Cottage Inn Pizza is a longstanding name in the American pizza scene, first opening its doors in Ann Arbor, Michigan, back in 1948. With deep family roots and a passion for quality, the brand took a major step in 1986 by launching its franchise program. Today, Cottage Inn operates more than 50 locations throughout Michigan and Ohio.
What sets Cottage Inn apart is its wide-ranging menu, which features over 30 gourmet pizza selections alongside hearty pasta dishes, fresh salads, and gluten-free offerings. The franchise is known for its emphasis on premium ingredients and friendly, reliable service—a combination that has made it a local favorite across the Midwest.
With a continued focus on growth, Cottage Inn offers new franchisees robust training and continuous operational support, making it a strong contender for those looking to enter the competitive pizza market.
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.
Cottage Inn offers 3 types of franchises:
We are summarizing below the main costs associated with opening a Cottage Inn Pizza & Pub. For more information on costs required to start a Cottage Inn franchise, refer to the Franchise Disclosure Document (Item 7).
Cottage Inn provides a structured and mandatory training program to ensure franchisees are well-equipped to manage their stores effectively. The training is extensive and conducted primarily at a functioning Cottage Inn store, with some sessions held at the company’s offices in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Cottage Inn provides franchisees with a designated Area of Primary Responsibility (APR), but this does not equate to an exclusive territory. While the franchisor generally respects the franchisee’s APR, it retains the right to operate other franchises or company-owned stores, and to distribute through alternative channels within or near the same area.
This means franchisees may face competition from other Cottage Inn outlets, even those owned by the franchisor itself.The franchise agreement emphasizes that franchisees are not guaranteed exclusivity, and they have no rights to additional territories, options, or first refusals unless otherwise stipulated in an Area Development Agreement.
The APR will not be altered unless the franchisee delivers outside of it, but continuation of the territory does not depend on achieving specific sales benchmarks. In essence, while the franchisor offers a defined geographic area for operation, it does not provide strong territorial protections against internal competition.
KEY FRANCHISE STATS
All you need to know about this franchise
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Below are some of
Cottage Inn
key competitors in the
Pizza
sector.
45
$25,000 - $30,000
$167,000
$785,000
n.a.
$811,000
$xxx,xxx
72.1%
n.a.
6.2%
n.a.
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