Dash In franchise
2026 filing · June 1, 2026Fewer locations
Dash In at a glance
A convenience store, often with fuel and a car wash that the franchisee manages for the franchisor. At the end of 2025 there were 55 Dash In locations in the US, 35 franchised and 20 company-owned.
The business
- Industry
- Retail
- Franchisor
- Dash In Food Stores, Inc
- The company that sells the franchises
- Current franchisor selling since
- 2003
- 23 years of selling franchises
- Franchisor based in
- La Plata, Maryland
- Typical size
- 2,100–3,200 sq ft
What you pay
- Cost to open
- $120K–$680K
- Fee, build-out and opening working capital
- Franchise fee
- $25,000
- Paid once, when you sign
- Royalty
- 30% of gross profit
- A Dash In charge of 30% of the store's gross profit, paid monthly
- Brand fund
- None now
- No brand fund
- Renewal fee
- See terms
- 50% of our then-current initial franchise fee
- Territory
- None
- No exclusive territory
- Franchisor financing
- None offered
Where it is
- US locations, 2025
- 55
- Franchised and company-owned
- Franchised
- 35
- Company-owned
- 20
- Change in 2 years
- −5
- Franchised locations, 2023–2025
- States
- 3
- Most in Maryland, Delaware and Virginia
From Dash In Food Stores, Inc’s 2026 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
Where it ranks
Dash In among all franchises with the same figure.
| Figure | Dash In | Among all franchises |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, midpointHalfway between the low and high estimate | $399,950 | Costs more than 54% of franchises |
| Franchise feePaid once, when you sign | $25,000 | Lower than 82% of franchises |
| US locationsFranchised and company-owned | 55 | More than 66% of franchises |
How much a Dash In franchise costs
Opening one Dash In costs an estimated $119,600 to $680,300. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
The biggest costs are site access fee ($25,000 to $475,000) and initial inventory, cash register fund and store supply items ($43,700 to $107,000). Here is every line of the estimate as filed:
| What it pays for | Range | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $25,000 | ||
| Site Access Fee | $25,000 | $475,000 | |
| Initial Deposit | $10,000 | ||
| Initial Inventory, Cash Register Fund and Store Supply Items | $43,700 | $107,000 | |
| Training Expenses | $3,000 | $5,000 | |
| Insurance | $900 | $1,800 | |
| Professional Fees | $1,000 | $5,000 | |
| Business Licenses | $1,000 | $1,500 | |
| Additional Funds (for first three months) | $10,000 | $50,000 | |
| Total | $119,600 | $680,300 | |
Source: Dash In Food Stores, Inc, 2026 filing, page 19
Dash In franchise fee
The franchise fee is $25,000. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: Dash In Food Stores, Inc, 2026 filing, page 13
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | A Dash In charge of 30% of the store's gross profit, paid monthly. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | No brand fund |
| Transfer Fee | 50% of our then-current initial franchise fee |
| Renewal Fee | 50% of our then-current initial franchise fee |
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: Dash In Food Stores, Inc, 2026 filing, pages 14 and 28
Other fees as filed, from page 15. The filing lists every fee, including late fees and audit costs.
Sales and earnings
No figures Dash In does not share sales or profit figures for its locations. Talking to current and former franchise owners is the usual way to learn what a location earns.
Source: Dash In Food Stores, Inc, 2026 filing, page 42
How Dash In compares
Of the 302 retail franchises on this site, Dash In is the 71st cheapest to open and the 123rd largest by number of locations.
| Figure | Dash In | Typical retail brand | Typical franchise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $120K | $198K | $222K |
| Cost to open, high end | $680K | $425K | $477K |
| Franchise fee | $25K | $35K | $40K |
| US locations | 55 | 38 | 21 |
| Closed or left per year | 5.1% | 5.2% | – |
| Change in franchised locations, 2 yrs | −12.5% | 0% | – |
| Shares earnings figures | No | 187 of 302 | 2,147 of 3,352 |
Typical is the median across the 302 brands in retail franchises; typical franchise, across every brand here.
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Opened | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 43 (−1) | 12 | – | – |
| 2022 | 40 (−3) | 14 | – | – |
| 2023 | 39 (−1) | 15 | +1 | −2 |
| 2024 | 37 (−2) | 20 | 0 | −2 |
| 2025 | 35 (−2) | 20 | – | – |
Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating.
See which brands grew most in the fastest-growing franchises rankings.
More in the guides: gas station franchises, home-based franchises and franchise failure rates.
Over 5 years, from the start of 2021 to the end of 2025, franchised locations went from 44 to 35 (−9, −20%). The earlier years come from the brand's 2024 filing.
Source: Dash In Food Stores, Inc, 2026 filing, page 43
2021–2022: Dash In Food Stores, Inc, 2024 filing, page 33
Where Dash In locations are
At the end of 2025, Dash In had locations in 3 states. The most are in Maryland, Delaware and Virginia.
- Maryland39
- Delaware10
- Virginia6
Source: Dash In Food Stores, Inc, 2026 filing, page 44
Who owns Dash In?
Dash In franchises are sold by Dash In Food Stores, Inc. It is a subsidiary of Wills Group, Inc.
From Dash In Food Stores, Inc’s 2026 filing, page 7.
Lawsuits and bankruptcy
| Lawsuits and regulatory actions | None. The filing says no litigation has to be disclosed. |
|---|---|
| Bankruptcy | None. The filing says no bankruptcy has to be disclosed. |
Franchisors must disclose lawsuits and bankruptcies involving the company, its parents and affiliates, and its executives. Many cases are routine disputes with franchisees over fees or contracts; read the descriptions in the filing and ask current owners about anything that worries you.
Source: Dash In Food Stores, Inc, 2026 filing, litigation on page 11, bankruptcy on page 12
Dash In filings
A franchisor files a new disclosure each year it sells franchises. The figures on this page come from Dash In Food Stores, Inc’s 2026 filing, issued June 1, 2026; the earlier ones below are on record with the NASAA Electronic Filing Depository and fill in older location counts.
| Filing | Issued | Registry | On this page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 filing | June 1, 2026 | NASAA depository | Costs, fees and locations, 2023–2025 |
| 2024 filing | – | NASAA depository | Locations, 2021–2022 |
Each link opens the filing as a PDF. See the newest filings across all brands.
