 1-1/2% per month or maximum legal rate, if less |
| Late Report Fee | $100 per report |
| Collection Costs | All collection costs including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys' fees |
| Non-Sufficient Funds Fee | $50 for each electronic funds transfer returned for non-sufficient funds; $25 for each check or draft returned for non-sufficient funds |
| New Supplier Approval Fee | A charge not to exceed the reasonable cost of the inspection and the actual cost of the test not to exceed $5,000 |
| Non-Participation Fee | $100 per day |
| Early Termination Fee | The average monthly Royalty and Advertising Fees paid for any consecutive 12-month period within the preceding 48-month period multiplied by the number of months remaining in the term of the Franchise Agreement, and the product is divided by 2. |
| Management Fee | 6% of the Franchised Business’ Gross Sales (in addition to the Royalty Fee and Advertising Fee) plus our direct out-of-pocket costs and expenses. |
| Costs for Maintenance and Remodeling | Estimated to be between $50,000 and $70,000. |
Training Program (Item 11)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Total Duration | KTEC Classroom Training (40 hours), In-Store Training (300 hours for Owner/General Manager, 200 hours for Kitchen Manager), New Store Opening Training (144 hours). |
| Classroom Training | 40 hours |
| On-the-Job Training | 300 hours (6 weeks) for Owner and General Manager; 200 hours (4 weeks) for Kitchen Manager |
| Training Location | Scottsdale, Arizona (KTEC Classroom Training, online or in-person); open and operating restaurant designated by franchisor (In-Store Training); new restaurant location (New Store Opening Training). |
| Additional Training | Additional training is available for a fee of $1,750 per person for extra attendees at the Initial Training Program, or $250 per person per day for additional training requested after opening. |
Territory Rights (Item 12)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Territory Type | Non-exclusive |
| Exclusive Territory | No |
| Territory Size | Not to exceed a 2-mile radius from the front door of the restaurant, or the boundaries of the mall if in a regional shopping mall. |
| Description | If granted, a "Protected Area" is identified by closest roads, distance radii, or geographic/political demarcations. Within this area, the franchisor or its affiliates will not establish or award franchise rights to anyone else to operate a traditional brick and mortar The Counter restaurant, with specific exclusions for certain venues like airports, military bases, and universities. |
Renewal, Termination & Transfer (Item 17)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Initial Term | 10 years |
| Renewal Term | 5 years |
| Renewal Fee | 50% of the then-current Initial Franchise Fee |
| Renewal Conditions | Must not be in default, be in complete compliance with terms and manual, not received more than 3 default notices (or 2 in last 5 years), have existing right to possession or suitable substitute location, sign general release, execute new agreements (which may have materially different terms/fees), remodel/refurbish if necessary, upgrade POS, and pay renewal fee. |
| Transfer Fee | $12,500 |
| Transfer Conditions | New franchise owner qualifies, no existing defaults, transfer franchise fee and transfer training fee paid, all obligations under the Franchise Agreement are fully paid and satisfied, new franchisee completes training, remodels or refurbishes if necessary, keeps existing store telephone number, release signed by transferor, new agreements signed. |
| Termination for Cause | Termination can occur for various reasons including failure to open on time, bankruptcy, failure to pay sums due, lease default, final judgment exceeding $2,000, serious health/safety problems, conviction of felony/moral turpitude, abandonment, unauthorized closing/relocation, failure to maintain independent contractor relationship, inaccurate reporting, violation of federal/state/local law, failure to participate in rollout, violation of product/supplier provisions, unauthorized transfer, involvement in prohibited activities (e.g., terrorism lists), and false representations. |
| Non-Compete Period | During the term of the franchise and for 2 years after termination/expiration. |
| Non-Compete Details | Franchisee cannot engage in a "Competing Business" (primarily selling burgers) anywhere during the term, and within a 10-mile radius from any The Counter restaurant after termination/expiration. |
Operations & Supply (Items 8 & 15)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Owner-Operator Required | No |
| Participation Details | While not strictly required, active participation by the franchisee or a trained manager is strongly recommended. Franchisees who do not actively participate may experience lower gross sales, higher operating costs, and reduced name recognition. Key responsibilities include employee training and supervision, inventory management, sales and food cost review, local marketing, and bookkeeping. |
| Required Suppliers | Designated suppliers for Proprietary Products (buns, sauces, dressings, ground beef, chicken breasts, ground turkey). Sysco for Non-Proprietary Products (except produce). |
| Supply Restrictions | Franchisees must purchase Proprietary Products from designated suppliers. The franchisor may require franchisees to purchase Non-Proprietary Products from the franchisor or its affiliates if designated as approved suppliers. |
| Franchisor Revenue from Suppliers | MTY USA and its subsidiaries derived $31,789,676 from sales of products, services, and vendor allowances (12% of total recognized revenue). Neptune Equipment, a subsidiary, earned $1,308,262 from franchisee purchases of equipment, furniture, menu boards, interior/exterior signage, wall décor, and smallwares. POS help desk support and POS equipment sales generated $3,082,617. |
Financing (Item 10)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Financing Available | Yes |
| Description | The franchisor may finance up to 100% of the purchase price for corporate-owned "as-is" restaurants, with annual interest rates between 0% and 12% and repayment periods of 12 to 60 months. A first lien on all equipment is required as security. Additionally, the franchisor may agree to guarantee a franchisee's lease with a third-party landlord, up to a maximum of $10,000, for a fee of 10% of the total rental obligations. |
The Counter Franchise Earnings — Item 19
Average Revenue
$2.1M
Median Revenue
$2.0M
Sample Size
19 units
Past financial performance does not guarantee future results. Individual results will vary.
The Counter Litigation & Risk Flags
3 Pending Actions ListedReview the full FDD for details on pending litigation.
Bankruptcy History DisclosedA bankruptcy disclosure is present in this FDD.
Litigation and bankruptcy data is sourced from Items 3 and 4 of the FDD. Always verify current status directly from the most recent FDD.
The Counter System Growth
Total Units
19
Franchised
19
Company-Owned
0
The Counter currently operates 19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2 | 5 | 22 |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
| 2022 | 0 | 5 | 19 |
Transfers: 2 | Closures: 5
State Registrations
Registered in 4 states: CA, IL, IN, NY
Franchisor Financials (Item 21)
Revenue
$264K
Net Income
$20K
Total Assets
$1.2M
Audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP for year ending November 30.
The Counter Franchise — FAQ
The total investment to open a The Counter franchise ranges from $724,133 to $1,983,750, per their Franchise Disclosure Document. This includes the initial franchise fee of $35,000 (Traditional) / $25,000 (Non-Traditional). The investment covers build-out, inventory, equipment, signage, working capital, and other startup costs.
The Counter charges a royalty fee of 6% of total weekly Gross Sales of gross sales, plus a Up to 3% of weekly Gross Sales (currently 1%) contribution to the marketing/advertising fund. These fees are paid on an ongoing basis.
You can download the The Counter 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 The Counter to ensure you have the most up-to-date version.
According to the Item 19 financial performance representation in their FDD, The Counter franchise owners report average revenue of $2.1M and median revenue of $2.0M. This is based on a sample of 19 units. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
The Counter has been franchising since 2006. The FDD shows an investment range of $724,133-$1,983,750, a 6% of total weekly Gross Sales royalty, and includes an Item 19 earnings disclosure. There are 3 pending litigation action(s). Review the full FDD and contact current franchisees listed in Item 20 before making any investment decision.
The franchise fee is $35,000 (Traditional) / $25,000 (Non-Traditional) and the total investment ranges from $724,133 to $1,983,750 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 The Counter and consult a qualified franchise attorney before making any investment decision. FranchiseOverview.com is operated by Franchising Compliance, LLC and is not affiliated with The Counter or any of its subsidiaries. To report an inaccuracy: info@franchiseoverview.com