LocalWhat a Men In Kilts franchise actually costs
Figures checked against the disclosure document on .
Men In Kilts® publishes every fee it charges in its Franchise Disclosure Document. This page sets those fees out with the item number beside each one, and gives you a calculator to apply them to a sales volume you choose. Then it shows how Worried Bird charges instead. Every Men In Kilts figure here comes from the Men In Kilts US, LLC 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, issued April 10, 2026.
Run your own numbers
Set a sales volume and see what each fee structure charges on it.
Presets: Men In Kilts US, LLC 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, issued April 10, 2026, Item 19, per franchise; several operate more than one territory.This calculator illustrates published fee structures at a sales volume you choose. It is not a projection, estimate, or guarantee of revenue, income, or results for any Worried Bird or Men In Kilts business.
At in sales in year , 6% comes to less than the Minimum Royalty, so the royalty charged is — more than 6% of what you sold.
Men In Kilts US, LLC 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, issued April 10, 2026, Item 6, Note 4| Fee | Men In Kilts | Worried Bird |
|---|---|---|
| Royalty | $30,000.00 | — |
| Brand Fund Fee | $10,000.00 | — |
| Technology fee | $6,000.00 | — |
| Membership Fee | — | $15,000.00 |
| Annual total | $46,000.00 | $15,000.00 |
| Effective rate on your sales | 9.20% | 3.00% |
| Five years at the same volume | $230,000.00 | $75,000.00 |
Required spend — not paid to the franchisor
Men In Kilts requires local advertising of at least$36,000 a year in this year, and field service software at $729 a month ($8,748 a year). Worried Bird has no required advertising minimum.
Men In Kilts US, LLC 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, issued April 10, 2026, Item 11; Men In Kilts US, LLC 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, issued April 10, 2026, Items 5 and 6, Note 11.Men In Kilts' fee structure, itemized
Everything the disclosure document lists, grouped by when you pay it.
Ongoing fees
| Fee | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Continuing Royalty | 6% of monthly Gross Consumer Sales | Men In Kilts US, LLC 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, issued April 10, 2026, Item 6 |
| Minimum Royalty | None in year 1; $600 a month in year 2; $1,200 a month after | Men In Kilts US, LLC 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, issued April 10, 2026, Item 6, Note 4 |
| Premium royalty, outside your territory | An additional 2.5% of those sales | Men In Kilts US, LLC 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, issued April 10, 2026, Items 6 and 12 |
| Brand Fund Fee | 2% of Gross Consumer Sales | Men In Kilts US, LLC 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, issued April 10, 2026, Item 6 |
| Technology fee | $500 a month | Men In Kilts US, LLC 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, issued April 10, 2026, Item 6 |
| Field service software (required) | $729 a month, paid to the supplier | Men In Kilts US, LLC 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, issued April 10, 2026, Items 5 and 6, Note 11 |
| Financial software (required) | $25 a month per license | Men In Kilts US, LLC 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, issued April 10, 2026, Item 6, Note 11 |
Several of these fees may be raised once a year by up to 10%, and the increases compound. Men In Kilts US, LLC 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, issued April 10, 2026, Item 6, Note 13
Initial investment
| Expenditure | Amount |
|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $38,000 |
| Travel and living while training | $3,000–$5,500 |
| Vehicle (first 3 months of a lease, wrapped) | $4,150–$4,800 |
| Equipment | $6,725–$14,170 |
| Technology (first 3 months) | $4,200–$5,425 |
| Advertising (first 3 months) | $18,300 |
| Insurance (first 3 months) | $2,000–$12,000 |
| Additional funds (first 3 months) | $25,000–$50,000 |
| Total | $101,375–$148,195 |
Ways the initial fee can change
The standard initial fee is $38,000. Item 5 describes these programs, all at the franchisor's discretion.
| Program | Terms |
|---|---|
| Franchise Option Program | The initial fee is refunded after opening in exchange for a royalty of 10% instead of 6% for 10 years — the 7-year term and the first three years of any renewal. |
| Military and first responders | 20% off the initial fee on your first franchise. |
| Multi-unit | Buy 3 or more territories at once: 25% off the fee for the second and later ones. |
| Hard-to-serve or underserved markets | Up to 10% off the initial fee. |
| Conversion of an existing business | Initial fee waived; for the first 2 years the royalty is 2% with a $250 monthly minimum. Requires at least 6 months in business and more than $25,000 in sales over the latest 6 months. |
Required local advertising
On top of the 2% Brand Fund Fee, you must spend at least $3,000 a month on local advertising for the first 36 months after opening, and $2,000 a month after that, each measured as a rolling twelve-month average. This is spent by you, not paid to the franchisor.
Men In Kilts US, LLC 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, issued April 10, 2026, Item 11| Use | Share |
|---|---|
| Administrative expenses | 66.2% |
| Websites | 21.2% |
| Software subscriptions | 6.3% |
| Content creation | 5.1% |
| Digital marketing | 1.1% |
| Pay-per-click advertising | 0.1% |
Other fees that can arise
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Transfer fee | $5,000 |
| Renewal fee | $2,500 |
| Initial training | Free for two attendees; $500 for each additional person |
| Ongoing training | Currently $500 per person |
| Convention | Up to $1,500 per attendee |
| Call routing | $20 per month |
| Branded email | $15 per month per license |
| Digital marketing services | $305 or $595 per month per territory |
Worried Bird's fee structure, itemized
Three numbers. There is no fourth.
| Fee | Amount | When |
|---|---|---|
| League Fee | $10,000 | One-time, at signing |
| Territory Fee | $1 per owner-occupied household | One-time |
| Membership Fee | $15,000 a year — $1,250 a month | Ongoing |
For a 100,000 owner-occupied household territory, that is $60,000 one-time and $15,000 a year. No percentage of sales, and no minimum royalty. Men In Kilts measures territory in households earning over $100,000 a year, a different measure, so we make no claim that the two territories are the same size.
Some operating tools are billed separately from the Membership Fee. Ask for the itemized list of what is included and what is billed separately when we speak.
To set a flat fee against a percentage royalty at a revenue and rate you choose, use the flat fee vs percentage royalty calculator.
The Minimum Royalty, explained
From the second year of the agreement, if 6% of a month's sales comes to less than the Minimum Royalty, you pay the difference. At $1,200 a month, the minimum equals 6% of $240,000 a year in sales. Below that volume, the royalty no longer falls with your sales.
For context, Men In Kilts' Item 19 reports a 2025 median of $190,777 in Gross Consumer Sales across 11 US franchises operating 27 territories. Those figures are per franchise, not per territory, and describe past performance of the Men In Kilts system only.
Men In Kilts US, LLC 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, issued April 10, 2026, Item 6, Note 4; Men In Kilts US, LLC 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, issued April 10, 2026, Item 19Territory
A Men In Kilts territory holds about 100,000 “Qualified Households” — households with gross annual income over $100,000. The franchisor will not place another Men In Kilts franchise inside it while you are in compliance. It keeps the right to serve national accounts there, to sell through other channels including online, and to operate other brands anywhere, including inside your territory.
Men In Kilts US, LLC 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, issued April 10, 2026, Item 12“You will not receive an exclusive territory. You may face competition from other franchisees, from outlets that we own, or from other channels of distribution or competitive brands that we control.”
Work for customers outside your territory needs permission and carries the additional 2.5% royalty. The document also says the franchisor can terminate the agreement if you miss a minimum Gross Consumer Sales target — “if you fail to meet the minimum required Gross Consumer Sales target in any 12 month period we can terminate your Franchise Agreement” in Item 12, and “failure to meet the minimum required Gross Consumer Sales target for a period of six months” in Item 17. The target itself is not stated in Items 1 to 23; ask for it in writing.
Men In Kilts US, LLC 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, issued April 10, 2026, Items 12 and 17Term, renewal and leaving
- The term is 7 years, renewable once on the franchisor's then-current agreement, which may have materially different terms, including royalties.
- The franchisor has a right of first refusal on any sale, and an option to buy the business's assets at net depreciated book value when the agreement ends.
- After it ends, a 18-month non-compete covers your former territory and any adjacent Men In Kilts territory.
- Disputes go to mediation, then arbitration, in Cleveland, Ohio, under Ohio law (subject to state law).
US system size
| Year | Start | Opened | Terminated | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 18 | 7 | 5 | 20 |
| 2024 | 20 | 4 | 1 | 23 |
| 2025 | 23 | 6 | 2 | 27 |
Men In Kilts may be the better fit if…
Three cases where we would genuinely tell you to look at Men In Kilts.
You expect a small first year
In the first year of the agreement there is no Minimum Royalty. Below about $112,500 in sales that year, Men In Kilts' percentage fees cost less in absolute dollars than a flat $15,000 Membership Fee. Run your figure in the calculator, year by year.
You already run a cleaning business
Men In Kilts' conversion program waives the initial fee and charges a 2% royalty for the first two years for an existing business that qualifies. If you are converting, that is a real difference in the early years.
You want help with the upfront fee
Item 5 says the franchisor may finance up to the full initial fee for qualified buyers, and its Franchise Option Program refunds the fee after opening in exchange for a 10% royalty for ten years. Read that trade-off carefully, but if cash at signing is the constraint, it is there.
Questions about Men In Kilts' costs
How much does a Men In Kilts franchise cost to open?
The 2026 disclosure document puts the total initial investment at $101,375 to $148,195, of which $39,729 to $41,229 is paid to the franchisor. The initial franchise fee is $38,000, with discounts and refund programs described in Item 5.
What royalty does Men In Kilts charge?
A Continuing Royalty of 6% of monthly Gross Consumer Sales, plus a Brand Fund Fee of 2%. From the second year of the agreement a Minimum Royalty applies: $600 a month in year two and $1,200 a month after that. Work for customers outside your territory carries an additional 2.5% royalty.
What other ongoing fees are there?
A technology fee of $500 a month and required field service software at $729 a month, plus financial software at $25 per license. Several fees may rise by up to 10% a year. Separately, you must spend at least $3,000 a month on local advertising for the first 36 months and $2,000 a month after that.
Does a Men In Kilts franchise come with an exclusive territory?
No. Item 12 states that you will not receive an exclusive territory. The franchisor will not place another Men In Kilts franchise in your territory while you are in compliance, but it keeps rights including national accounts, online sales and other brands it controls.
How long is the Men In Kilts franchise term?
Seven years, renewable once on the franchisor's then-current agreement, which may have materially different terms, including royalties. The renewal fee is $2,500. After the franchise ends, an 18-month non-compete covers your former territory and adjacent Men In Kilts territories.
What do Men In Kilts franchisees make?
Item 19 reports 2025 Gross Consumer Sales for 11 US franchises operating 27 territories: an average of $209,277 and a median of $190,777, ranging from $63,447 to $489,287. Figures are per franchise, not per territory. These describe past performance of the Men In Kilts system only.
Run your numbers with a real person.
If the figures above are worth a conversation, tell us a little about you and where you would like to operate. Nothing is committed by reaching out.
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A real person will get back to you soon. If you'd rather talk now, reach us at tony@whygametime.com.
Men In Kilts® is a registered trademark of its owner. Worried Bird is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Men In Kilts, Men In Kilts US, LLC, or Threshold Brands, LLC. All Men In Kilts figures on this page are drawn from its Franchise Disclosure Document and are cited by item.
Source: Men In Kilts US, LLC 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, issued April 10, 2026. Fee data from Items 5, 6, 7 and 11; territory from Item 12; term from Item 17; system performance from Item 19; outlets from Items 1 and 20. Figures reflect the FDD in effect as of 15 October 2026. Franchise disclosure documents are reissued annually; verify current figures directly.
This page is for information only and is not a franchise offering. Worried Bird franchises are offered only by a Franchise Disclosure Document.