Trapped franchise
2025 filing · February 14, 2025
Trapped at a glance
A real-life escape room business.
The business
- Industry
- Entertainment
- Franchisor
- Trapped US Franchise Inc
- The company that sells the franchises
What you pay
- Cost to open
- $538K–$958K
- Fee, build-out and opening working capital
- Franchise fee
- $35,000
- Paid once, when you sign
- Royalty
- 7.5%
- 7.5% of gross sales, paid monthly, plus a $1,400 monthly franchise administration fee
- Territory
- Limited
- Limited protection
Where it is
- US locations, 2024
- 0
- Franchised and company-owned
- Franchised
- 0
- Company-owned
- 0
- Change in 3 years
- 0
- Franchised locations, 2022–2024
From Trapped US Franchise Inc’s 2025 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
Where it ranks
Trapped among all franchises with the same figure.
| Figure | Trapped | Among all franchises |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, midpointHalfway between the low and high estimate | $748,350 | Costs more than 77% of franchises |
| Franchise feePaid once, when you sign | $35,000 | Lower than 61% of franchises |
| RoyaltyShare of sales paid to the franchisor | 7.5% | Higher than 84% of brands with a set rate |
| US locationsFranchised and company-owned | 0 | Fewer than 97% of franchises |
How much a Trapped franchise costs
Opening one Trapped costs an estimated $538,400 to $958,300. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
The biggest costs are architect, construction, leasehold improvements, and designs ($250,000 to $410,000) and game equipment, electronics, fixtures, and installations (“pre-opening equipment package”) ($120,000 to $250,000). Here is every line of the estimate as filed:
| What it pays for | Range | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| To be Made Initial Franchise Fee | $35,000 | ||
| Professional Services Fees | $3,000 | $7,500 | |
| Architect, Construction, Leasehold Improvements, and Designs | $250,000 | $410,000 | |
| Licenses and Permits | $7,000 | $10,000 | |
| Lease and Utilities (1 Month) | $10,000 | $80,000 | |
| Exterior and Interior Signs/Graphics | $15,000 | $30,000 | |
| Game Equipment, Electronics, Fixtures, and Installations (“Pre-Opening Equipment Package”) | $120,000 | $250,000 | |
| Lobby and Hallway Furniture/Fixtures | $10,000 | $15,000 | |
| Computer System and Required Software (1 Month) | $3,000 | $5,000 | |
| Initial Supplies | $3,000 | $5,000 | |
| Initial Training Expenses | $2,000 | $5,000 | |
| Grand Opening Advertising | $5,000 | ||
| Insurance (1 Month) | $400 | $800 | |
| Additional Funds | $75,000 | $100,000 | |
| Total | $538,400 | $958,300 | |
Source: Trapped US Franchise Inc, 2025 filing, page 16
Trapped franchise fee
The franchise fee is $35,000. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: Trapped US Franchise Inc, 2025 filing, page 10
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | 7.5% of gross sales, paid monthly, plus a $1,400 monthly franchise administration fee. |
|---|---|
| Transfer Fee | $10,000 |
| On-going and/or Remedial Training Fee | $500/day per trainer for on-going or remedial training |
| Local Advertising Requirement (“LAR”) | $1,000 per month |
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: Trapped US Franchise Inc, 2025 filing, page 11
Other fees as filed, from page 11. The filing lists every fee, including late fees and audit costs.
Sales and earnings
No figures Trapped 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: Trapped US Franchise Inc, 2025 filing, page 39
How Trapped compares
Of the 168 entertainment franchises on this site, Trapped is the 114th cheapest to open and the 154th largest by number of locations.
| Figure | Trapped | Typical entertainment brand | Typical franchise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $538K | $286K | $222K |
| Cost to open, high end | $958K | $598K | $477K |
| Franchise fee | $35K | $45K | $40K |
| Royalty | 7.5% | 6% | 6% |
| US locations | 0 | 8 | 21 |
| Shares earnings figures | No | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 (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: Trapped US Franchise Inc, 2025 filing, page 40
Who owns Trapped?
Trapped franchises are sold by Trapped US Franchise Inc. It is a subsidiary of Trapped Franchise Holdco, Inc.
From Trapped US Franchise Inc’s 2025 filing, page 7.
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: Trapped US Franchise Inc, 2025 filing, litigation on page 9, bankruptcy on page 10
Trapped filings
The figures on this page come from Trapped US Franchise Inc’s 2025 filing, issued February 14, 2025, on record with the NASAA Electronic Filing Depository.
| Filing | Issued | Registry | On this page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 filing | February 14, 2025 | NASAA depository | Costs, fees and locations, 2022–2024 |
Each link opens the filing as a PDF. See the newest filings across all brands.
