Jollibee Franchise Cost in the US: What It Takes to Open One
Updated
Buying in Canada? See the Canada cost guide.
TL;DR — Key Facts
- →Initial investment: $1.61 million to $4.59 million per US restaurant, according to Jollibee's franchising FAQ.
- →Franchise fee: $40,000 per restaurant. Royalty: 5% of gross sales. National marketing fee: 4% of gross sales.
- →Financial bar: $10 million net worth and $5 million in liquid cash and available assets, plus current experience running multiple restaurants.
- →Deals are multi-unit only: Jollibee requires at least three restaurants per deal for the foreseeable future.
- →Financing: SBA 7(a) is capped at $5 million per borrower, so a three-unit deal needs conventional bank debt and equity on top of any SBA loan.
Jollibee Franchises Only to Experienced Multi-Unit Operators
Jollibee is the most-searched Philippine fast-food brand in the US, and franchise cost searches spike every time it opens a new restaurant. Most of those searchers will not qualify. Jollibee does not sell single franchises to first-time owners.
For most of its US history Jollibee grew through company-owned restaurants. It launched a North American franchise program in 2025, run by a US subsidiary, JBM LLC, and opened its first franchised North American restaurant in Queens, New York, in August 2025. The company's stated target is 500 restaurants in North America by 2030, about 70% franchised and 30% company-owned.
The program is built for operators who already run restaurants at scale. Jollibee's president of North American operations, Beth Dela Cruz, told Franchise Times: "We want those who know the operational rapport of a QSR, because it is hard." Every deal must cover at least three restaurants.
Jollibee US Franchise Cost and Fees
Jollibee publishes its headline US numbers in its franchising FAQ:
| Line item | US (USD) |
|---|---|
| Initial investment per restaurant | $1,610,000 to $4,590,000 |
| Franchise fee | $40,000 per restaurant |
| Royalty | 5% of gross sales |
| National marketing fee | 4% of gross sales |
| Minimum net worth | $10,000,000 |
| Liquid cash and available assets | $5,000,000 |
| Agreement term | 20 years |
The investment range is wide because formats vary: stand-alone buildings with or without a drive-thru, strip-mall end caps, urban storefronts and exterior mall entrances. Construction and equipment drive most of the spread.
At the three-unit minimum, the initial investment alone runs about $4.8 million to $13.8 million before you count development fees under a multi-unit agreement. Ask for the full Franchise Disclosure Document and read Item 7 for the line-item breakdown and Item 5 for development fees before you commit.
Ongoing Fees and Unit Economics
The royalty (5%) and national marketing fee (4%) together take 9% of gross sales before rent, food, labour or debt service.
Jollibee's average unit volume was most recently reported at $4.4 million (Franchise Times, December 2025), and the brand reported 57 consecutive months of same-store sales growth. At that volume, 9% is about $396,000 a year per restaurant in royalty and marketing fees.
That volume is the case for the brand, but treat it as a system average, not a forecast for your site. Ask whether the FDD includes an Item 19 financial performance representation, and which restaurants it covers, before you build a pro forma around it.
For comparison, McDonald's charges a 5% royalty on new restaurants plus a 4% advertising fund, and Dunkin' charges a 5.9% royalty plus a 5% advertising fund.
Check the California Registration History
In May 2026, California's Department of Financial Protection and Innovation entered a consent order against JBM LLC, the company that sells Jollibee franchises in the US. The order found that JBM offered and sold at least six franchises and multi-unit developments in California in July 2024 while it was not registered to sell franchises there, and later changed the development fee in those agreements without filing the required amendments. JBM agreed to pay $45,000 in administrative penalties and to put its franchise sales staff through remedial training.
This does not make the brand a bad investment, but it is the kind of history to raise with a franchise lawyer. In a registration state such as California, confirm the franchise is currently registered before you sign or pay anything, and make sure any change to your development fee is documented in a registered amendment.
How Jollibee Compares to Other QSR Franchise Investments
| Brand | Initial investment (per unit) | Franchise fee | Royalty | Marketing / ad fund |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jollibee | $1.61M–$4.59M | $40,000 | 5% | 4% |
| McDonald's | $1,008,000–$2,214,080 | $45,000 | 5% (new since 2024) | 4% |
| Dunkin' | $109,700–$1,637,700 | $40,000–$90,000 | 5.9% | 5% |
| Wingstop | $303,876–$1,007,320 | $20,000 | 6% | 4% |
Jollibee sits at the top of this range on capital and on qualification. Its $10 million net worth bar and three-unit minimum put it out of reach of most single-unit buyers, who will find Wingstop or Dunkin' a more realistic entry point.
Financing a Jollibee Franchise
A three-restaurant Jollibee deal is larger than a single SBA loan can cover. SBA 7(a) is capped at $5 million, and that cap applies to a borrower and its affiliates combined.
Most Jollibee developers will finance with a mix of:
- Conventional bank debt from a lender with a restaurant or franchise group, sized against the operator's existing restaurant cash flow.
- SBA 7(a) for part of the project, where the borrower is eligible. Lenders look for a 10% or larger equity injection and a debt service coverage ratio (DSCR) of at least 1.25x.
- SBA 504 for a real estate component, such as a building purchase, at a fixed rate.
- Equity from the operator and investors, which Jollibee's $5 million liquidity requirement is designed to ensure is there.
Check whether Jollibee appears on the SBA Franchise Directory before you approach an SBA lender; a listed brand saves the lender a separate review of the franchise agreement. Then model each unit's payment against projected sales with the DSCR calculator.
Buying in Canada? See the Canada cost guide.
Sources
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Your Next Step
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice - consult a licensed professional before making acquisition or financing decisions.
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By FundBizPro Editorial · Published 2026-05-02 · Updated 2026-10-25 · United States
Written by
FundBizPro Editorial Team
Independent research from FDD filings and primary sources
The FundBizPro Editorial Team covers North American franchise costs, FDD analysis, site selection, and acquisition financing. Articles draw on current FDD filings and primary industry sources and are reviewed before publication. Content is educational only and is not a substitute for advice from a licensed professional.
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