Compare
2 brands side-by-side
Compare up to 4 brands side by side
indicates the clear winner per row. Ties and missing data are not highlighted.
How winners are chosen
Lower is better for investment, liquid capital, franchise fee, royalty and ad-fund rates, SBA charge-off rate, and owner turnover.
Higher is better for disclosed revenue and owner earnings, verdict score, total units, net unit growth, and franchisee contacts. For the letter grade, A ranks highest.
A row is highlighted only when one brand clearly leads. Ties are never highlighted, and missing data never counts as a win. Some rows (earnings-metric type, loan counts, contract terms) are informational and have no winner.
These brands report different earnings metrics (Net Income (10), assumed annual). Financial figures may not be directly comparable.
Focus by buyer type
| Brand |  AStrongest tierUptown Cheapskate Business Services Remove |  DBelow averageLINDEN CREEK Business Services Remove |
|---|---|---|
| Vitals | ||
Investment range | $328K – $597K | $227K – $637K |
Liquid capital | $40K – $68K | $33K – $46K |
Franchise fee | $35K | $60K |
Royalty rate | 5.0% | N/A |
Ad fund rate | 0.5% | 1.0% |
| Performance | ||
Avg gross sales | $1.4M | $373K1 outlet |
Median gross sales | $1.2M | N/A |
Avg owner earnings Metric varies by brand. Check type below | $227K | N/A |
Earnings metric | Net Income (10) | assumed annual |
| Risk | ||
Rating | AStrongest tier | DBelow average |
Verdict score | 79 / 100 | 38 / 100 |
SBA charge-off rate | 3.0% | 0.0% |
SBA loans on record | 100 | 5 |
| Scale | ||
Total units | 129 | 3 |
Net change (latest yr) | N/A | N/A |
Turnover rate | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Contract | ||
Initial term (years) | 10 | 10 |
Renewal term (years) | 5 | 5 |
Initial training (hrs) | 101 | 40 |
| Contacts | ||
Franchisee phones | 207 | 0 |
Looking for a detailed head-to-head breakdown?
Read the Uptown Cheapskate vs LINDEN CREEK editorial comparison →Need franchisee contacts for these brands?
Save with a contact bundle →