7-Eleven vs Circle K
Compare FDD disclosures, investment range, royalty and ad fund burden, SBA lending outcomes, Item 20-style unit movement, Item 19 transparency, and data-confidence caveats with a permanent shareable URL.
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7-Eleven
Retail
Investment
$142K to $1.6M
Franchise fee
$25,000
Item 19 status
Limited Data
Confidence
High Confidence
Units
7,218
Circle K
Retail
Investment
$309K to $5.4M
Franchise fee
$25,000
Item 19 status
Revenue Only
Confidence
High Confidence
Units
639
Lower entry cost
Leans left
Based on disclosed minimum initial investment only; buyer cash needs may be higher after working capital, lease, and financing assumptions.
Better disclosed economics
Circle K
Uses the same Item 19 transparency hierarchy shown on franchise pages and rankings.
Lower SBA default risk
Even
Treat low-loan brands carefully; sample size and SBA borrower mix matter.
| Metric | 7-Eleven | Circle K |
|---|---|---|
Franchise Fee From disclosed FDD fee data when available; excludes buyer-specific legal, diligence, and financing costs. | $25,000 | $25,000 |
Min Investment Lower bound of disclosed initial investment range, not a recommended capital budget. | $142K | $309K |
Max Investment Upper end of FDD range; still reconcile to site, lease, buildout, and working-capital assumptions. | $1.6M | $5.4M |
Royalty Rate Ongoing royalty burden before local store economics and owner salary. | 18.0% | 3.0% |
Ad Fund Rate National/brand fund rate when disclosed; local marketing may be additive. | 0.0% | N/A |
Total Ongoing Burden Royalty plus ad fund when available. | 18.0% | 3.3% |
Median Revenue (Item 19) Only meaningful when the franchisor provides an Item 19 financial-performance representation. | N/A | $1.3M |
Cash-on-Cash Return Estimated when revenue and margin assumptions are available. | N/A | 4.0% |
Payback Period | N/A | 24.7 yrs |
Revenue per Dollar Invested | N/A | 0.46x |
Franchised Units Latest disclosed franchised-unit count in the corpus. | 7,218 | 639 |
1-Year Net Unit Change Item 20-style system movement signal; investigate transfers, closures, and refranchising before assuming organic growth. | -595 | 23 |
Net Unit Growth Rate | -8.1% | 3.6% |
Net Closure Rate Net closure proxy based on disclosed unit change. | 7.6% | N/A |
SBA Default Rate Historical SBA performance for matched loans, not a prediction for a new buyer or location. | 0.0% | 0.0% |
SBA Loan Count Use this to judge whether SBA default data is statistically meaningful. | 1 | 13 |
Average SBA Loan Size | $354K | $2.5M |
Item 19 Status Canonical transparency badge used across franchise, ranking, and compare surfaces. | Limited Data | Revenue Only |
Has Item 19 | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Data Confidence Derived from the same data-quality thresholds used on franchise pages. | High Confidence · 85/100 | High Confidence · 95/100 |
What stands out
- • 7-Eleven discloses an initial investment range of $142K to $1.6M, while Circle K discloses $309K to $5.4M. Treat these as FDD ranges, not a full purchase budget.
- • 7-Eleven shows an Item 19 financial-performance disclosure; Circle K shows an Item 19 financial-performance disclosure. Missing Item 19 data should narrow confidence, not automatically kill a brand.
- • 7-Eleven has 7,218 franchised units versus 639 for Circle K; use one-year net unit movement and closure proxies as early diligence signals, not final underwriting.
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Last updated: May 2026