Second Cup franchise costs and fees
Foodtastic’s Second Cup page lists a $30,000 franchise fee, $200,000 – $250,000 in unencumbered capital required and a $550,000 – $650,000 projected build cost, with a royalty of 7.5 % of gross sales, a National Ad Fund of 2% of gross sales and local area marketing of 1 % of gross sales. Figures as published by Foodtastic, read Oct 22, 2026; the franchise disclosure document governs.
Second Cup is a trademark of its owner. Deavo is not affiliated with or endorsed by Second Cup or Foodtastic. Figures are quoted from the franchisor’s own pages and are not verified by Deavo; nothing on this page is a valuation.
What Second Cup publishes
As published on foodtastic.ca/our-brands/second-cup, read Oct 22, 2026| Item | As published | Source | Read |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $30,000 | foodtastic.ca/our-brands/second-cup | Oct 22, 2026 |
| Projected build cost | $550,000 – $650,000 Published as “Projected build cost”, not a total investment | foodtastic.ca/our-brands/second-cup | Oct 22, 2026 |
| Unencumbered capital required | $200,000 – $250,000 | foodtastic.ca/our-brands/second-cup | Oct 22, 2026 |
| Net worth | Not published — not on the page read | foodtastic.ca/our-brands/second-cup | Oct 22, 2026 |
| Royalty | 7.5 % of gross sales | foodtastic.ca/our-brands/second-cup | Oct 22, 2026 |
| Advertising fund | 2% of gross sales National Ad Fund; local area marketing is a further 1 % of gross sales | foodtastic.ca/our-brands/second-cup | Oct 22, 2026 |
| Term and renewal | Not published — not on the page read | foodtastic.ca/our-brands/second-cup | Oct 22, 2026 |
| Training | Not published — not on the page read | foodtastic.ca/our-brands/second-cup | Oct 22, 2026 |
Swipe to see the source and date columns →
A row marked “Not published” means the figure was not on the page we read — not that there is no such fee. The build cost is the franchisor’s projection, not a purchase price.
What the figures include
The page calls its list “Franchise Conditions” and labels the third money figure a “projected build cost”, not a total investment. It does not say whether the build cost includes equipment, signage, inventory, training costs or working capital, and it does not say whether the franchise fee is part of it. Treat the three dollar figures as separate lines rather than adding them. The projected build cost is not the price of an existing café; if you are looking at a resale, ask the seller how the asking price was set.
Royalty and advertising
The page publishes three percentage rates, each on gross sales: royalty 7.5 %, National Ad Fund 2% and local area marketing 1 %. It does not say how “gross sales” is defined or whether other recurring charges exist. In Ontario, where disclosure applies, the franchisor must deliver a disclosure document at least 14 days before the earlier of your signing any agreement relating to the franchise or paying anything for it, and Ontario’s Act requires it to contain all material facts. Ask for it before relying on any figure here. See what disclosure a resale buyer gets.
Financing a Second Cup purchase
The page names no lender and no financing programme. Its unencumbered capital line, $200,000 – $250,000, is a figure the franchisor says is required, and the page does not explain how it is measured. For how Canadian franchise purchases are financed and what franchisors ask of buyers, see can a franchise purchase be financed? and what financial requirements franchisors set for buyers.
Published initial fees of other brands on Deavo
Each figure is the franchisor’s own published initial fee for Canada, read on the date shown in the table. Fees are one part of the cost. Second Cup’s fee, read Oct 22, 2026, is the $30,000 above.
About the Canadian Franchise Association listing
The Canadian Franchise Association’s directory has a Second Cup Café entry, but it shows no “member since” year, so this page does not state one. The directory gives a different franchise fee from the one on Foodtastic’s Second Cup page, so this page quotes only the franchisor’s page and does not use the directory’s figures.
Initial franchise fee, as published
Read Oct 21, 2026| Brand | Initial fee | Source | Read |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subway | $15,000 | subwayfranchise.com | Oct 20, 2026 |
| Panago | $25,000* | panagofranchise.com/cost | Oct 20, 2026 |
| Drama Kids | $30,000 + working capital, + GST | dramakids.ca | Oct 21, 2026 |
| Pizza Pizza | $35,000 | pizzapizza.ca/franchising | Oct 20, 2026 |
| Milestones | $40,000 | foodtastic.ca | Oct 21, 2026 |
| Boston Pizza | $60,000 | bostonpizzafranchise.com | Oct 20, 2026 |
Swipe to see the source and date columns →
* Average, per the franchisor. Subway’s fee is quoted from its Canadian FAQ; Pizza Pizza’s from its franchising basics page; Boston Pizza’s is for its traditional format and is “plus applicable taxes”. Country Style’s cost answers were placeholder text when read and are not quoted.
Sources
Franchisor figures are quoted from each franchisor’s own Canadian pages on the date shown and are not verified by Deavo.
- 01FoodtasticCompanyOur Second Cup Franchises | Foodtastic
- 02SubwayCompanyFrequently Asked Questions | Subway Franchise
- 03Pizza PizzaCompanyFranchising Basics - Pizza Pizza
- 04Boston PizzaCompanyTraditional Franchise Opportunities | Boston Pizza
- 05FoodtasticCompanyOur Milestones Franchises | Foodtastic
- 06Drama Kids CanadaCompanyFranchise with us - Drama classes for children
- 07Canadian Franchise AssociationIndustrySecond Cup Café - Look For A Franchise
- 08Government of OntarioGovernmentArthur Wishart Act (Franchise Disclosure), 2000, S.O. 2000, c. 3
Deavo is an advertising and listings platform, not a brokerage, law firm or valuation firm. This page is general information, not legal, tax, accounting or valuation advice, and rules differ by province. Confirm anything you rely on with a qualified professional before you act on it.