Jani-KingFranchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Jani-King franchise requires a total initial investment of $13K – $218K, including a $10K franchise fee and an ongoing 10.0% royalty[2]. The 2025 FDD does not disclose unit-level revenue (no Item 19). Verdict grade: A. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified June 18, 2026 · figures per the 2025 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $13K – $218K
- 2nd pct Cleaning & Ma…
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- 56th pct Cleaning & Ma…
- Royalty
- 10.0%
- 50th pct Cleaning & Ma…
- Units
- 4,872
- 84th pct Cleaning & Ma…
- SBA default
- 0.0%
- system-wide median varies by category
Quick verdict · Cleaning & Maintenance · color = vs category peers
Green = >15% above Cleaning & Maintenance 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
Franchised units fell from 4980 to 4859 over 3 years. Investigate why operators are leaving.
The franchisor's auditor raised doubt about continued operations. This is a serious risk signal.
17 legal cases disclosed in the FDD. Read Item 3 before signing.
Large franchise systems benefit from brand recognition, supply chain leverage, and proven operations.
Bottom line
- Total investment $13K – $218K including a $10K franchise fee, 10.0% ongoing royalty.
- No Item 19 financial performance data disclosed. The franchisor chose not to publish revenue figures.
- Verdict A (Top Quintile) with a risk score of 34/100.
- Auditor disclosed a going-concern note, which flagged doubt about the franchisor's ability to continue operations. Verify against the latest FDD.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
- Legal entity
- Focus Franchising, Inc. and Forward Franchising, Inc.
- Parent company
- Jani-King International, Inc.
- Incorporated in
- WI
- HQ
- 6472 Ronald Reagan Avenue, Madison, WI 53704
- Auditor
- BDO USA, P.C.
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $174.2M
- vs $167.2M prior year
- ⚠ Going-concern note
- Disclosed in FDD 2025
- Auditor flagged doubt about continued operations. Verify against the latest FDD before deciding.
Overview
About
Jani-King franchisees operate commercial cleaning contracts for office buildings, retail spaces, and industrial facilities. Day-to-day work involves managing cleaning crews (or performing work themselves), scheduling service routes, maintaining equipment, and billing clients. Revenue scales with customer acquisition and retention, while profitability depends on labor cost management and operational efficiency.
- CEO
- Jeffrey Weyker
- Headquarters
- WI
- Founded
- 2013
- FDD year
- 2025
- States available
- 41
FDD Item 7 · 2025 filing · 7 line items
Initial investment breakdown
| Line item | Low | High | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $5K | $196K | |
| Real Estate | $0 | $5K | |
| Supplies | $2K | $2K | |
| Equipment | $3K | $10K | |
| Security deposits, license registrations, etc. | $100 | $1K | |
| Business Entity Establishment Fees | $100 | $1K | |
| Additional Funds (120 days) | $800 | $9K | |
| Total initial investment | $11K | $223K |
Line items extracted from FDD Item 7. Ranges reflect the franchisor's stated low and high per line. Total is the sum of line-item lows / highs — actual costs may fall outside this range depending on market and build-out scope.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $13K – $218K
- Better than avg vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $800 – $9K
- Better than avg vs category
- Franchise fee
- $5K – $196K
- Better than avg vs category
- Royalty
- 10.0%
- Gross Revenue · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 1.5%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 12.5%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 10.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 1.5% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $1 |
| Training fee | $50 |
| Transfer fee | $2K |
| Renewal fee | $0 |
| Inventory (initial) | $2K – $2K |
| Total fee load | 12.5% of rev |
Financial Performance
This franchisor did not disclose financial performance representations in Item 19, or our extractor could not parse them.
vs Cleaning & Maintenance averages
How Jani-King Compares
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 4,872
- Opened
- 403
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 140
- Turnover rate
- 2.9%
- Company-owned
- 13
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 100%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (yr3)
- -1.2%
- Net unit change last year
- 3-yr CAGR
- -2.4%
- Compounded over last 3 years
3-year detail · Item 20
- Opened (3yr)
- 1
- Closed (3yr)
- 12
- Terminated (3yr)
- 0
- Non-renewed (3yr)
- 4
- Transfers (3yr)
- 64
- Reacquired (3yr)
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
- Termination rate
- 30.8%
- Franchisor-initiated terminations
- Ceased ops
- 92.3%
- Units that stopped operating
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 12 · 41 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.
41
states with franchisees (per FDD Item 12)
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA loan disclosures. This brand has only 3 7(a) loans on file; statistical reliability is limited below 10 loans.
- Total loans
- 3
- Loan volume
- $160K
- Median loan
- $50K
- 50th percentile
- Charge-off rate
- 0.0%
- rates vary by category · see methodology
Historical SBA 7(a) lending data, not predictive of future performance. How SBA charge-off rates are calculated
- Repayment rate (PIF)
- 100.0%
- 5-yr charge-off
- N/A
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 3
- Defaults
- 0
Explore lender portfolios on Bank Reports or regional data on State Reports.
Premium insight
SBA Lending Report
Deep-dive into Jani-King's SBA lending history: lender network, geographic footprint, interest rates, and more.
SBA Lending Report
- Principal loss rate and NAICS industry benchmark
- 3 lenders with concentration factor
- Per-state charge-off rates across 3 states
- Startup risk premium and job creation velocity
- 3-year lending trend
Instant access. No subscription.
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 5, 6, 12, 17
Risk & Legal
Jani-King presents high risk due to shrinking franchisee base, unresolved litigation over worker classification, opaque financials, and parent company financial distress.
Litigation (Item 3)
0 case reference(s): 0 pending, 0 settled.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
Disclosed in last 7 years
Bankruptcy Code or in proceedings under the laws of foreign nations relating to bankruptcy required to be disclosed in this Item. JK INT’L No person previously identified in Items 1 or 2 of this Disclosure Document has been involved as a debtor in proceedings under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code or in pro
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · BDO USA, P.C.⚠ Going-concern note flagged
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: No
- Must buy proprietary products: No
- Restricted to system-approved products: No
Score breakdown · what drove the 34 / 100 rating
- 01MINORDeclining unit count (-1.2% YoY) suggests system contraction and potential franchisee attrition
- 02MINORMultiple class action lawsuits alleging worker misclassification and wage/hour violations create legal and operational risk
- 03MINORWide investment range ($12,955–$218,100) indicates inconsistent unit economics and unclear cost structure
- 04MEDNo disclosed average revenue or net income prevents ROI validation and masks profitability concerns
- 05MINORUnprotected territory creates direct competition risk and revenue cannibalization within the system
- 06MINOR10% royalty on gross revenue (not net) penalizes franchisees during low-margin periods
- 07HIGHGoing concern status suggests parent company financial instability despite 4,872-unit system size
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 | 10 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 10 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 3 |
| Territory type | non_exclusive |
| Protected territory | No |
| Online sales rightsℹ | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Required |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 1 year |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Curable defaultsℹ | 2 |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Texas |
| Litigation count | 17 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
0 case reference(s): 0 pending, 0 settled.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 22 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 8 hrs
- Training location
- On-site and corporate
- Site selection
- franchisee
- Franchisor financing
- Offered
- Item 10
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
5 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
Jani-King · FDD (2025) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Jani-King franchise?
The total investment to open a Jani-King franchise ranges from $13K – $218K, with an initial franchise fee of $10K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Jani-King franchise owners earn?
Jani-King 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 Jani-King's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Jani-King (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 Jani-King franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Jani-King has 4,872 total units in the United States, including 4,980 franchised units and 13 company-owned units. 403 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is Jani-King a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Jani-King as a A-grade franchise with a risk score of 34 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.