Is Island Fin Poke or Wafels & Dinges cheaper to open?

Island Fin Poke costs $274,050–$440,000 and Wafels & Dinges costs $217,800–$498,650 to open (FDD Item 7). Wafels & Dinges has the lower entry cost.

Which earns more, Island Fin Poke or Wafels & Dinges?

Island Fin Poke reports $530,811 average annual unit revenue vs $900,103 for Wafels & Dinges (FDD Item 19). Wafels & Dinges is higher. For Island Fin Poke: Reported for a subset of outlets rather than the whole system. For Wafels & Dinges: Company-owned outlets only - not franchisee performance.

Which is the better franchise, Island Fin Poke or Wafels & Dinges?

FranchiseVerdict grades Island Fin Poke C and Wafels & Dinges D, from FDD Items 5–7, 19–21 and SBA loan performance. See the full side-by-side above.

Island Fin Poke vs Wafels & Dinges

Franchise Comparison 2026

Both Island Fin Poke and Wafels & Dinges are quick-service restaurants franchises. Island Fin Poke requires an investment of $274K – $440K while Wafels & Dinges requires $218K – $499K. In terms of revenue, Wafels & Dinges reports higher average unit revenue at $900K. Note: Company-owned outlets only - not franchisee performance. FranchiseVerdict rates Island Fin Poke C (Average) and Wafels & Dinges D (Below average).

Metric	Island Fin Poke	Wafels & Dinges
Verdict Grade	CAverage	DBelow average
Investment Range	$274K – $440K	$218K – $499K
Franchise Fee	$40K	$35K
Royalty Rate	5.0%	6.0%
Average Revenue (Item 19)	$531KOutlet subset	$900KCompany-owned only
SBA Charge-Off Rate	Limited data	N/A
Total Units	23	10
Unit Growth (YoY)	-2 units	+0 units
Year Began Franchising	2018	2021
FDD Year	2024	2022