Postcard CabinsFranchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Postcard Cabins franchise requires a total initial investment of $8.5M – $11.6M, including a $50K franchise fee and an ongoing 5.0% royalty[2]. The 2024 FDD does not disclose unit-level revenue (no Item 19). Verdict grade: C. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified June 18, 2026 · figures per the 2024 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $8.5M – $11.6M
- 37th 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.
18 legal cases disclosed in the FDD. Read Item 3 before signing.
Bottom line
- Total investment $8.5M – $11.6M including a $50K franchise fee, 5.0% ongoing royalty.
- No Item 19 financial performance data disclosed. The franchisor chose not to publish revenue figures.
- Verdict C (Average) with a risk score of 67/100.
- 18 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
- $87.9M
- vs $94.4M prior year
Overview
About
Postcard Cabins franchisees operate vacation cabin rental properties (likely boutique/upscale accommodations) generating revenue through nightly room sales. Franchisees manage booking systems, guest services, facility maintenance, and marketing while paying 5% of gross room revenue to the franchisor. The model depends on tourism demand, property management efficiency, and digital reservation platform performance.
- 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 | $50K | $50K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $50K | $55K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $8.4M | $11.5M |
| Total initial investment | $8.5M | $11.6M |
Source: Postcard Cabins 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
- $8.5M – $11.6M
- Better than avg vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $50K – $55K
- Better than avg vs category
- Franchise fee
- $50K – $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 Postcard Cabins 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 · 5 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
Postcard Cabins presents extreme risk: zero operating units, going concern status, ongoing major litigation, undisclosed financials, and massive capital requirements create a combination suggesting a failed or failing franchise system with significant legal liabilities.
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Ernst & Young LLP
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Score breakdown · what drove the 67 / 100 rating
- 01HIGHGoing concern status indicates franchisor financial distress and potential inability to support franchisees
- 02MINORZero operating units with unknown growth trajectory suggests failed or non-existent franchise system
- 03HIGHMajor data security litigation (Starwood breach) and government investigations create ongoing liability exposure for franchisees
- 04MINORNo average revenue or net income disclosure prevents ROI validation on $8.5M-$11.6M investment
- 05MINORUnprotected territory combined with no unit growth indicates competitive vulnerability and market saturation risk
- 06MEDHigh initial investment ($8.5M+) with 5% royalty on undisclosed revenues creates cash flow uncertainty
- 07MINORMultiple putative class actions and antitrust disputes involving affiliates suggest systemic operational/legal problems
- 08MINOR20-year term locks franchisees into relationship with financially unstable franchisor
- 09MINORResort/destination fee display investigations indicate pricing transparency issues affecting customer trust and revenue
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 | Granted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Optional |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Maryland |
| Litigation count | 18 |
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 111 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 0 hrs
- POS system
- Marriott designated property management system
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: Marriott designated property management system
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
37 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
Postcard Cabins · FDD (2024) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Postcard Cabins franchise?
The total investment to open a Postcard Cabins franchise ranges from $8.5M – $11.6M, with an initial franchise fee of $50K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Postcard Cabins franchise owners earn?
Postcard Cabins 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 Postcard Cabins's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Postcard Cabins (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 Postcard Cabins a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Postcard Cabins as a C-grade franchise with a risk score of 67 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.