Planet Wings Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Planet Wings is a quick-service franchise specializing in chicken wings, sauces, and casual fare. Franchisees run the restaurants, managing food prep, staffing, and takeout and delivery.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Planet Wings franchise requires a total initial investment of $396K – $819K, including a $25K franchise fee and an ongoing 6.0% royalty[2]. The 2024 FDD does not disclose unit-level revenue (no Item 19). FranchiseVerdict grade: F (Weakest tier), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified · figures per the 2024 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $396K – $819K
- 65th pct Service Resta…
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- 46th pct Service Resta…
- Units
- 10
- 37th pct Service Resta…
- SBA charge-off
- N/A
Quick verdict · Quick-Service Restaurants · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Quick-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 $396K – $819K including a $25K franchise fee, 6.0% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSFigures from audited financial statements of Planet Wings Enterprises, Inc. (the franchisor), fiscal year ended October 31, 2023, stated in whole US dollars. Revenue consists solely of Royalty Income ($266,244 in FY2023, $375,756 in FY2022). Balance sheet reconciles: total assets $6,935 = liabilities (accounts payable) $15,575 + stockholder's deficit -$8,640. Auditor noted substantial doubt about going concern.
- RISKVerdict F (Weakest tier), verdict score 23/100 (higher is better).
- DATANo Item 19 financial performance representation. Without franchisor-disclosed revenue data, you'll need to gather unit economics directly from existing franchisees.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Planet Wings Enterprises, Inc.
- CEO title
- President
- Franco Fidanza
- CEO experience
- 28 yrs
- Years in role or industry
- Founder active
- Yes
- Original founder still leading the business
- Incorporated in
- NY
- HQ
- 265 Route 211 East, Suite 111, Middletown, New York 10940
- Auditor
- PKF O'Connor Davies, LLP
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $266K
- vs $376K prior year
Overview
About
- CEO
- Franco Fidanza
- Headquarters
- NY
- Founded
- 2000
- FDD year
- 2024
- States available
- 4
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 8% below the typical quick-service restaurants franchise.
Source: FDD 2024 · Items 5–7
Full Item 7 breakdown16 line items
Initial investment breakdown
| Line item | Low | High | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Feenot refundable | $25K | $25K | |
| Leasehold Improvementsnot refundable | $150K | $250K | |
| Lease Payments - 3 Monthsnot refundable | $7K | $20K | |
| Security Deposits | $7K | $15K | |
| Equipment/Furniture and Fixturesnot refundable | $115K | $350K | |
| Signagenot refundable | $15K | $25K | |
| Initial Inventorynot refundable | $15K | $25K | |
| Blue Prints and Plansnot refundable | $12K | $20K | |
| Point of Sale Systemnot refundable | $20K | $30K | |
| Office Equipment and Suppliesnot refundable | $2K | $4K | |
| Travel, Lodging and Meals for Initial Trainingnot refundable | $3K | $4K | |
| Licenses and Permitsnot refundable | $3K | $4K | |
| Insurance - Annualnot refundable | $9K | $12K | |
| Start-Up Marketingnot refundable | $5K | $5K | |
| Professional Feesnot refundable | $3K | $5K | |
| Additional Fundsnot refundable | $30K | $50K | |
| Total initial investment | $421K | $844K |
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
- $396K – $819K
- Middle of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $30K – $50K
- Middle of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $25K – $25K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- percentage · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 1.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 7.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 6.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 1.0% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $100 |
| Training fee | $3K |
| Transfer fee | $5K |
| Renewal fee | $0 |
| Inventory (initial) | $15K – $25K |
| Total fee load | 7.0% of rev |
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
Planet Wings 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 Planet Wings unit return on the cash you put in?
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Estimated return on your total franchise investment, before any debt financing.
17%
Below the 30–60% attractive-franchise band
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: 2024 FDD
Financial Performance
Figures from audited financial statements of Planet Wings Enterprises, Inc. (the franchisor), fiscal year ended October 31, 2023, stated in whole US dollars. Revenue consists solely of Royalty Income ($266,244 in FY2023, $375,756 in FY2022). Balance sheet reconciles: total assets $6,935 = liabilities (accounts payable) $15,575 + stockholder's deficit -$8,640. Auditor noted substantial doubt about going concern.
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 Quick-Service Restaurants average).
Disclosure
Franchisor chose not to disclose financial performance representations. You will need to gather unit economics directly from existing franchisees.
Operator retention
System shrank 40.0% over 3 years — 1 closures. Ask existing franchisees about local market conditions.
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 Quick-Service Restaurants averages
How Planet Wings Compares
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2024 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 10
- Opened
- 0
- 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
- 66.7%
- Company-owned
- 4
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 60%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (3-yr)
- -40.0%
- Net unit change over 3 years
- 3-yr CAGR
- -40.0%
- Compounded over last 3 years
3-year detail · Item 20
- Opened (3yr)
- 0
- Closed (3yr)
- 4
- Terminated (3yr)
- 0
- Non-renewed (3yr)
- 0
- Transfers (3yr)
- 1
- Reacquired (3yr)
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
- Projected new
- 0
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
- Continuity rate
- 85.7%
- Units that stayed open
- Ceased ops
- 10.0%
- Units that stopped operating
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 20 · 3 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 loan disclosures. This brand has only 2 7(a) loans on file; statistical reliability is limited below 10 loans.
- Total loans
- 2
- Loan volume
- $235K
- Median loan
- $118K
- 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
Planet Wings exhibits severe contraction (down 14.3% YoY to just 10 units), litigation history, undisclosed financials, and going concern status—making this a high-risk investment unsuitable for most franchisees.
Litigation (Item 3)
Faraonov v. Planet Wings Enterprises (2010): plaintiffs alleged $25,000 paid to agent without receiving franchise; settled with $50,299.98 reimbursement paid in full as of October 31, 2012
Largest disclosed settlement: $50,299
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · PKF O'Connor Davies, LLP
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: No
- Kickbacks from required suppliers: Yes
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
- Can negotiate own supplier terms: No
Score breakdown · what drove the 23 / 100 verdict
- 01MEDSevere unit decline of 14.3% YoY (10 units remaining) suggests systemic operational or market problems
- 02MEDNo disclosed average revenue or net income data prevents ROI validation and indicates potential FDD transparency issues
- 03HIGHLitigation history involving franchise non-delivery and $50K settlement reimbursement raises fraud/execution concerns
- 04MINORHigh investment range ($395K-$818K) with 6% royalty fee structure is difficult to justify without profitability disclosure
- 05HIGHGoing concern status combined with shrinking franchise base indicates financial instability at corporate level
- 06MINOR10-year term is long given unit erosion rate; franchisees may be locked into declining system
- 07MINORProtected territory means nothing if brand cannot support existing locations or maintain operational standards
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 2024 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 10 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 10 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 1 |
| Territory type | protected |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| Territory population | 30,000 |
| Online sales rightsℹ | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Required |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Non-compete (miles)ℹ | 25 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| RoFR response window | 30 days |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | New York |
| Jury trial waiver | No |
| Governing law | NY |
| Litigation count | 1 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
Faraonov v. Planet Wings Enterprises (2010): plaintiffs alleged $25,000 paid to agent without receiving franchise; settled with $50,299.98 reimbursement paid in full as of October 31, 2012
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 15 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 26 hrs
- Training location
- Middletown/Newburgh, New York
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Field support
- 56 hrs/yr
- On-site visits per year
- Time to open
- 4 mo
- From signing to launch
- Site selection
- Franchisee with franchisor approval
- Franchisor financing
- Not offered
- Item 10
- POS system
- Microworks POS Solutions
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: Microworks POS Solutions
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
7 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
Planet Wings · FDD (2024) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Planet Wings franchise?
The total investment to open a Planet Wings franchise ranges from $396K – $819K, with an initial franchise fee of $25K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Planet Wings franchise owners earn?
Planet Wings 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 Planet Wings 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 Planet Wings FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is Planet Wings's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Planet Wings (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 Planet Wings franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Planet Wings has 10 total units in the United States, including 6 franchised units and 4 company-owned units.
Is Planet Wings a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Planet Wings as a F-grade franchise with a verdict score of 23 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?
If you represent Planet Wings, you can request corrections or provide updated information.
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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.