Dunn Brothers Coffee
Food & Beverage · Coffee & Beverage
- Active units
- 49
- Avg unit volume
- $576k
- Royalty
- 5.0%
Franchised, year-end 2023
of weekly Net Sales
About Dunn Brothers Coffee
Dunn Brothers Coffee is a brand that is deeply passionate about the art of coffee-making. Founded in 1987 by brothers Ed and Dan Dunn, they started their journey in Portland, Oregon, and later moved to the Twin Cities. Their mission was to roast coffee in small batches, ensuring the freshest brew possible and providing a comforting coffee experience to their customers. Today, Dunn Brothers Coffee shops can be found across the country, with the majority being independently owned by members of local communities who share the same dedication to quality. What sets Dunn Brothers Coffee apart is their obsession with coffee flavor and taste. They believe that making coffee is an art form and treat their baristas and coffee roasters as artists-in-residence. Each handmade drink is crafted specifically for you, ensuring a unique experience with every cup. In addition to their crafted brews, they also offer fresh and delicious food made from scratch, including hand-cracked eggs, hand-sliced meats and cheeses, and freshly baked pastries. To achieve maximum flavor, Dunn Brothers Coffee practices small-batch coffee roasting, which enhances the richness and complexity of their coffees. This commitment to quality is what makes Dunn Brothers Coffee a favorite destination for coffee lovers seeking an extraordinary coffee experience.
Key terms
- Franchise fee
$40k
- Multi-unit discount
Initial franchise fee reduced to 35000 for the second and each subsequent Franchise Agreement
- Brand fund
3.0% of Net Sales
- Local advertising
1.0% of Net Sales
- Footprint
1,500 – 1,900 sq ft
- Development Fee (typical 2-shop commitment)
$20k
- Development Fee (typical 3-shop commitment)
$40k
- Veteran discount
Not offered
Brand Percentile Rankings
Rankings compare brands in the same operating year. Fee and investment figures come from the FDD (2026 filing); filings on file: 2024, 2025, 2026.
Growth
- Total locations39
Franchised units open at year-end
- New openings1
Gross new units opened during the calendar year
- 1-year unit growth rate-4.9%
Net unit growth versus prior year
- 3-year unit CAGR-7.9%
Compound annual growth rate of unit count over the trailing 3 years
- Unit growth ratio0.3×
Cumulative opens / closures through year-end
Unit economics
- Annual unit volume (Median)—
Per FDD Item 19 disclosure
- Annual unit volume (25th percentile)$449k
Gross Sales excludes sales taxes and documented refunds and includes delivery/catering; figures rounded to the nearest whole and sourced from franchisee POS or…
- Annual unit volume (75th percentile)$673k
Gross Sales excludes sales taxes and documented refunds and includes delivery/catering; figures rounded to the nearest whole and sourced from franchisee POS or…
- 1-year Median AUV growth rate4.2%
Year-over-year change in median AUV
- Store-level EBITDA Margin—
Median unit-level EBITDA / AUV
Investment profile
- Estimated initial investment$589k
Midpoint of estimated initial investment range
↓ Lower is better - Time to open—
Midpoint of average time from agreement to opening
- Royalty rate5.0%
Percent of net sales paid to the franchisor
↓ Lower is better - Sales-to-investment ratio—
Median AUV / estimated initial investment midpoint
- Cash-on-cash returns—
Median unit-level EBITDA / estimated initial investment midpoint. Steady-state estimate; year 1 returns will be lower as the unit ramps to median volumes.
Franchisee healthLocked
- Unit closure ratio
- Transfer vs. closure ratio
- Percent multi-unit franchisees
- Litigation rate
- EBITDA multiple on sales & transfers
Create your free Glidepath account to access full brand information.
Location footprint
Showing 43 of 57 mapped locations
Sources
Financial and operating figures are sourced from the brand's Franchise Disclosure Documents. Brand percentile rankings are based on comparisons to other brands that include the same metrics in their Franchise Disclosure Documents.