Is Carvel or Long Island Bagel Café cheaper to open?

Carvel costs $428,405–$1,051,200 and Long Island Bagel Café costs $585,200–$882,100 to open (FDD Item 7). Carvel has the lower entry cost.

Which earns more, Carvel or Long Island Bagel Café?

Carvel reports $496,287 average annual unit revenue vs $3,137,051 for Long Island Bagel Café (FDD Item 19). Long Island Bagel Café is higher. For Carvel: Reported as net sales, not gross sales. For Long Island Bagel Café: Includes company-owned outlets.

Which is the better franchise, Carvel or Long Island Bagel Café?

FranchiseVerdict grades Carvel B and Long Island Bagel Café B, from FDD Items 5–7, 19–21 and SBA loan performance. See the full side-by-side above.

Carvel vs Long Island Bagel Café

Franchise Comparison 2026

Both Carvel and Long Island Bagel Café are quick-service restaurants franchises. Carvel requires an investment of $428K – $1.1M while Long Island Bagel Café requires $585K – $882K. In terms of revenue, Long Island Bagel Café reports higher average unit revenue at $3.1M. Note: Includes company-owned outlets. FranchiseVerdict rates Carvel B (Above average) and Long Island Bagel Café B (Above average).

Metric	Carvel	Long Island Bagel Café
Verdict Grade	BAbove average	BAbove average
Investment Range	$428K – $1.1M	$585K – $882K
Franchise Fee	$6K	$35K
Royalty Rate	6.0%	5.0%
Average Revenue (Item 19)	$496K	$3.1MIncl. company outlets
SBA Charge-Off Rate	Limited data	N/A
Total Units	360	7
Unit Growth (YoY)	+23 units	+0 units
Year Began Franchising	1947	2019
FDD Year	2026	2025