City Express by MarriottFranchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A City Express by Marriott franchise requires a total initial investment of $2.8M – $4.9M, including a $75K franchise fee and an ongoing 5.0% royalty[2]. The 2024 FDD does not disclose unit-level revenue (no Item 19). Verdict grade: D. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified June 18, 2026 · figures per the 2024 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $2.8M – $4.9M
- 30th pct Lodging
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- 2nd pct Lodging
- Royalty
- 5.0%
- 4th pct Lodging
- Units
- 0
- 0th pct Lodging
- SBA default
- N/A
Quick verdict · Lodging · color = vs category peers
Green = >15% above Lodging avg · No shading = within ±15% · Red = >15% below avg · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Started franchising in 2024. Newer systems carry more uncertainty but may offer better territories.
20 legal cases disclosed in the FDD. Read Item 3 before signing.
Bottom line
- Total investment $2.8M – $4.9M including a $75K franchise fee, 5.0% ongoing royalty.
- No Item 19 financial performance data disclosed. The franchisor chose not to publish revenue figures.
- Verdict D (Below Average) with a risk score of 70/100.
- 20 litigation matters disclosed in Item 3, higher than typical. Review the summary for patterns (franchisor-initiated vs. franchisee-initiated).
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
- Legal entity
- MIF, L.L.C.
- Parent company
- Marriott International, Inc.
- Incorporated in
- DE
- HQ
- 7750 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, Maryland 20814
- Auditor
- Ernst & Young LLP
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $88K
- vs $94K prior year
Overview
About
Franchisees operate limited-service hotel properties under the City Express by Marriott brand, managing day-to-day operations including front desk, housekeeping, maintenance, and guest services while paying Marriott 5% royalties on all room revenue. Daily responsibilities include revenue management, staffing oversight, compliance with brand standards, and handling guest relations within the economy/midscale segment.
- CEO
- Anthony Capuano
- Headquarters
- MD
- Founded
- 2012
- FDD year
- 2024
- States available
- 0
FDD Item 7 · 2024 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $75K | $75K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $300K | $500K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $2.4M | $4.3M |
| Total initial investment | $2.8M | $4.9M |
Source: City Express by Marriott 2024 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
- $2.8M – $4.9M
- Better than avg vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $300K – $500K
- Better than avg vs category
- Franchise fee
- $75K – $100K
- Better than avg vs category
- Royalty
- 5.0%
- Gross Room Sales · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 1.5%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 6.5%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 5.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 1.5% of gross sales |
| Transfer fee | $100K |
| Total fee load | 6.5% of rev |
Financial Performance
This franchisor did not disclose financial performance representations in Item 19, or our extractor could not parse them.
vs Lodging averages
How City Express by Marriott Compares
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 0
- Opened
- 0
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 0
- Company-owned
- 0
- Corporate units in the system
3-year detail · Item 20
- Transfers (3yr)
- 0
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 20 · 7 states with active franchisees
The Territory Map
Derived from franchisee contact records. Shows states with at least one current operator. Not where the franchisor is registered to sell new units (that data is re-extracting in a future refresh).
States derived from franchisee contact records (FDD Item 20). Shows states with at least one current operator on file. Full state registration data (Item 12) will appear on a future FDD refresh.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
No SBA loan data available for this brand.
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 5, 6, 12, 17
Risk & Legal
High-risk franchise with zero unit transparency, active multi-front litigation, unprotected territory, no financial disclosure, and unclear going concern status—unsuitable for most investors.
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Ernst & Young LLP
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Score breakdown · what drove the 70 / 100 rating
- 01HIGHGoing concern status is FALSE, indicating potential financial viability questions at corporate level
- 02MEDZero disclosed franchise units with unknown growth trajectory suggests brand either new, failing, or data transparency issues
- 03HIGHExtensive litigation portfolio including data security class action, state AG investigations, antitrust claims, and contractual disputes indicates systemic corporate governance problems
- 04MINORNo average revenue or net income disclosure (no Item 19) prevents ROI validation on $2.75M-$4.85M investment
- 05MINORUnprotected territory creates direct competition risk and revenue cannibalization among franchisees
- 06MINOR5% royalty on gross room sales (not net) combined with high capex requirements creates margin squeeze risk
- 07HIGHMarriott brand association provides some credibility, but litigation suggests parent company distance or weak oversight
- 08MINOR20-year term locks franchisees into relationship with litigious corporate entity
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
FDD Items 5, 6, 12, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 20 years |
|---|---|
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 0 |
| Protected territory | No |
| Online sales rights | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Optional |
| Right of first refusalℹ | No |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Maryland |
| Litigation count | 20 |
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 112 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 0 hrs
- POS system
- MARSHA and One Yield
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: MARSHA and One Yield
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
19 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
City Express by Marriott · FDD (2024) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a City Express by Marriott franchise?
The total investment to open a City Express by Marriott franchise ranges from $2.8M – $4.9M, with an initial franchise fee of $75K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do City Express by Marriott franchise owners earn?
City Express by Marriott 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 City Express by Marriott's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for City Express by Marriott (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.
Is City Express by Marriott a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates City Express by Marriott as a D-grade franchise with a risk score of 70 out of 100, 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.
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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.