The Cook's Studio franchise
2024 filing · May 6, 2024Shares sales figures
The Cook's Studio at a glance
A cooking school teaching adults different cuisines and techniques in a classroom kitchen. At the end of 2023 there were 3 The Cook's Studio locations in the US, all company-owned.
The business
- Franchisor
- The Cook's Studio Franchise LLC
- The company that sells the franchises
What you pay
- Cost to open
- $385K–$655K
- Fee, build-out and opening working capital
- Franchise fee
- $40,000
- Paid once, when you sign
- Royalty
- 6%
- 6% of weekly gross revenue, paid weekly, plus 1% to the brand fund
- Brand fund
- 1%
- 1% of gross revenue, paid weekly; it can rise to 3%
- Agreement length
- 10 years
- Territory
- Limited
- Limited protection
- Franchisor financing
- None offered
Where it is
- US locations, 2023
- 3
- Franchised and company-owned
- Franchised
- 0
- Company-owned
- 3
- Change in 3 years
- 0
- Franchised locations, 2021–2023
From The Cook's Studio Franchise LLC’s 2024 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
Where it ranks
The Cook's Studio among all franchises with the same figure.
| Figure | The Cook's Studio | Among all franchises |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, midpointHalfway between the low and high estimate | $519,988 | Costs more than 66% of franchises |
| Franchise feePaid once, when you sign | $40,000 | Lower than 46% of franchises |
| RoyaltyShare of sales paid to the franchisor | 6% | Higher than 35% of brands with a set rate |
| US locationsFranchised and company-owned | 3 | Fewer than 78% of franchises |
How much a The Cook's Studio franchise costs
Opening one The Cook's Studio costs an estimated $385,050 to $654,926. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
The biggest costs are leasehold improvements, construction and/or ($125,000 to $300,000) and equipment ($125,000 to $150,000). Here is every line of the estimate as filed:
| What it pays for | Range | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $40,000 | ||
| Your Training Expenses | $1,500 | $3,000 | |
| Premises deposit | $15,000 | $23,438 | |
| Utilities deposits | $750 | $1,750 | |
| Leasehold Improvements, Construction and/or | $125,000 | $300,000 | |
| Furniture & Fixtures | $15,000 | $30,000 | |
| Interior & Exterior Signage | $5,000 | $8,000 | |
| Business Licenses and Permits | $2,500 | $5,000 | |
| Computer Systems, Software & POS system | $1,600 | $1,700 | |
| Initial Inventory to Begin Operating | $4,500 | $5,625 | |
| Equipment | $125,000 | $150,000 | |
| Printing, Stationery & Office Supplies | $1,750 | $2,188 | |
| Professional Fees | $13,000 | $16,250 | |
| Grand Opening Advertising | $5,000 | $7,500 | |
| Insurance Deposit & Premium | $2,000 | $5,000 | |
| Operating Expenses/Additional Funds | $27,450 | $55,475 | |
| Total | $385,050 | $654,926 | |
Source: The Cook's Studio Franchise LLC, 2024 filing, page 16
The Cook's Studio franchise fee
The franchise fee is $40,000. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: The Cook's Studio Franchise LLC, 2024 filing, page 8
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | 6% of weekly gross revenue, paid weekly, plus 1% to the brand fund. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | 1% of gross revenue, paid weekly; it can rise to 3%. |
| Software Fees | $125 monthly, subject to increase |
| Required Minimum Expenditure for Local Marketing and Advertising | $500 |
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: The Cook's Studio Franchise LLC, 2024 filing, page 8
Other fees as filed, from pages 8–12. The filing lists every fee, including late fees and audit costs.
Sales and earnings
Shares figures The Cook's Studio publishes sales or earnings figures for its locations. The full tables, with notes on which locations are counted, are in its filing.
Source: The Cook's Studio Franchise LLC, 2024 filing, page 42
How The Cook's Studio compares
Of the 168 entertainment franchises on this site, The Cook's Studio is the 101st cheapest to open and the 104th largest by number of locations.
| Figure | The Cook's Studio | Typical entertainment brand | Typical franchise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $385K | $286K | $222K |
| Cost to open, high end | $655K | $598K | $477K |
| Franchise fee | $40K | $45K | $40K |
| Royalty | 6% | 6% | 6% |
| Brand fund | 1% | 1.3% | 2% |
| US locations | 3 | 8 | 21 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 0 (0) | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 (0) | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 (0) | 3 | 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: The Cook's Studio Franchise LLC, 2024 filing, page 45
Who owns The Cook's Studio?
The Cook's Studio franchises are sold by The Cook's Studio Franchise LLC. Its filing names no parent company.
From The Cook's Studio Franchise LLC’s 2024 filing, page 6.
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: The Cook's Studio Franchise LLC, 2024 filing, litigation on page 7, bankruptcy on page 8
The Cook's Studio filings
The figures on this page come from The Cook's Studio Franchise LLC’s 2024 filing, issued May 6, 2024, on record with the NASAA Electronic Filing Depository.
| Filing | Issued | Registry | On this page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 filing | May 6, 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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The Cook's Studio is also on these lists: education franchises.