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Café 86®

Food & Beverage • Year: 2026
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What Is Café 86?

Café 86 is a casual café concept focused on specialty coffee, drinks, pastries, and sandwiches. Franchise revenue is derived primarily from the sale of specialty coffee beverages, other drinks, pastries, and sandwiches.

Café 86 Franchise: Pros and Cons

The franchise offers best-in-class onboarding with a Training and Support score of 100 (top quarter), but its $40,500 initial franchise fee-placing it in the top 5% for the sector-significantly increases upfront cash requirements compared with most Food and Beverage brands.

Pros

Training & Support score is 100 - well above industry norms (top quarter), meaning you get best-in-class onboarding and field support that reduces the day-to-day learning curve for new operators.
Item 7 maximums (fees, assets, reserves, training, total) are all $0 - unusually low compared with peers, so the upper-end startup cost exposure is modest and preserves your cash on hand.
No disclosed lawsuits, zero government penalties, zero franchisor enforcement actions and zero franchisee-initiated judgments or settlements - a clean legal and enforcement record that lowers regulatory and litigation risk for incoming operators.

Cons

The initial franchise fee is $40,500, placing it in the top 5% for this sector and increasing your upfront cash requirement compared with most Food & Beverage franchises.
You do not have the right to relocate your franchise (the absence of this right is unusual-about 91% of peers allow it), which limits operational flexibility if the site underperforms or market conditions change.
The franchisor cannot operate in alternative venues and cannot sell in retail (both are 'No,' an unusual absence vs peers), which restricts non-traditional channels and ancillary revenue opportunities that many franchise systems use to grow the brand.

Lawsuits & Legal Risk

100
Excellent

Café 86 reported no material legal proceedings,

Territory Protection

70/100
Good

Café 86 grants an exclusive, site-specific protected territory (typically a 50,000–100,000 population radius) whose exclusivity for a single-unit franchise does not depend on sales-volume or performance; the franchisor retains e-commerce/alternative-channel sales within the area, may develop surrounding markets (no FOFR), and MUDA exclusivity is contingent on meeting the development schedule.

Training & Support

100
Excellent

Café 86 provides a comprehensive 146-hour training curriculum designed to prepare three managerial staff members for launch. The program includes on-site launch support focused on operational readiness; on-site support carries additional fees and franchisees are responsible for travel and lodging expenses.

Café 86 Franchise Earnings: Not Disclosed

Café 86 did not disclose financial performance data (Item 19) in their 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document. Not all franchisors choose to publish this information, which can make it harder for prospective owners to evaluate expected revenue before investing.

This franchise company did not publish these results.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Café 86 a good franchise to own?

Whether Café 86 is a good franchise depends on your goals, experience, and local market. Key factors from the 2026 FDD: Café 86 operates 17 locations, received a legal risk score of 100/100, a training and support score of 100/100. The franchisor does not disclose financial performance data. Prospective franchisees should review the full Franchise Disclosure Document and consult with a franchise attorney before making any investment decision.

Is a Café 86 franchise worth the investment?

The value of a Café 86 franchise investment depends on factors such as location, operator experience, and market demand. The initial investment ranges from $229,500 to $0. Franchise investments carry inherent risk, and prospective buyers should conduct thorough due diligence before committing capital.

How long does it take to break even with a Café 86 franchise?

Break-even timelines for Café 86 franchises are not disclosed in the 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document. Break-even periods vary significantly based on initial investment level, local market conditions, operating costs, and revenue ramp-up speed. Prospective franchisees should build a pro forma financial model using Item 7 cost estimates and, where available, Item 19 financial performance data from the FDD.

Is Café 86 a franchise or a corporate-owned business?

As of the 2026 FDD, Café 86 operates 10 franchised locations and 7 company-owned locations. Franchise opportunities are available through the franchisor's disclosure process.

Does Café 86 disclose franchise revenue data?

Café 86 did not disclose financial performance data (Item 19) in their 2026 FDD. Not all franchisors choose to publish this information.

Report generated on May 05, 2026 at 02:19 PM

ZeeReport does not audit the information it receives and does not independently verify the information in every instance.

Prospective franchisees should consult the original Franchise Disclosure Document before making any investment decision.

Data is extracted via automated AI tools. Inaccuracies or omissions are possible due to the nature of the technology.

This report is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, financial, investment, or other professional advice.

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