We, The Pizza franchise
2022 filing · May 4, 2022
We, The Pizza at a glance
A quick-service restaurant serving New York-style pizza.
The business
- Franchisor
- We the Pizza Franchising LLC
- The company that sells the franchises
- Franchising since
- 2016
- 6 years of selling franchises
- Franchisor based in
- Arlington, Virginia
- Typical size
- 2,500–3,500 sq ft
What you pay
- Cost to open
- $673K–$896K
- Fee, build-out and opening working capital
- Franchise fee
- $50,000
- $40,000 for a second or later restaurant
- Royalty
- 5.5%
- 5.5% of gross sales, paid weekly, plus 1.5% to the advertising fund once it is set up
- Brand fund
- Yes
- 1.5% of gross sales once the fund is set up, paid with the royalty
- Agreement length
- 10 years
- Territory
- Limited
- Limited protection
Where it is
- Franchised, 2021
- 3
- As printed in the filing
Support and records
From We the Pizza Franchising LLC’s 2022 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
Where it ranks
We, The Pizza among all franchises with the same figure.
| Figure | We, The Pizza | Among all franchises |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, midpointHalfway between the low and high estimate | $784,250 | Costs more than 78% of franchises |
| Franchise feePaid once, when you sign | $50,000 | Higher than 70% of franchises |
| RoyaltyShare of sales paid to the franchisor | 5.5% | Lower than 66% of brands with a set rate |
How much a We, The Pizza franchise costs
Opening one We, The Pizza costs an estimated $673,000 to $895,500. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
The biggest costs are leasehold improvements ($360,000 to $460,000) and equipment, furniture and fixtures ($120,000 to $150,000). Here is every line of the estimate as filed:
| What it pays for | Range | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $40,000 | $50,000 | |
| Rent – 3 Months | $45,000 | $48,000 | |
| Security Deposits | $10,000 | $20,000 | |
| Leasehold Improvements | $360,000 | $460,000 | |
| Equipment, Furniture and Fixtures | $120,000 | $150,000 | |
| POS Computer System | $15,000 | $20,000 | |
| Insurance – 3 Months | $1,500 | $3,000 | |
| Permits and Licenses | $3,000 | $6,000 | |
| Initial Inventory | $15,000 | $20,000 | |
| Signage | $3,000 | $8,000 | |
| Grand Opening Advertising | $10,000 | $20,000 | |
| Blueprints | $8,000 | $15,000 | |
| Travel Expenses for Training | $5,000 | $8,000 | |
| Pre-Opening Expenses | $6,000 | $8,000 | |
| Professional Fees | $3,000 | $6,000 | |
| Additional Funds – 3 Months | $25,000 | $50,000 | |
| Digital Graphics Package | $3,500 | ||
| Total | $673,000 | $895,500 | |
Source: We the Pizza Franchising LLC, 2022 filing, page 17
We, The Pizza franchise fee
The franchise fee is $50,000, $40,000 for a second or later restaurant. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: We the Pizza Franchising LLC, 2022 filing, page 11
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | 5.5% of gross sales, paid weekly, plus 1.5% to the advertising fund once it is set up. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | 1.5% of gross sales once the fund is set up, paid with the royalty. |
| Point of Sale System Maintenance | $6,000 |
| Transfer Fee – Franchise Agreement | $30,000 (individual Restaurant) |
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: We the Pizza Franchising LLC, 2022 filing, page 12
Other fees as filed, from pages 14–15. The filing lists every fee, including late fees and audit costs.
Sales and earnings
No figures We, The Pizza 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: We the Pizza Franchising LLC, 2022 filing, page 48
SBA loans to We, The Pizza franchisees
Lenders approved one SBA 7(a) loan for a We, The Pizza franchisee in 2018, for $315K. It was paid in full.
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 We, The Pizza compares
Of the 122 pizza franchises on this site, We, The Pizza is the 96th cheapest to open.
| Figure | We, The Pizza | Typical pizza brand | Typical franchise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $673K | $349K | $222K |
| Cost to open, high end | $896K | $787K | $477K |
| Franchise fee | $50K | $30K | $40K |
| Royalty | 5.5% | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 2 (+1) | 1 |
| 2020 | 2 (0) | 1 |
| 2021 | 3 (+1) | 2 |
Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating.
These figures don't add up as printed: the 2020 counts come to 3, but the filing shows 2. 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: We the Pizza Franchising LLC, 2022 filing, pages 48–49
Where We, The Pizza locations are
At the end of 2021, We, The Pizza had locations in 3 states and territories. The most are in District of Columbia, Virginia and Florida.
- District of Columbia2
- Virginia2
- Florida1
| State | Franchised | Company-owned | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Virginia | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Florida | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Source: We the Pizza Franchising LLC, 2022 filing, page 49
Who owns We, The Pizza?
We, The Pizza franchises are sold by We the Pizza Franchising LLC. Its filing names no parent company.
From We the Pizza Franchising LLC’s 2022 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: We the Pizza Franchising LLC, 2022 filing, litigation on page 11, bankruptcy on page 11
We, The Pizza filings
The figures on this page come from We the Pizza Franchising LLC’s 2022 filing, issued May 4, 2022, on record with the NASAA Electronic Filing Depository.
| Filing | Issued | Registry | On this page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 filing | May 4, 2022 | NASAA depository | Costs, fees and locations, 2019–2021 |
Each link opens the filing as a PDF. See the newest filings across all brands.
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