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Black Bear Diner Franchise FDD, Costs & Fees (2025)

Black Bear Diner serves hearty and homestyle meals inspired by the American West, featuring comfort food favorites.

Established in 1995 in Redding, California, Black Bear Diner has evolved into a prominent name in the diner franchise industry, renowned for its traditional, home-style comfort cuisine and distinctive dining experience. Headquartered in its founding city, the diner started franchising in 2002, bringing its unique dining concept to a wider audience.

Black Bear Diner is celebrated for its all-day breakfast, lunch, and dinner options, generous portions, and high-quality meals, which have garnered a dedicated following of multi-generational families.

The diner’s bear-themed branding, which includes outdoor wood carvings, cabin-style interiors, and branded merchandise, creates a unique dining ambiance that sets it apart from other establishments.

The franchise has received consistent industry recognition, including a place on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 for five consecutive years, solidifying its position in the family dining sector.

Initial investment

Here's what you would need to invest if you were to start this franchise. These costs are provided by the franchisor in the Franchise Disclosure Document.

Type of Expenditure Amount
Franchise Fee$24,000 to $55,000
Development Services Fee$0 to $100,000
First Month’s Rent$9,000 to $20,000
Security Deposits$7,500 to $23,000
Leasehold Improvements$635,200 to $989,000
Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment$82,100 to $96,600
Kitchen Equipment$450,000 to $487,100
Décor Package$28,100 to $34,900
Carved Bear Package$35,500 to $41,800
Initial Inventory – Food & Paper$14,000 to $20,000
Initial Inventory – Gift Shop Products$2,000 to $5,000
Insurance$7,000 to $20,000
Signage$25,300 to $33,900
Office Equipment and Supplies$1,800 to $2,200
Computer System$45,000 to $85,000
Grand Opening Advertising$5,500 to $12,000
Training Expenses$44,000 to $85,000
Licenses & Permits$7,000 to $20,000
Professional Fees$20,000 to $65,000
Additional Funds – 3 months$100,000 to $150,000
Total$1,546,200 to $2,349,000
Type of Expenditure Amount
Franchise Fee$24,000 to $55,000
Development Services Fee$0 to $100,000
First Month’s Rent$9,000 to $20,000
Security Deposits$7,500 to $23,000
Leasehold Improvements$635,200 to $989,000
Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment$82,100 to $96,600
Kitchen Equipment$450,000 to $487,100
Décor Package$28,100 to $34,900
Carved Bear Package$35,500 to $41,800
Initial Inventory – Food & Paper$14,000 to $20,000
Initial Inventory – Gift Shop Products$2,000 to $5,000
Insurance$7,000 to $20,000
Signage$25,300 to $33,900
Office Equipment and Supplies$1,800 to $2,200
Computer System$45,000 to $85,000
Grand Opening Advertising$5,500 to $12,000
Training Expenses$44,000 to $85,000
Licenses & Permits$7,000 to $20,000
Professional Fees$20,000 to $65,000
Additional Funds – 3 months$100,000 to $150,000
Total$1,546,200 to $2,349,000

Black Bear Diner

2025

Franchise Disclosure Document

Number of units

Training 

Black Bear Diner offers a robust training program designed to equip franchisees with the essential knowledge and skills to successfully manage their diner.

Mandatory Attendees: Both the franchisee or their Primary Owner and the designated operator of the franchise must complete the initial training and qualify as a Certified Manager before opening the franchise.

Training Curriculum: The initial program delivers hands-on training in operating a Black Bear Diner. It covers maintaining brand standards in areas such as food preparation, marketing, customer service, equipment maintenance, the point-of-sale system, and grand opening procedures.

Location and Duration: Training is conducted at specified Black Bear Diner locations and includes 320 hours of on-the-job training.

Ongoing Education: Black Bear Diner may also require participants to attend additional training sessions, such as refresher courses and seminars, to stay updated with best practices and operational standards.

Territory Protection

Franchisees are not given an exclusive territory but are allocated a "Protected Territory." Typically, this Protected Territory covers a 3-mile radius around the franchised restaurant.

Within this area, Black Bear Diner agrees not to open or grant another franchise for a Black Bear Diner restaurant.

However, Black Bear Diner retains the right to establish and license other businesses, including similar restaurant concepts with different trademarks, service marks, and commercial symbols, both within and outside the Protected Territory.

Competitors

Below are some of

Black Bear Diner

key competitors in the

Breakfast

sector.

Franchise
Franchisees
Initial fee
Total investment
Revenue
Sign up
Gross Profit
Sign up
EBITDA
Sign up

92

New
+
5%
5%

$55,000

$1,546,000

$2,349,000

n.a.

$2,677,000

$xxx,xxx

72.1%

xx%

n.a.

6.8%

xx%

n.a.

Competitors

Famous Toastery

Famous Toastery is a breakfast, brunch, and lunch restaurant franchise offering made-from-scratch dishes and specialty beverages, serving families and daytime diners, and known for closing by midafternoon, fresh ingredients, attentive team-service, and a strong focus on the booming brunch segment.

Franchisees

?

16
+
-16%
-16%
Investment

?

$688,000 - $1,206,000

Vicious Biscuit

Vicious Biscuit is a breakfast-and-brunch franchise offering overstuffed biscuit sandwiches, coffee and brunch fare, serving early-day diners, families and brunch crowds, and known for Southern-flavor innovation, fast-casual scalability and strong repeat business.

Franchisees

?

2
+
n.a.
n.a.
Investment

?

$799,000 - $1,317,000

Squeeze In

Squeeze In is a brunch-focused restaurant franchise offering extensive omelette menus, pancakes, and lunch items, serving breakfast and lunch diners, and known for vibrant atmosphere, unique menu, and expansion through franchising.

Franchisees

?

4
+
0%
0%
Investment

?

$202,000 - $522,000

Rachel's Kitchen

Rachel’s Kitchen is a fresh-casual café franchise offering wholesome, made-to-order food from breakfast through dinner, serving singles, families and health-minded consumers, and known for fresh ingredients, broad appeal and growth-oriented franchise model.

Franchisees

?

0
+
n.a.
n.a.
Investment

?

$298,000 - $816,000

Friendly's

Friendly’s is a casual-dining franchise offering ice cream, burgers, breakfasts and family meals, serving families and casual diners, and known for nostalgic American fare, classic ice-cream sundaes and broad national recognition.

Franchisees

?

94
+
96%
96%
Investment

?

$1,111,000 - $2,682,000

Biscuit Belly

Biscuit Belly is a Southern-inspired café franchise offering biscuit sandwiches, brunch fare, coffee, and comfort dishes, serving brunch lovers and urban diners, and known for handcrafted biscuits, bold flavour profiles, and stylish café environments.

Franchisees

?

6
+
200%
200%
Investment

?

$824,000 - $1,342,000

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