City Brew Tours Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
City Brew Tours is a recreation franchise operating guided brewery and craft-beverage tasting tours. Franchisees run local operations, managing tour bookings, brewery partnerships, guides, and logistics.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A City Brew Tours franchise requires a total initial investment of $76K – $100K, including a $38K franchise fee and an ongoing 5.5% royalty[2]. The 2023 FDD does not disclose unit-level revenue (no Item 19). FranchiseVerdict grade: B (Above average), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified · figures per the 2023 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $76K – $100K
- 3rd pct Service Resta…
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Royalty
- 5.5%
- 22nd pct Service Resta…
- Units
- 16
- 18th pct Service Resta…
- SBA charge-off
- N/A
Quick verdict · Full-Service Restaurants · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Full-Service Restaurants avg · No shading = within ±10% · Red = unfavorable by >10% · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Bottom line
- COSTTotal investment $76K – $100K including a $38K franchise fee, 5.5% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSMean of the three franchised outlets that operated the full 2022 calendar year (PDF p.52). The FDD lists them individually and prints no average. Company outlets ran far higher in the same year, $52,072 to $525,008. Data is fiscal 2022.
- RISKVerdict B (Above average), verdict score 53/100 (higher is better).
- DATAItem 19 reports outlet revenue, but not in a form that yields a per-outlet average we can compare across brands. Ask franchisees directly for full unit-level revenue.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- CBT Ventures, LLC
- Parent company
- CBT Group, LLC
- Predecessor
- CBT Management, LLC
- Prior franchisor entity
- CEO title
- President and Director
- Chad Brodsky
- CEO experience
- 2019 yrs
- Years in role or industry
- Founder active
- Yes
- Original founder still leading the business
- Incorporated in
- MA
- HQ
- 675 VFW Parkway, Suite 257, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467
- Auditor
- Sundack CPA LLP
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $65K
- vs $40K prior year
Overview
About
- CEO
- Chad Brodsky
- Headquarters
- MA
- Founded
- 2019
- FDD year
- 2023
- States available
- 3
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 92% below the typical full-service restaurants franchise.
Source: FDD 2023 · Items 5–7
FDD Item 7 · 2023 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $38K | $38K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $10K | $10K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $28K | $52K |
| Total initial investment | $76K | $100K |
Source: City Brew Tours 2023 FDD, Items 5 and 7[2]. “Equipment, build-out, other” is computed as total minus disclosed line items above.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $76K – $100K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $10K – $10K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $38K – $38K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- 5.5%
- tiered · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 1.5%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 7.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 5.5% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 1.5% of gross sales |
| Transfer fee | $19K |
| Renewal fee | $19K |
| Total fee load | 7.0% of rev |
What do units actually make?
Source: FDD 2023 · Item 19
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
City Brew Tours did not disclose financial performance in FDD Item 19. The ROIC and return models require Item 19 revenue. Without it all inputs are estimates. You can still run the calculator with your own assumptions by entering an expected revenue figure.
Returns model · single-unit ROIC
What would one City Brew Tours unit return on the cash you put in?
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Estimated return on your total franchise investment, before any debt financing.
84%
Above the 30–60% band. Verify revenue is per-unit average
These models are for research and scenario planning only. Not investment advice. Actual results depend on your specific location, management, and market conditions. Consult a franchise attorney and accountant before signing any franchise agreement.
Item 19 · Source: 2023 FDD
Financial Performance
Mean of the three franchised outlets that operated the full 2022 calendar year (PDF p.52). The FDD lists them individually and prints no average. Company outlets ran far higher in the same year, $52,072 to $525,008. Data is fiscal 2022.
- Item 19 type
- gross sales
- Sample size
- 3
- vs category median 18 · small
- Range (low → high)
- $50K→$83K
- Cohort dispersion (min → max)
- Reporting year
- 2022
- Fiscal year the figures cover
- Source filing
- FDD 2023
- Disclosed in the 2023 filing, covering 2022
- Transparency
- 4 / 10
- vs category median 3 / 10 · above
Compared against 805 Full-Service Restaurants brands
Operator outlook
What the numbers say
Data-driven interpretation of this brand's financial disclosures, fee structure, and system trajectory.
Fee burden
Total ongoing fee load of 7.0% (near the Full-Service Restaurants average).
Disclosure
Item 19 reports outlet revenue, but not in a form that yields a per-outlet average we can compare across brands.
Multi-unit rate
Only 1% of franchisees own multiple units. Could indicate challenging economics or a young system where operators haven't had time to expand.
Source: FDD Item 19 financial performance representations and publicly filed FDD data. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Verify all figures with the franchisor and current franchisees before making any investment decision.
vs Full-Service Restaurants averages
How City Brew Tours Compares
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2023 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 16
- Opened
- 1
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 1
- Terminated
- 0
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 0
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- 25.0%
- Company-owned
- 12
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 25%
- vs corporate-owned
- Multi-unit owners
- 1.0%
3-year detail · Item 20
- Opened (3yr)
- 1
- Closed (3yr)
- 1
- Terminated (3yr)
- 0
- Non-renewed (3yr)
- 0
- Transfers (3yr)
- 0
- Reacquired (3yr)
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
- Projected new
- 8
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
- Ceased ops
- 6.3%
- Units that stopped operating
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 12 · 3 states reported
The Territory Map
FDD Item 12 reports the state count, but the specific list isn't in our current data. The map will appear once we re-extract from the FDD or enough franchisee contacts are available.
3
states with franchisees (per FDD Item 12)
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA loan disclosures. This brand has only 2 7(a) loans on file; statistical reliability is limited below 10 loans.
- Total loans
- 2
- Loan volume
- $165K
- Median loan
- $83K
- 50th percentile
- Charge-off rate
- N/A
- limited sample (2 loans) — rate not shown below 10
Historical SBA 7(a) lending data, not predictive of future performance. How SBA charge-off rates are calculated
- Repayment rate (PIF)
- N/A
- 5-yr charge-off
- N/A
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 2
- Defaults
- N/A
Explore lender portfolios on Bank Reports or regional data on State Reports.
What could kill this investment?
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 4, 8, 16, 21
Risk & Legal
City Brew Tours presents meaningful risk due to undisclosed profitability, stagnant unit growth, unprotected territory, and high capital requirements relative to revenue visibility.
Litigation (Item 3)
Item 3 states there is no litigation required to be disclosed.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Sundack CPA LLP
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: Yes
- Kickbacks from required suppliers: Yes
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: No
- Can negotiate own supplier terms: No
Score breakdown · what drove the 53 / 100 verdict
- 01MINOROnly 16 units with unknown growth trajectory suggests stagnation or contraction in system
- 02MINORUnprotected territory creates direct competition risk from other franchisees in same market
- 03MEDHigh initial investment ($76,200-$99,500) relative to disclosed revenue with no income guarantee
- 04MINOR7-year term is relatively short; rebuilding customer base difficult if territory unprotected
- 05MINORRoyalty range of 5.5-8.5% varies widely, indicating unclear fee structure or tiered performance
- 06MEDNo disclosed litigation history is unusual and may indicate incomplete disclosure
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 7.0% of sales (royalty + ad fund), before rent and labor.
Source: FDD 2023 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 7 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 7 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 2 |
| Territory type | protected |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| Territory radius | 25 mi |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Optional |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 1 year |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | No |
| Arbitration location | Waltham (Boston), Massachusetts |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | MA |
| Litigation count | 0 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
Item 3 states there is no litigation required to be disclosed.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 26 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 54 hrs
- Training location
- Virtual/remote and franchisee's Authorized Territory (or a corporate-owned city)
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Time to open
- 2 mo
- From signing to launch
- POS system
- Bookeo
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: Bookeo
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
9 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
City Brew Tours · FDD (2023) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a City Brew Tours franchise?
The total investment to open a City Brew Tours franchise ranges from $76K – $100K, with an initial franchise fee of $38K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do City Brew Tours franchise owners earn?
City Brew Tours does not disclose average franchise owner earnings in their FDD Item 19. Not all franchisors are required to make financial performance representations. We recommend asking existing franchisees directly about their financial experience.
What is Item 19 in the City Brew Tours FDD?
The FDD section where a franchisor may disclose financial performance of its outlets. Disclosure is optional and formats vary; figures are typically gross sales, which is revenue before expenses, not profit. FranchiseVerdict extracts these figures directly from the City Brew Tours FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is City Brew Tours's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for City Brew Tours (fewer than 10 loans on file). Charge-off rates are one way to gauge franchise risk, but not all franchise loans go through the SBA program. We recommend reviewing turnover and closure data in the FDD and speaking with current franchisees.
How many City Brew Tours franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, City Brew Tours has 16 total units in the United States, including 4 franchised units and 12 company-owned units. 1 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is City Brew Tours a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates City Brew Tours as a B-grade franchise with a verdict score of 53 out of 100 (higher is better), based on our analysis of investment costs, revenue data, SBA loan performance, and growth trends. Our rating is based solely on publicly available FDD and government data; we recommend speaking with current franchisees before making any investment decision. This is not investment advice.
Data sourced from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) FOIA records. Not financial advice.
For franchisors
Are you the franchisor?
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Data extracted from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan disclosures (FOIA). This information is provided for research purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Verify all figures with the franchisor's current Franchise Disclosure Document before making any investment decision.