Is Russo’s New York Pizzeria or The Flying Biscuit Cafe cheaper to open?

Russo’s New York Pizzeria costs $439,350–$1,501,000 and The Flying Biscuit Cafe costs $766,750–$1,171,350 to open (FDD Item 7). Russo’s New York Pizzeria has the lower entry cost.

Which is the better franchise, Russo’s New York Pizzeria or The Flying Biscuit Cafe?

FranchiseVerdict grades Russo’s New York Pizzeria F and The Flying Biscuit Cafe B, from FDD Items 5–7, 19–21 and SBA loan performance. See the full side-by-side above.

Russo’s New York Pizzeria vs The Flying Biscuit Cafe

Franchise Comparison 2026

Both Russo’s New York Pizzeria and The Flying Biscuit Cafe are full-service restaurants franchises. Russo’s New York Pizzeria requires an investment of $439K – $1.5M while The Flying Biscuit Cafe requires $767K – $1.2M. Russo’s New York Pizzeria discloses average revenue of $882K; The Flying Biscuit Cafe does not report Item 19 data. The Flying Biscuit Cafe has SBA lending data on file with a 0.0% charge-off rate. FranchiseVerdict rates Russo’s New York Pizzeria F (Weakest tier) and The Flying Biscuit Cafe B (Above average).

Metric	Russo’s New York Pizzeria	The Flying Biscuit Cafe
Verdict Grade	FWeakest tierWeakest tier	BAbove averageAbove average
Investment Range	$439K – $1.5M	$767K – $1.2M
Franchise Fee	$35K	$45K
Royalty Rate	6.0%	5.0%
Average Revenue (Item 19)	$882K	N/AIncl. company outlets
SBA Charge-Off Rate	Limited data	0.0% (13 loans)
Total Units	34	35
Unit Growth (YoY)	N/A	N/A
Year Began Franchising	1998	2006
FDD Year	2025	2025