2026 FDD Issued Apr 1, 2026, amended Oct 5, 2026 Minnesota Commerce (CARDS) Checked Nov 2, 2026
The Seals Franchise Cost (2026)
The Seals franchise costs an estimated $101,200 – $147,300 to open, according to Item 7 of the 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD). That total includes the $49,000 initial franchise fee (Item 5) and covers this format: Single Franchised Business. Item 6 lists royalty fee: 8% – 10% of Gross Billings, subject to the conditions below.
- Total investment
- $101K – $147KItem 7 source and qualifications
- Franchise fee
- $49KItem 5 source and terms
- Royalty
- 8% – 10% of Gross BillingsItem 6 conditions and fee bases apply
- Brand fund
- 2% of Gross BillingsItem 6 conditions and fee bases apply
- Units (2025)
- 6Item 20 source and scope
- Franchise exit rate
- 0% / yrCalculated 3-year average; definition and source
What stands out about The Seals
The system is still very small. Item 20 shows 6 franchised outlets at the end of 2025 and no exits in any year shown, while the projected-openings table lists more signed agreements waiting to open than outlets now operating.
The royalty rate falls as billings grow. Item 6 sets a royalty of 8% – 10% of Gross Billings, with the top rate applying until annual billings pass a first threshold and lower rates at higher levels, plus monthly minimums that begin after the first year and step up. A promotional fund contribution of 2% of Gross Billings and a monthly technology fee come on top.
There is no Item 19, so the FDD gives no billing or profit figures for any outlet. With only a handful of outlets operating, the current owners listed in Exhibit E are the main source for results.
The low startup cost reflects a business that can run from home or a small storage unit. The $49,000 franchise fee makes up a large share of the $101,200 low estimate, and working capital is the next largest line. Renewal also requires attending the annual conference repeatedly during the first term, at the owner's expense.
What are the initial franchise fees and financial requirements for The Seals?
Item 5 lists an initial franchise fee of $49,000 for The Seals. Check the cited Item 5 for payment timing, discounts and format-specific terms.
Item 5 (PDF pages 13-15): $49,000 for one territory of 1,000 to 2,500 Retail Food Service Locations, due at signing and non-refundable. A second franchise bought at the same time is $9,000 off, and an existing franchisee with two years of experience may get 50% off another. Honorably discharged veterans and qualified first responders get $10,000 off their first franchise. In the last fiscal year fees ranged from $5,000 (an existing franchisee's expansion incentive) to $49,000. After opening, the Technology Fee is currently $499 a month, and you must spend at least $1,000 a month on grand opening and local marketing from one month before opening for at least twelve months.
Source: The Seals 2026 FDD, Item 5, PDF p. 13.
This record lists no minimum net worth or liquid-capital requirement for The Seals, because no sourced figure has been recorded. Ask the franchisor for its current financial qualifications in writing.
How much does it cost to open The Seals franchise? (Item 7)
Source: The Seals 2026 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 21.
Item 7 of The Seals’s 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document estimates the total cost to open one single franchised business at $101,200 – $147,300. This total includes the initial franchise fee.
| Expense Category | Low ($) | High ($) |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $49,000 | $49,000 |
| Training | $1,200 | $3,800 |
| Equipment, Inventory, Supplies, and Marketing Supplies | $1,000 | $4,000 |
| Rent | $1,000 | $7,500 |
| Tenant Improvements | $1,000 | $7,000 |
| Vehicle Expenses | $5,500 | $11,000 |
| Computer Equipment, Phones, and Technology Fees | $3,000 | $5,000 |
| Insurance | $3,500 | $4,500 |
| Business License Fees | $50 | $200 |
| Legal and Accounting Fees | $750 | $2,000 |
| Security and Utility Deposits | $1,000 | $2,000 |
| Incorporation Filing Fees | $200 | $300 |
| Local Marketing | $4,000 | $6,000 |
| Additional Funds - 3 Months | $30,000 | $45,000 |
| Total | $101,200 | $147,300 |
Item 7 (PDF pages 21-23) prints $101,200 to $147,300 for one franchised business; its 14 lines add to that total. The business may run from home if allowed, with rent ranging from a 200 square foot storage unit to a 1,000 square foot office and warehouse. Working capital covers three months, including pay for one territory manager. A two-unit Multi-Unit Development Agreement prints $141,200 to $187,300, including an $89,000 multi-unit fee.
What ongoing royalties and fees does The Seals charge? (Item 6)
Source: The Seals 2026 FDD, Item 6, PDF p. 15.
Item 6 of The Seals’s 2026 FDD lists the charges below. Recurring charges and charges triggered by a transfer, renewal or other event have different conditions. Read each fee’s basis and notes before comparing rates.
How to read an Item 6 fee table.
| Fee Type | Amount / Rate | Payment Frequency | Notes & Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royalty Fee | 8% – 10% of Gross Billings | Every period | 10% of annual Gross Billings up to $1,499,999, 9% from $1,500,000 to $2,999,999 and 8% from $3,000,000, due by the 15th of the following month and starting within two months of signing. Minimum monthly royalty: $750 in months 12-17 after opening, $1,000 in months 18-30 and $2,000 from month 31. The rate is 11% during a default (notes 1 and 2). (Item 6, PDF p. 15) |
| Promotional Marketing Fund | 2% of Gross Billings | Every period | 2% of monthly Gross Billings, due by the 15th of the following month. (Item 6, PDF p. 15) |
| Technology Fee | $499 per month | Every period | Currently $499 per month for the required software suite; may rise to what vendors charge, possibly including a percentage of sales. Additional licenses cost $8 to $37 per user per month (note 3). (Item 6, PDF p. 15) |
| Local Marketing | $1,000 per month | When it applies | At least $1,000 a month on local marketing from one month before opening through the first year; the franchisor may collect and spend it or direct how you spend it. (Item 6, PDF p. 15) |
| Additional Training, Assistance & Refresher Training | Varies | When it applies | $750 per day plus travel and lodging. Initial training for you and one other person is included (note 4). (Item 6, PDF p. 16) |
| Transfer Fee | $15,000 | When it applies | Currently $15,000 for the first agreement ($5,000 if sold to an existing franchisee), plus $2,500 for each additional agreement in the same transaction; will not rise more than 5% a year (note 5). (Item 6, PDF p. 16) |
| Resale Assistance Fee | Varies | When it applies | $10,000 plus any broker commission if the franchisor finds the buyer; none if you find the buyer (note 6). (Item 6, PDF p. 16) |
| Renewal Fee | $5,000 | When it applies | Currently $5,000, not to exceed 20% of the then-current initial franchise fee (note 7). (Item 6, PDF p. 16) |
| Supplier and Equipment Testing | Varies | When it applies | The franchisor's actual costs to test or inspect a supplier or item you propose. (Item 6, PDF p. 16) |
| Failure to Maintain Insurance Fee | Varies | When it applies | Cost of insurance the franchisor obtains for you, with interest. (Item 6, PDF p. 16) |
| Management Fee | Varies | When it applies | 15% of Gross Billings plus expenses of up to $1,000 a day if the franchisor steps in to operate the business after default, death, disability or prolonged absence. (Item 6, PDF p. 16) |
| Audit | Varies | When it applies | 100% of understated royalty plus interest up to 18%, late fees and audit costs (note 8). (Item 6, PDF p. 17) |
| Additional Training or Extraordinary Consultation | Varies | When it applies | $750 per day plus travel and lodging, not over $1,000 a day, when requested or required (note 9). (Item 6, PDF p. 17) |
| Annual Convention Fee | Varies | When it applies | Currently $975, capped at $2,000. You or your general manager must attend the annual conference at least six times during the initial term as a condition of renewal. (Item 6, PDF p. 17) |
| Regional Account Management Fee | Varies | When it applies | Currently 1% to 10% of the fees paid by a regional account, deducted from amounts owed to you for that work (note 10). (Item 6, PDF p. 17) |
| Interest/Late/NSF Fees | Varies | When it applies | Interest at the lesser of 18% a year or the legal maximum, a $100 late fee per incident, and the bank's NSF charge plus $5 (currently $55) (note 11). (Item 6, PDF p. 17) |
| Non-compliance Fees | Varies | When it applies | Up to $1,000 per occurrence (note 12). (Item 6, PDF p. 18) |
| Costs and Attorney's Fees | Varies | When it applies | Actual costs if the franchisor prevails (note 13). (Item 6, PDF p. 18) |
| Indemnification | Varies | When it applies | Actual costs of claims arising from your business (note 14). (Item 6, PDF p. 18) |
| Liquidated Damages | Varies | When it applies | The average monthly royalty for the prior 12 months times the lesser of 36 or the months left in the term, if the agreement ends early. (Item 6, PDF p. 18) |
Explore annual fees and payback assumptions
This fee schedule cannot be reduced to the calculator’s simple sales-based formula. Enter your own assumptions and check them against the Item 6 terms.
The Seals startup investment and modeled fees over 10 years
Item 6 sets the royalty by annual Gross Billings, at 10% up to $1,499,999, 9% up to $2,999,999 and 8% from $3,000,000, with minimum monthly royalties of $750 to $2,000 that start a year after opening. A single annual figure cannot show both the tiers and the minimums, so this record does not produce an annual fee estimate or payback preset. See the fee amounts and definitions in Item 6 above. Open the calculator with your own assumptions.
Item 20: The Seals franchised outlet history
Source: The Seals 2026 FDD, Item 20, PDF p. 48.
Item 20 Table 3 reports 6 franchised outlets at the end of 2025. The company-owned table reports a further 0 outlets. Our calculated average annual franchised exit rate is 0% across the 3 reported years, using the definition below.
| Year | Franchised at Start | Opened | Reported Exits | At End | Franchise Exit Rate (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| 2024 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0% |
| 2025 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0% |
Franchised units went from 2 to 6 over 3 years (+4).
Reported exits include terminations, non-renewals, franchisor reacquisitions and other cessations. A reacquired outlet may continue operating. How we calculate the exit rate. How to read the Item 20 outlet tables. Compare The Seals’s exit rate with other brands.
Item 20 Table 3 totals (PDF page 48) match Table 1 (PDF page 47). There were no terminations, closures or transfers in 2023-2025. The one affiliate-owned outlet, in North Carolina, was sold to a franchisee in 2025. Table 5 lists 12 franchise agreements signed but not opened and 15 projected openings for 2026.
How much do The Seals franchise owners make? (Item 19)
Source: The Seals 2026 FDD, Item 19, PDF p. 45.
The Seals’s 2026 FDD has no Item 19 financial performance representation, so it gives no official sales, profit or owner-pay figures. Treat any earnings claim you hear from a salesperson with caution, and ask current owners (their contacts are listed in Item 20).
Item 19 (PDF pages 45-46) states that the franchisor does not make any representations about the financial performance of company-owned or franchised outlets.
Payback calculator (enter your own assumptions) Check any inputs against this record’s Item 7 startup costs and Item 6 fee rules.
How long is the The Seals franchise agreement term?
Source: The Seals 2026 FDD, Item 17, PDF p. 41.
The standard The Seals franchise agreement runs 10 years, with renewal terms of 10 years.
Item 17 (PDF page 41): a 10-year term with two successive 10-year renewals on the then-current agreement, which may carry a higher royalty and promotional fee. You must give notice 120 to 180 days before the term ends, meet current standards, sign a release and complete required training and meetings.
How long does it take to open The Seals franchise? (Item 11)
Source: The Seals 2026 FDD, Item 11, PDF p. 29.
Item 11 of the 2026 FDD states the time from signing the Franchise Agreement to opening: 1 to 2 months.
Franchises with a similar investment range
These published records are selected by proximity to The Seals’s $101,200 low-end Item 7 investment, starting with Business Services. Formats, fees and source qualifications differ; the figures are not interchangeable budgets:
- Payroll Vault $77K – $114K Business Services
- BrightStar Care $101K – $217K Senior & Home Care
- Kumon $102K – $234K Education & Tutoring
- Budget Blinds $101K – $211K Home Services
- Pillar To Post $103K – $134K Source review pending Provisional publication Home Services
- The Junkluggers $96K – $359K Home Services
Compare other business services franchises
Sources
The Seals Franchise Disclosure Document, issued April 1, 2026, as amended October 5, 2026, as filed with the Minnesota Commerce (CARDS). Read the source FDD PDF. How to get this FDD yourself.
- Item 5: cited PDF p. 13
- Item 6: cited PDF p. 15
- Item 7: cited PDF p. 21
- Item 19: cited PDF p. 45
- Item 20: cited PDF p. 48
- Agreement term (Item 17): cited PDF p. 41
Page references for The Seals use the PDF viewer's digital page count, not printed page headers. Some viewers download the document instead of opening the referenced page.
If the state document viewer does not open, use Minnesota Commerce's public filing instructions to look up the filing by franchisor name and document date.
Document & verification changelog
- November 2, 2026: Source check completed against the recorded FDD.
- November 2, 2026: Initial cost profile published from the 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document (issued April 1, 2026).
- November 2, 2026: Independently checked against the April 1, 2026 Minnesota FDD, as amended October 5, 2026: cover, Items 5, 6, 7, 11, 17, 19 and 20. Recorded the amendment date. Item 6 now lists all 20 rows (the draft had 7); the royalty is now the 8% to 10% tiered rate with minimums, recorded in a model note, and the first-year local marketing minimum is added. Added the opening time, renewal terms and source notes. Cleared the source-review hold and removed stray fields. Rewrote the analysis.
- October 5, 2026: Amendment date recorded for the source FDD.