Is First Watch or Crooked Pint Ale House cheaper to open?

First Watch costs $1,210,150–$2,028,800 and Crooked Pint Ale House costs $1,191,800–$2,104,000 to open (FDD Item 7). Crooked Pint Ale House has the lower entry cost.

Which is the better franchise, First Watch or Crooked Pint Ale House?

FranchiseVerdict grades First Watch A and Crooked Pint Ale House B, from FDD Items 5–7, 19–21 and SBA loan performance. See the full side-by-side above.

First Watch vs Crooked Pint Ale House

Franchise Comparison 2026

Both First Watch and Crooked Pint Ale House are full-service restaurants franchises. First Watch requires an investment of $1.2M – $2.0M while Crooked Pint Ale House requires $1.2M – $2.1M. Crooked Pint Ale House discloses average revenue of $2.0M; First Watch makes no financial performance representation in its Item 19, which is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule. Note: Covers a partial period, not a full year. FranchiseVerdict rates First Watch A (Strongest tier) and Crooked Pint Ale House B (Above average).

Metric	First Watch	Crooked Pint Ale House
Verdict Grade	AStrongest tier	BAbove average
Investment Range	$1.2M – $2.0M	$1.2M – $2.1M
Franchise Fee	$40K	$55K
Royalty Rate	4.0%	4.0%
Average Revenue (Item 19)	N/ANo Item 19 representation	$2.0M
SBA Charge-Off Rate	Limited data	Limited data
Total Units	474	14
Unit Growth (YoY)	+14 units	-1 units
Year Began Franchising	2008	2012
FDD Year	2023	2025