Tommy's Express
Automotive · Car Wash & Detailing
- Active units
- 244
- Royalty
- 4.0%
Franchised, year-end 2025
of weekly Net Sales
About Tommy's Express
Tommy's Express operates as a brick-and-mortar franchise in the automotive services sector, specializing in express car washes. The business model centers on automated tunnel systems that allow customers to receive exterior cleaning without leaving their vehicles. Key features include a proprietary app for managing wash memberships and license plate recognition to streamline site entry. In addition to individual car owners, the brand serves professional drivers and fleet accounts through high-volume washing capabilities. Facilities also typically include self-service vacuum stations and floor mat cleaners for interior maintenance.
Key terms
- Franchise fee
$50k
- Brand fund
1.0% of Net Sales
- Local advertising
2.0% of Net Sales
- Footprint
15,246 – 87,120 sq ft
- Development Agreement
$90k
- Veteran discount
10000.0% off franchise fee — Honorably discharged U.S. veterans receive a $10,000 reduction to the initial franchise fee.
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 locations244
Franchised units open at year-end
- New openings46
Gross new units opened during the calendar year
- 1-year unit growth rate18.4%
Net unit growth versus prior year
- 3-year unit CAGR21.2%
Compound annual growth rate of unit count over the trailing 3 years
- Unit growth ratio5.8×
Cumulative opens / closures through year-end
Unit economics
- Annual unit volume (Median)—
Per FDD Item 19 disclosure
- Annual unit volume (25th percentile)—
Per FDD Item 19 disclosure
- Annual unit volume (75th percentile)—
Per FDD Item 19 disclosure
- 1-year Median AUV growth rate-7.7%
Year-over-year change in median AUV
- Store-level EBITDA Margin—
Median unit-level EBITDA / AUV
Investment profile
- Estimated initial investment$7.7M
Midpoint of estimated initial investment range
↓ Lower is better - Time to open—
Midpoint of average time from agreement to opening
- Royalty rate4.0%
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
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Location footprint
Showing 170 of 209 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.