Dry cleaning franchises
The typical dry cleaning franchise here costs $634,100 to $1,398,900 to open. Sort the table by cost, fee, royalty or number of locations.
- Brands
- 6
- Typical cost
- $634K–$1.4M
- Lowest start
- $536KLapels Dry Cleaning
- Share earnings
- 5 of 6
All 6 brands
Sort by any column, or filter by budget and fees.
| $710K–$1.51M | $50,000 | 6.5% | 256 | $785K | |
| $536K–$797K | $60,000 | 6% | 153 | Yes | |
| $536K–$797K | $60,000 | 6% | 83 | Yes | |
| $868K–$1.29M | $40,000 | 6% of royalty net sales | 72 | $1.12M | |
| $3.28M–$9.27M | $50,000 | 6.5%; rebate may apply | 55 | $1.09M | |
| $559K–$2.81M | $50,000 | 6% of gross sales | 13 | No |
How dry cleaning franchises compare
Of the 6 brands, 3 give a comparable yearly sales figure per location, from $785K at Tide Cleaners to $1.12M at ZIPS Cleaners; the middle figure is $1.09M. From 2023 to 2025, 5 of the 6 brands with three years of counts grew their US locations, and Tide Cleaners added the most (+29). Who runs it, by the franchise agreement: 2 must be run by the owner, 4 can be run by a trained manager. How sales figures compare · Who runs it
| Brand | Sales per location | Locations vs 2023 | Exits/yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZIPS CleanersOwner must run itExits: 12.4% a year | $1.12Maverage | 72+6 | 12.4% |
| CD One Price CleanersA trained manager can run itExits: none a year | $1.09Maverage | 55+17 | none |
| Tide CleanersOwner must run itExits: 1.3% a year | $785Kaverage | 256+29 | 1.3% |
| Martinizing Dry CleaningA trained manager can run it | n/a | 153+16 | n/a |
| Lapels Dry CleaningA trained manager can run itExits: 2.8% a year | n/a | 830 | 2.8% |
| Mulberrys Garment CareA trained manager can run it | n/a | 13+2 | n/a |
Sales are the yearly average (or median) per franchised location from each brand’s latest filing; per-owner figures, company-run locations and groups under five locations are left out. Locations are franchised plus company-owned in the US at the end of the latest year reported, with the change since 2023. Exits/yr is franchised locations closed, terminated or not renewed each year, as a share of the average count; buy-backs and transfers don’t count.
Best dry cleaning franchises to own
The one brand here that passes all five tests: growth, few owner exits, earnings figures shared, SBA listing and 100+ US locations three years ago. Below, the closest misses. How the ranking works
| Brand | Growth | Exits/yr | Cost to open |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Tide Cleaners$710K–$1.51M to open | +13% | 1.3% | $710K–$1.51M |
| CD One Price CleanersMissed “Proven”: 38 US locations three years ago$3.28M–$9.27M to open | +45% | none | $3.28M–$9.27M |
Related lists
Dry cleaning franchises: questions
What is the cheapest dry cleaning franchise?
Of the 6 brands here, Lapels Dry Cleaning has the lowest estimated starting investment: $535,930 to $796,742 to open.
Which dry cleaning franchise is the largest?
Tide Cleaners, with 256 locations (256 franchised) at the end of 2025.
What royalty do dry cleaning franchises charge?
Royalties on gross sales in this list run from 6% to 6.5%, with a median of 6%. Most brands add a separate marketing or brand fund fee.
Which dry cleaning franchises share earnings figures?
5 of 6 share sales or earnings figures, among them CD One Price Cleaners, Lapels Dry Cleaning, Martinizing Dry Cleaning, Tide Cleaners.