Chem-Dry vs Tide Dry Cleaners
Compare franchise fees, investment range, royalties, SBA lending performance, unit growth, and Item 19 transparency with a permanent shareable URL.
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Chem-Dry
Cleaning/Janitorial
Investment
$118K to $241K
Franchise fee
$36,000
Item 19 status
Cost Data Only
Units
1,284
Tide Dry Cleaners
Cleaning/Janitorial
Investment
$9K to $1.6M
Franchise fee
$50,000
Item 19 status
Revenue Only
Units
20
Lower entry cost
Leans right
Based on minimum initial investment.
Better disclosed economics
Even
Uses Item 19 availability and transparency status.
Lower SBA default risk
Leans right
Treat low-loan brands carefully, sample size matters.
| Metric | Chem-Dry | Tide Dry Cleaners |
|---|---|---|
Franchise Fee | $36,000 | $50,000 |
Min Investment | $118K | $9K |
Max Investment | $241K | $1.6M |
Royalty Rate | 7.0% | 6.5% |
Ad Fund Rate | 3.0% | 2.0% |
Total Ongoing Burden Royalty plus ad fund when available. | 10.0% | 8.5% |
Median Revenue (Item 19) | $153K | $85K |
Cash-on-Cash Return Estimated when revenue and margin assumptions are available. | 21.3% | 2.8% |
Payback Period | 4.7 yrs | 35.2 yrs |
Revenue per Dollar Invested | 0.85x | 0.11x |
Franchised Units | 1,284 | 20 |
1-Year Net Unit Change | -185 | N/A |
Net Unit Growth Rate | -12.9% | N/A |
Net Closure Rate Net closure proxy based on disclosed unit change. | 12.6% | N/A |
SBA Default Rate | 23.3% | 0.0% |
SBA Loan Count Use this to judge whether SBA default data is statistically meaningful. | 37 | 23 |
Average SBA Loan Size | $155K | $785K |
Item 19 Status | Cost Data Only | Revenue Only |
Has Item 19 | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Data Quality Score | 100 | 90 |
What stands out
- • Chem-Dry opens at $118K to $241K, while Tide Dry Cleaners ranges from $9K to $1.6M.
- • Chem-Dry shows an Item 19 disclosure; Tide Dry Cleaners shows an Item 19 disclosure.
- • Chem-Dry has 1,284 franchised units versus 20 for Tide Dry Cleaners.
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Last updated: April 2026