Pod Plug franchise
2025 filing · March 19, 2025Shares sales figures
Pod Plug at a glance
A vending machine business placing stand-alone and wall-mounted machines in bars, clubs and other nightlife venues, stocked with items such as gum, mints, phone chargers and disposable cameras. At the end of 2024 there were 1 Pod Plug locations in the US, all company-owned.
The business
- Franchisor
- Pod Plug Franchising, LLC
- The company that sells the franchises
- Franchisor based in
- Fort Worth, Texas
What you pay
- Cost to open
- $52K–$106K
- Fee, build-out and opening working capital
- Franchise fee
- $35K–$60K
- Depending on the package (Prep, Prime or Prestige)
- Royalty
- 8%
- 8% of gross sales, paid weekly
- Brand fund
- 0.5%
- 0.5% of gross sales, paid with the royalty
- Renewal fee
- See terms
- An amount equal to 10% of our then- current initial franchise fee.
- Agreement length
- 10 years
- Territory
- Limited
- Limited protection
- Franchisor financing
- None offered
Where it is
- US locations, 2024
- 1
- Franchised and company-owned
- Franchised
- 0
- Company-owned
- 1
- Change in 3 years
- 0
- Franchised locations, 2022–2024
From Pod Plug Franchising, LLC’s 2025 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
Where it ranks
Pod Plug among all franchises with the same figure.
| Figure | Pod Plug | Among all franchises |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, midpointHalfway between the low and high estimate | $79,050 | Costs less than 92% of franchises |
| Franchise feePaid once, when you sign | $35,000 | Lower than 61% of franchises |
| RoyaltyShare of sales paid to the franchisor | 8% | Higher than 85% of brands with a set rate |
| US locationsFranchised and company-owned | 1 | Fewer than 88% of franchises |
How much a Pod Plug franchise costs
Opening one Pod Plug costs an estimated $52,350 to $105,750. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital. It is one of the low-cost franchises.
The biggest costs are initial franchise fee ($35,000 to $60,000) and equipment (initial 3 vending machines) to be used in the ($1,800 to $18,000). Here is every line of the estimate as filed:
| What it pays for | Range | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $35,000 | $60,000 | |
| Lease Expenses | $0 | $750 | |
| Leasehold Improvements | $0 | ||
| Computers, Telephone and Office Equipment | $250 | $1,500 | |
| Furniture and Fixtures | $0 | ||
| Equipment (initial 3 vending machines) to be Used in the | $1,800 | $18,000 | |
| Costs Related to Attending Training | $1,500 | $2,000 | |
| Signage for Vending Machines | $250 | $750 | |
| Utility and Security Deposits | $0 | $500 | |
| Insurance Deposits and Premiums, including business | $300 | $1,000 | |
| Initial Inventory | $3,000 | $5,000 | |
| Vehicle (including vehicle decal) | $500 | $1,500 | |
| Business Software | $200 | $750 | |
| Business Permits/Licenses | $550 | $1,500 | |
| Professional fees | $1,500 | $2,500 | |
| Additional Funds (three months) | $7,500 | $10,000 | |
| Total | $52,350 | $105,750 | |
Source: Pod Plug Franchising, LLC, 2025 filing, page 22
Pod Plug franchise fee
The franchise fee is $35,000 to $60,000, depending on the package (Prep, Prime or Prestige). You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: Pod Plug Franchising, LLC, 2025 filing, page 14
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | 8% of gross sales, paid weekly. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | 0.5% of gross sales, paid with the royalty. |
| Technology Fees | $12 per week for each vending machine in operation |
| Renewal Fee | An amount equal to 10% 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: Pod Plug Franchising, LLC, 2025 filing, pages 16 and 17
Other fees as filed, from pages 18–19. The filing lists every fee, including late fees and audit costs.
Sales and earnings
Shares figures Pod Plug publishes sales or earnings figures for its locations. The full tables, with notes on which locations are counted, are in its filing.
Source: Pod Plug Franchising, LLC, 2025 filing, page 57
How Pod Plug compares
Of the 302 retail franchises on this site, Pod Plug is the 23rd cheapest to open and the 273rd largest by number of locations.
| Figure | Pod Plug | Typical retail brand | Typical franchise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $52K | $198K | $222K |
| Cost to open, high end | $106K | $425K | $477K |
| Franchise fee | $35K | $35K | $40K |
| Royalty | 8% | 5.7% | 6% |
| Brand fund | 0.5% | 2% | 2% |
| US locations | 1 | 38 | 21 |
| Shares earnings figures | Yes | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 0 (0) | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 (0) | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 (0) | 1 | 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: Pod Plug Franchising, LLC, 2025 filing, page 60
Who owns Pod Plug?
Pod Plug franchises are sold by Pod Plug Franchising, LLC. It is a subsidiary of Pod Plug, Inc.
From Pod Plug Franchising, LLC’s 2025 filing, page 9.
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: Pod Plug Franchising, LLC, 2025 filing, litigation on page 14, bankruptcy on page 14
Pod Plug filings
The figures on this page come from Pod Plug Franchising, LLC’s 2025 filing, issued March 19, 2025, on record with the NASAA Electronic Filing Depository.
| Filing | Issued | Registry | On this page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 filing | March 19, 2025 | NASAA depository | Costs, fees and locations, 2022–2024 |
Each link opens the filing as a PDF. See the newest filings across all brands.
Other retail franchises
All retail franchises
Pod Plug is also on these lists: business services franchises.