Green Mill franchise
2024 filing · April 19, 2024
Green Mill at a glance
A full-service restaurant and bar known for its pizza, with a broad American menu.
The business
- Franchisor
- Green Mill Restaurants, LLC
- The company that sells the franchises
- Franchisor based in
- St. Paul, Minnesota
- Typical size
- 5,500–8,500 sq ft
What you pay
- Cost to open
- $1.67M–$2.49M
- A full-service Green Mill restaurant
- Franchise fee
- $45,000
- Paid once, when you sign
- Royalty
- 4%
- 4% of gross sales, paid monthly
- Brand fund
- Yes
- 1 1/2% of gross sales, paid monthly
- Agreement length
- 20 years
- Territory
- Limited
- Limited protection
- Franchisor financing
- None offered
Where it is
- Franchised, 2023
- 16
- As printed in the filing
From Green Mill Restaurants, LLC’s 2024 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
Where it ranks
Green Mill among all franchises with the same figure.
| Figure | Green Mill | Among all franchises |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, midpointHalfway between the low and high estimate | $2,082,350 | Costs more than 93% of franchises |
| Franchise feePaid once, when you sign | $45,000 | Higher than 55% of franchises |
| RoyaltyShare of sales paid to the franchisor | 4% | Lower than 93% of brands with a set rate |
How much a Green Mill franchise costs
Opening a full-service Green Mill restaurant costs an estimated $1,671,700 to $2,493,000. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
The biggest costs are leasehold improvements ($900,000 to $1,200,000) and equipment and trade fixtures ($450,000 to $850,000). Here is every line of the estimate as filed:
| What it pays for | Range | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $45,000 | ||
| Training-Related Expenses | $90,000 | $115,000 | |
| Rent Security Deposit and First Month’s Rent | $0 | $17,000 | |
| Leasehold Improvements | $900,000 | $1,200,000 | |
| Equipment and Trade Fixtures | $450,000 | $850,000 | |
| Signage | $35,000 | $50,000 | |
| Opening Inventoryand Smallwares | $50,000 | $70,000 | |
| Insurance | $10,000 | $20,000 | |
| Initial Advertising and Promotional Costs | $25,000 | ||
| Miscellaneous Start-Up costs | $10,000 | $16,000 | |
| Liquor License | $4,000 | $10,000 | |
| Quality Control Inspection Fee | $1,500 | ||
| Academy Fee | $1,200 | ||
| Additional Funds - 3 months | $50,000 | $75,000 | |
| Total | $1,671,700 | $2,493,000 | |
Source: Green Mill Restaurants, LLC, 2024 filing, page 13
Green Mill franchise fee
The franchise fee is $45,000. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: Green Mill Restaurants, LLC, 2024 filing, page 8
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | 4% of gross sales, paid monthly. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | 1 1/2% of gross sales, paid monthly. |
| Transfer Fee | 20% of our then- current Initial Franchise Fee |
| Local Advertising Expenditure | 1/2% of your Gross Sales |
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: Green Mill Restaurants, LLC, 2024 filing, pages 9 and 10
Other fees as filed, from page 10. The filing lists every fee, including late fees and audit costs.
Sales and earnings
No figures Green Mill 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: Green Mill Restaurants, LLC, 2024 filing, page 37
SBA loans to Green Mill franchisees
Lenders approved 7 SBA 7(a) loans for Green Mill franchisees from 2006 to 2016, $2.22M in all. All 7 that have ended were paid in full; none was charged off.
A charged-off loan is one written off as uncollectible. See SBA franchise loans for how 7(a) and 504 loans work.
Source: SBA 7(a) and 504 loan data, as of September 30, 2026
How Green Mill compares
Of the 122 pizza franchises on this site, Green Mill is the 120th cheapest to open.
| Figure | Green Mill | Typical pizza brand | Typical franchise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $1.67M | $349K | $222K |
| Cost to open, high end | $2.49M | $787K | $477K |
| Franchise fee | $45K | $30K | $40K |
| Royalty | 4% | 5% | 6% |
| Shares earnings figures | No | 63 of 122 | 2,147 of 3,352 |
Typical is the median across the 122 brands in pizza franchises; typical franchise, across every brand here.
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 19 (−4) | 0 |
| 2022 | 17 (−1) | 0 |
| 2023 | 16 (−1) | 0 |
Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating. Restaurants owned by the franchisor's officers run under franchise agreements and are counted as franchised.
These figures don't add up as printed: the 2021 counts come to 23, but the filing shows 19. Worth asking the franchisor.
See which brands grew most in the fastest-growing franchises rankings.
More in the guides: pizza franchise costs and franchise failure rates.
Source: Green Mill Restaurants, LLC, 2024 filing, page 38
Where Green Mill locations are
At the end of 2023, Green Mill had franchised locations in 3 states. The most are in Minnesota, Kansas and Wisconsin.
- Minnesota13
- Kansas2
- Wisconsin1
Source: Green Mill Restaurants, LLC, 2024 filing, page 38
Who owns Green Mill?
Green Mill franchises are sold by Green Mill Restaurants, LLC.
From Green Mill Restaurants, LLC’s 2024 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: Green Mill Restaurants, LLC, 2024 filing, litigation on page 8, bankruptcy on page 8
Green Mill filings
The figures on this page come from Green Mill Restaurants, LLC’s 2024 filing, issued April 19, 2024, on record with the NASAA Electronic Filing Depository.
| Filing | Issued | Registry | On this page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 filing | April 19, 2024 | NASAA depository | Costs, fees and locations, 2021–2023 |
Each link opens the filing as a PDF. See the newest filings across all brands.
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