Petro Stopping Centers Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
- Investment
- $1.6M – $28.9M
- Disclosed sales
- not disclosed
- SBA charge-off
- Not SBA-matched
Data from FDD filing
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Petro Stopping Centers, part of TA, is a travel-center and truck-stop franchise offering fuel, restaurants, convenience retail, and driver services like showers and parking. Franchisees own and operate a large travel plaza managing fuel, foodservice, and retail.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Petro Stopping Centers franchise requires a total initial investment of $1.6M – $28.9M, including a $140K franchise fee and an ongoing 4.5% royalty[2]. This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. FranchiseVerdict grade: B (Above average), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Sources, dates and evidence
FDD issued: · Data extracted: · Last cited check: · Staleness risk: low - issued within the last 12 months
Evidence: strong✓ Investment (Item 7)✓ Item 19 status✓ Units and owners (Item 20)✗ SBA loan coverage✓ Litigation (Item 3)✓ Financial statements (Item 21)✓ Franchisor identityhow this is scored3 of 4 headline figures on this page cite a page of the filing; the rest are marked “Not cited” beside the figure.
Overview
- Investment
- $1.6M – $28.9M
- 93rd pct Pet Services
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Royalty
- 4.5%
- 6th pct Pet Services
- Units
- 77
- 75th pct Pet Services
- SBA charge-off
- N/A
Quick verdict · Pet Services · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Pet Services median · 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 $1.6M – $28.9M including a $140K franchise fee, 4.5% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSThis franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that.
- RISKVerdict B (Above average), verdict score 59/100 (higher is better).
- GROWTHPositive: net +7 franchised outlets in the latest year (8 opened, 1 closed) (Item 20).
- LEGAL10 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
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Petro Franchise Systems LLC
- Parent company
- TravelCenters of America Inc.
- FDD Item 1, page 9 of the 2026 FDD
- Ultimate parent
- BP Products North America Inc.
- FDD Item 1, page 9 of the 2026 FDD
- CEO title
- Chief Executive Officer and Director
- Jason Nordin
- Incorporated in
- DE
- HQ
- 24601 Center Ridge Road, Westlake, Ohio 44145-5634
- Auditor
- Deloitte & Touche LLP
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $77.3B
- vs $79.4B prior year
Overview
About
- CEO
- Jason Nordin
- Headquarters
- OH
- Founded
- 2008
- FDD year
- 2026
- States available
- 14
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 4560% above the typical pet services franchise.
Source: FDD 2026 · Items 5–7
FDD Item 7 · 2026 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $140K | $140K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $491K | $2.7M |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $928K | $26.1M |
| Total initial investment | $1.6M | $28.9M |
Source: Petro Stopping Centers 2026 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
- $1.6M – $28.9M
- Bottom third — review vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $491K – $2.7M
- Bottom third — review vs category
- Franchise fee
- $140K – $140K
- Bottom third — review vs category
- Royalty
- 4.5%
- Set by a formula · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- $3,000 per month flat fee (Monthly Advertising Fee), incr…
- Total fee load
- 4.5%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 4.5% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $100 |
| Training fee | $35K |
| Transfer fee | $45K |
| Renewal fee | $25K |
| Inventory (initial) | $0 – $1.6M |
| Total fee load | 4.5% of rev |
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
Petro Stopping Centers makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD - a voluntary item under the FTC Franchise Rule - so no unit revenue figures are disclosed. The return models need a revenue figure to start from, and the operating costs that turn gross sales into a profit are in no FDD. Enter your own and the calculator runs on your assumptions — nothing here is modelled until you do.
Returns model · single-unit ROIC
What would one Petro Stopping Centers unit return on the cash you put in?
Illustrative category typicals — not sourced to any filing, survey or sample. Replace them with figures from franchisee validation calls before you rely on the output.
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Your modelled return on total invested capital, before any debt financing.
—
An FDD discloses gross sales, not profit. We hold no sourced figure for annual revenue, ad fund rate, COGS, labour, rent / occupancy and other operating costs, and will not substitute an assumed one. Enter your own and the model runs on your assumptions.
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: 2026 FDD
Financial Performance
No financial performance representation
This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that.
Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
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 4.5% — below the Pet Services median of 8.0%.
Disclosure
This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Operator retention
System expanding at 63.6% CAGR over 3 years across 77 units — operators are staying and new ones are joining.
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 Pet Services medians
How Petro Stopping Centers Compares
Category median of published Pet Services brands that report the figure; the middle half spans the 25th to 75th percentile and n counts the brands behind it. Medians are used because a few very large systems pull an average far from the typical brand. Revenue is disclosed gross sales, not profit.
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2026 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 77
- Opened
- 8
- 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
- 1.3%
- Company-owned
- 59
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 23%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (3-yr)
- +63.6%
- Net unit change over 3 years
- 3-yr CAGR
- +63.6%
- Compounded over last 3 years
Last fiscal year · Item 20 exits and transfers
- Terminated
- 0
- Not renewed
- 0
- Transferred
- 1
- Reacquired
- 1
- Franchisor bought back
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 12 · 14 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.
14
states with franchisees (per FDD Item 12)
Fast growth in a small system. Newer franchisors expanding quickly may not yet have the support infrastructure of larger systems.
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.
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
Litigation (Item 3)
Subject: officers or affiliates. The franchisor is not a named party in these cases.
Petro Franchise Systems LLC has no pending or concluded litigation. Parent/affiliate entities have 5 currently effective injunctions (California UST compliance, CFTC propane manipulation, ARCO antitrust, Atlantic Refining FTC, Richfield Oil antitrust) and several pending matters including Deepwater Horizon oil spill proceedings, Pennsylvania and Maryland MTBE lawsuits, and Mexican class actions.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Deloitte & Touche LLP
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Item 21 financials are the audited consolidated statements of BP Corporation North America Inc. (BPCNA), the indirect parent that guarantees Petro Franchise's performance; figures originally reported in US$ millions and converted to absolute dollars. franchisor_net_worth reflects BPCNA shareholders' equity ($21,930M); total equity including non-controlling interests is $35,093M.
ⓘ These are the parent company's consolidated financials (the parent guarantees the franchisor), not this brand's standalone results — the figure reflects the whole corporate group, not this brand alone.
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: Yes
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
Score breakdown · what drove the 59 / 100 verdict
- 01HIGHMassive litigation exposure: Deepwater Horizon (hundreds of lawsuits), UST environmental liability, MTBE contamination, antitrust/price manipulation, and False Claims Act settlement create ongoing financial and reputational risk
- 02MINORComplex tiered royalty structure (4.5%/2% on QSR + per-gallon fuel fees) creates revenue leakage; fuel margins are notoriously thin in this sector
- 03MINOREnvironmental liability exposure (USTs, MTBE) creates potential franchisee indemnification risk if parent company defaults
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 4.5% of sales (royalty + ad fund), before rent and labor.
Source: FDD 2026 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 10 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 5 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 2 |
| Territory type | Protected territory |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| Online sales rightsℹ | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Optional |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Non-compete (miles)ℹ | 75 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | No |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Termination groundsℹ | 1 |
| Curable defaultsℹ | 9 |
| Mandatory arbitration | No |
| Jury trial waiver | No |
| Governing law | OH |
| Litigation count | 10 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
Petro Franchise Systems LLC has no pending or concluded litigation. Parent/affiliate entities have 5 currently effective injunctions (California UST compliance, CFTC propane manipulation, ARCO antitrust, Atlantic Refining FTC, Richfield Oil antitrust) and several pending matters including Deepwater Horizon oil spill proceedings, Pennsylvania and Maryland MTBE lawsuits, and Mexican class actions.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 120 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 406 hrs
- Training location
- Company Location (Petro/TA Operating sites), Petro Training Center Lodi OH, Your Site
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Time to open
- 30 mo
- From signing to launch
- Site selection
- Franchisee selects, franchisor must approve (generally within 30 days of signing)
- POS system
- Proprietary Systems
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: Proprietary Systems
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
13 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Petro Stopping Centers franchise?
The total investment to open a Petro Stopping Centers franchise ranges from $1.6M – $28.9M, with an initial franchise fee of $140K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Petro Stopping Centers franchise owners earn?
Petro Stopping Centers makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD - a voluntary item under the FTC Franchise Rule - so no unit revenue figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Who owns Petro Stopping Centers?
Petro Stopping Centers is franchised by Petro Franchise Systems LLC. Its parent company is TravelCenters of America Inc.. The ultimate parent named in the FDD is BP Products North America Inc.. Source: FDD Item 1, 2026 filing.
What is Item 19 in the Petro Stopping Centers 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 Petro Stopping Centers FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is Petro Stopping Centers's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Petro Stopping Centers (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 Petro Stopping Centers franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Petro Stopping Centers has 77 total units in the United States, including 18 franchised units and 59 company-owned units. 8 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is Petro Stopping Centers a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Petro Stopping Centers as a B-grade franchise with a verdict score of 59 out of 100 (higher is better). The grade is a deterministic score built from six weighted dimensions — financial health, unit economics, unit growth, scale, legal, and transparency — then calibrated against SBA loan charge-off rates and FDD age. Transparency is one of the six, so a filing that discloses less scores lower on that dimension than one that discloses more. 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
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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.