Tommy's Express Car Wash franchise
Tommy's Express runs high-volume express tunnel car washes with its own wash equipment and a glass-roofed building design, selling monthly unlimited wash memberships. Tunnel length and layout vary by site. At the end of 2025 there were 260 Tommy's Express Car Wash locations in the US, 244 franchised and 16 company-owned.
- Cost to open
- $3.48M–$11.8M
- Franchise fee
- $50,000
- Royalty
- 4%
- Locations, 2025
- 260+121 in 3 yrs
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Company snapshot
- Franchising since
- 2016
- Franchisor based in
- Holland, Michigan
- Agreement length
- 20 years
- Financing
- None offered
From Tommy's Express LLC’s 2026 filing.
How much a Tommy's Express Car Wash franchise costs
Opening one Tommy's Express car wash, depending on tunnel size and whether land is bought costs an estimated $3,482,389 to $11,846,697. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
Source: Tommy's Express LLC, 2026 filing, page 24
Tommy's Express Car Wash franchise fee
The franchise fee is $50,000, for a first car wash ($40,000 for later ones, $10,000 off for veterans). You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: Tommy's Express LLC, 2026 filing, page 16
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | 4% of gross sales, paid weekly. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | 1% of gross sales to the brand development fund. |
Source: Tommy's Express LLC, 2026 filing, page 18
Sales and earnings
Shares figures Tommy's Express Car Wash publishes sales or earnings figures for its locations: it reports 2025 gross sales and expenses for franchised car washes open the full year. The full tables, with notes on which locations are counted, are in its filing.
Source: Tommy's Express LLC, 2026 filing, page 60
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 166 (+43) | 9 | 0 |
| 2024 | 206 (+40) | 10 | 2 |
| 2025 | 244 (+38) | 16 | 8 |
Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating.
Source: Tommy's Express LLC, 2026 filing, page 68
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Tommy's Express Car Wash franchise questions
Does Tommy's Express Car Wash help with financing?
No. Tommy's Express Car Wash does not offer financing or guarantee loans or leases, so buyers arrange their own, usually a bank or SBA loan.
How long is a Tommy's Express Car Wash franchise agreement?
The initial term is 20 years. Renewal is usually possible if you're in good standing, often for a fee and a remodel.
Is Tommy's Express Car Wash growing or shrinking?
Over the last 3 years 131 franchised locations opened and 10 closed or left, a net change of +98.4%.
Does Tommy's Express Car Wash say how much franchisees make?
Yes: it reports 2025 gross sales and expenses for franchised car washes open the full year. Your results can differ; the filing explains which locations are counted.
Where is Tommy's Express Car Wash based?
Tommy's Express LLC is based in Holland, Michigan and the brand has sold franchises since 2016.