Escape Hunt franchise
2022 filing · August 1, 2022Shares sales figures
Escape Hunt at a glance
An escape room center offering live, themed escape game experiences for groups. At the end of 2021 there were 2 Escape Hunt locations in the US, all franchised.
The business
- Industry
- Entertainment
- Franchisor
- Escape Hunt USA Franchises Ltd
- The company that sells the franchises
- Typical size
- 8,000–15,000 sq ft
What you pay
- Cost to open
- $356K–$663K
- Fee, build-out and opening working capital
- Franchise fee
- $40,000
- Paid once, when you sign
- Royalty
- 8%
- The greater of 8% of gross sales or $2,000 a month, paid monthly
- Agreement length
- 10 years
Where it is
- US locations, 2021
- 2
- Franchised and company-owned
- Franchised
- 2
- Company-owned
- 0
- Change in 2 years
- 0
- Franchised locations, 2019–2021
- States
- 2
- Most in Florida and Texas
From Escape Hunt USA Franchises Ltd’s 2022 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
Where it ranks
Escape Hunt among all franchises with the same figure.
| Figure | Escape Hunt | Among all franchises |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, midpointHalfway between the low and high estimate | $509,500 | Costs more than 65% of franchises |
| Franchise feePaid once, when you sign | $40,000 | Lower than 46% of franchises |
| RoyaltyShare of sales paid to the franchisor | 8% | Higher than 85% of brands with a set rate |
| US locationsFranchised and company-owned | 2 | Fewer than 82% of franchises |
How much a Escape Hunt franchise costs
Opening one Escape Hunt costs an estimated $356,000 to $663,000. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
The biggest costs are game room fit-out ($150,000 to $300,000) and leasehold improvements ($70,000 to $150,000). Here is every line of the estimate as filed:
| What it pays for | Range | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $40,000 | ||
| Leasehold Improvements | $70,000 | $150,000 | |
| Lease/Rental Payments | $8,000 | $17,000 | |
| Utility Deposits | $2,000 | $5,000 | |
| Equipment, Furniture, Fixtures, and Signage | $25,000 | $40,000 | |
| Game Room Fit-Out | $150,000 | $300,000 | |
| Business Licenses and Permits | $3,000 | $5,000 | |
| Initial Training Costs | $4,000 | $8,000 | |
| Professional Services | $15,000 | $30,000 | |
| Grand Opening Promotion | $5,000 | $10,000 | |
| Insurance | $4,000 | $8,000 | |
| Additional Funds for Initial 3-Month Period | $30,000 | $50,000 | |
| Total | $356,000 | $663,000 | |
Source: Escape Hunt USA Franchises Ltd, 2022 filing, page 17
Escape Hunt franchise fee
The franchise fee is $40,000. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: Escape Hunt USA Franchises Ltd, 2022 filing, page 12
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | The greater of 8% of gross sales or $2,000 a month, paid monthly. |
|---|---|
| Transfer Fee | $15,000 |
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: Escape Hunt USA Franchises Ltd, 2022 filing, page 13
Other fees as filed, from page 14. The filing lists every fee, including late fees and audit costs.
Sales and earnings
Shares figures Escape Hunt publishes sales or earnings figures for its locations. The full tables, with notes on which locations are counted, are in its filing.
Source: Escape Hunt USA Franchises Ltd, 2022 filing, page 58
How Escape Hunt compares
Of the 168 entertainment franchises on this site, Escape Hunt is the 98th cheapest to open and the 115th largest by number of locations.
| Figure | Escape Hunt | Typical entertainment brand | Typical franchise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $356K | $286K | $222K |
| Cost to open, high end | $663K | $598K | $477K |
| Franchise fee | $40K | $45K | $40K |
| Royalty | 8% | 6% | 6% |
| US locations | 2 | 8 | 21 |
| Closed or left per year | 0% | 4.5% | – |
| Change in franchised locations, 2 yrs | 0% | +32.5% | – |
| Shares earnings figures | Yes | 113 of 168 | 2,147 of 3,352 |
Typical is the median across the 168 brands in entertainment franchises; typical franchise, across every brand here.
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Opened | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 2 (0) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | 2 (0) | 0 | – | – |
| 2021 | 2 (0) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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: franchise failure rates.
Source: Escape Hunt USA Franchises Ltd, 2022 filing, page 60
Where Escape Hunt locations are
At the end of 2021, Escape Hunt had franchised locations in 2 states. The most are in Florida and Texas.
- Florida1
- Texas1
Source: Escape Hunt USA Franchises Ltd, 2022 filing, page 61
Who owns Escape Hunt?
Escape Hunt franchises are sold by Escape Hunt USA Franchises Ltd.
From Escape Hunt USA Franchises Ltd’s 2022 filing.
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: Escape Hunt USA Franchises Ltd, 2022 filing, litigation on page 12, bankruptcy on page 12
Escape Hunt filings
The figures on this page come from Escape Hunt USA Franchises Ltd’s 2022 filing, issued August 1, 2022, on record with the NASAA Electronic Filing Depository.
| Filing | Issued | Registry | On this page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 filing | August 1, 2022 | NASAA depository | Costs, fees and locations, 2019–2021 |
Each link opens the filing as a PDF. See the newest filings across all brands.
