How much does it cost to open a Grease Monkey franchise?

The total initial investment for a Grease Monkey franchise ranges from $291,320 to $917,050. This includes the franchise fee of $39,900, buildout costs, equipment, and initial working capital.

What are the ongoing fees for a Grease Monkey franchise?

Grease Monkey franchisees pay a 6.0% royalty fee and a 0.5% advertising/marketing fund contribution. These are typically calculated as a percentage of gross revenue.

How much money can you make with a Grease Monkey franchise?

Based on Item 19 financial performance data, the median Grease Monkey franchise generates $706,395 in annual revenue. Estimated owner profit is approximately $37,439.

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Automotive

Grease Monkey Franchise Cost Breakdown

Complete investment analysis based on official FDD data

Total Investment

$291,320 – $917,050

Franchise Fee

$39,900

Royalty Rate

6.0%

Initial Investment Range

Low: $291,320 High: $917,050

The total initial investment to open a Grease Monkey franchise ranges from $291,320 to $917,050, as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document. This includes the one-time franchise fee of $39,900.

Midpoint estimate: $604,185

Franchise Fee

$39,900

One-time initial fee

The Grease Monkey franchise fee is a one-time upfront payment made to the franchisor when you sign the franchise agreement. This fee grants you the right to operate under the Grease Monkey brand and is included in the total initial investment range above.

Ongoing Fees

Royalty Fee

6.0%

of gross revenue

Ad/Marketing Fund

0.5%

of gross revenue

Total Ongoing Fee Burden: 6.5% of gross revenue

Combined royalty and advertising fund contributions before any other fees.

Other Ongoing Fees

Fee Type	Rate	Type	Notes
Royalty	6.0	PCT	Due on the 10th day of each month for the previous month. Ongoing payment that allows use of Marks and intellectual property of the System and pays for ongoing support and assistance.
Advertising Contribution	0.5	PCT	Used for system-wide National Materials Fund for promoting and building the Grease Monkey brand. Franchisor reserves the right to increase the required contribution to 1% of Gross Revenues.
Local Advertising Commitment	4.0	PCT	Minimum spend on local advertising that has been pre-approved by franchisor. Incurred as spent.
Local and Regional Advertising Cooperatives	N/A	VARIABLE	Payments to a Local or Regional Advertising Cooperative will be credited to Local Advertising commitment. Franchisor does not have controlling voting power in any Local or Regional Advertising Cooperative.
Point of Sale System (POS) Maintenance Fee	N/A	VARIABLE	Paid directly to the vendor. Cost may increase if franchisee elects additional modules or services that the vendor offers.
Convention and Other Meeting Fee	1200.0	FIXED	Current charge for registration for biennial convention is $1,200 per person. Required to attend biennial conventions held once every two years, and registration fee will be charged even if franchisee does not attend. Fee varies for other meetings.
Audit Expenses	N/A	VARIABLE	Payable on demand if audit reveals understatement of monthly Gross Revenues by more than 2%, if franchisee fails to submit required reports, or fails to produce records or cooperate with an audit.
Transfer Fee	5000.0	FIXED	$1,000 non-refundable deposit at time of transfer application submittal with remainder due at time of approved transfer. If transferring an unopened Center under a Multi-Unit Agreement, fee will be $2,000 per Center. Fee may increase annually based on CPI.
Transferee Training Fee	2500.0	FIXED	Payable prior to consummation of transfer for initial training for up to two people at Greenwood Village, Colorado training facility or another location designated by franchisor. Transferee responsible for all travel and lodging expenses.
Renewal Fee	N/A	VARIABLE	Payable when signing then-current Franchise Agreement if franchisee qualifies to renew and chooses to enter into a successor franchise agreement.
Interest	1.5	PCT	Lesser of 1.5% per month or highest rate of interest allowed by law. Interest accrues from the original due date until payment is received in full.
Late Charges	25.0	FIXED	Payable if any payment due to franchisor or its affiliates is not made by the due date.
Insufficient Funds Fee	N/A	VARIABLE	Payable if any charge to franchisee's account by franchisor is denied based on failure to have sufficient funds in the account.
Additional Training or Assistance Fees	500.0	FIXED	Except in event of transfer, franchisor provides initial training at no charge for up to two people. Fee charged for training additional persons, newly-hired personnel, refresher training courses, advanced training courses, and additional or special assistance. Franchisee responsible for all travel related expenses.
Noncompliance Service Charge	1000.0	FIXED	Franchisor has right to impose this charge, in addition to other rights and remedies, if franchisee is not in compliance with Franchise Agreement or franchisor's standards and specifications to reimburse for time devoted to deal with the issue. Amount depends on type of noncompliance.
Professional Fees and Expenses	N/A	VARIABLE	Franchisee must reimburse franchisor for any legal or accounting fees incurred as a result of any breach or termination of Franchise Agreement, or if franchisor is required to incur any expenses in enforcing rights against franchisee.
Indemnification	N/A	VARIABLE	Franchisee must indemnify and reimburse franchisor for any expenses or losses that franchisor or its representatives incur related in any way to franchisee's Grease Monkey Center or Franchise.
Insurance	N/A	VARIABLE	If franchisee fails to obtain insurance, franchisor may obtain insurance and franchisee must reimburse cost plus 20% of premium for administrative cost. Franchisee must also list franchisor, affiliates and others as additional insured under policy.
Supplier and Product Evaluation Fee	N/A	VARIABLE	Payable if franchisor inspects a new product, service, or proposed supplier nominated by franchisee. Estimated to be approximately $100 to $500.
Resale Assistance Program	3600.0	FIXED	Only due if franchisee requests franchisor's assistance in resale of franchise to another party. In addition to any broker fees franchisor or franchisee may be required to pay to a third party broker.
Broker Fees	N/A	VARIABLE	Payable only in connection with transfer to a purchaser that was referred through a broker employed by franchisor or franchisee and who is not an affiliate of franchisor.

What You Get

Financial Performance (Item 19)

Median Revenue

$706,395

per year, per location

Mean Revenue

$706,395

per year, per location

Profitability Estimate

Estimated Owner Profit

$37,439

per year

Profit Margin

5.3%

of revenue

Estimation method: disclosed

Estimated ROI (Simple Payback): 16.1 years

Based on midpoint investment of $604,185 and estimated annual owner profit of $37,439.

Unit Growth & Failure Rate

Avg. Annual Closure Rate

1.4%

Low risk — below industry average

Net Unit Growth

-185 units

From 2022 to 2025

Unit Activity History

Year	Start	Opened	Closed	Transfers	End
2022	185	+12	—	—	187
2023	187	+17	-3	—	201
2024	201	+13	-5	—	209
2025	—	+26	—	—	—

Is a Grease Monkey Franchise Worth It?

Based on the FDD data, here is a data-driven snapshot of the Grease Monkey franchise opportunity:

Overall Score

80/100

Strong opportunity

Est. Payback Period

16.1 yrs

Longer payback

Risk Level

Low

1.4% annual closure rate

Grease Monkey scores well across our evaluation criteria, indicating a strong franchise system. With median unit revenue of $706,395 and a combined fee burden of 6.5% of gross revenue, prospective franchisees should model their own financial projections carefully. For a complete analysis including risk factors, deal-breaker flags, and detailed financial modeling, see the full report.