La Madeleine

La Madeleine Franchise FDD, Costs & Fees (2025)

French-inspired bakery and cafe franchise serving pastries, sandwiches, and soups made with traditional flavors and ingredients, creating a charming and cozy dining experience.

La Madeleine, a cherished French bakery and café chain, was founded in February 1983 by Patrick Esquerré in Dallas, Texas. Inspired by his Loire Valley heritage and with support from retail legend Stanley Marcus of Neiman Marcus, Esquerré opened the first La Madeleine near Southern Methodist University.

Initially focusing on French bakery items, the café gradually expanded its menu to include a wide variety of French cuisine, becoming a popular neighborhood gathering spot.

Over the years, the menu has evolved to include a range of offerings from salads and sandwiches to hearty entrees and soups, all while maintaining a commitment to authentic French flavors.

The chain experienced rapid growth and expansion, reaching various urban markets across the United States. By the mid-1990s, La Madeleine had extended beyond Texas to cities like New Orleans, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta.

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.

La Madeleine offers 2 types of franchises:

Type of Expenditure Amount
la Madeleine Café – Bakery Café Prototype $1,230,360 – $2,254,160
la Madeleine Café – Express Café Prototype $448,250 – $856,353

We are summarizing below the main costs associated with opening a La Madeleine Bakery Café franchise.

For more information on the various types of franchises and its costs, refer to the Franchise Disclosure Document (Item 7).

La Madeleine Bakery Café

Type of Expenditure Amount
Initial Franchise Fee $40,000
Real Property Variable
Design, Permitting Fees & Liquor License $56,000 – $75,000
Building and Leasehold Improvements $704,000 – $873,000
Security Camera System $0 – $10,000
Signage and Awnings $22,000 – $43,000
Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment $271,000 – $407,000
Technology Suite $43,800 – $107,800
Initial Technology Administrative Fee $2,860
Site Work $0 – $300,000
Start-up Inventory & Supplies $31,700 – $51,500
Grand Opening Advertising $10,000 – $30,000
Insurance $7,000 – $25,000
Training & Managers’ Salary $19,000 – $54,000
Utility Deposits/ Licenses $3,000 – $5,000
Legal and Accounting $5,000 – $30,000
Additional Funds – 3 months $15,000 – $200,000
Total (excluding real estate) $1,230,360 – $2,254,160

Franchise Disclosure Document

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Competitors

Below are some of

La Madeleine

key competitors in the

Baked Goods

sector.

Started franchising
Franchisees

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Franchise fee

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Royalty fee

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Investment

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Revenue (AUV)

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Gross Profit

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EBITDA

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Home-based

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Passive investment

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FDD
La Madeleine
2011
62
+
3%
3%
$40,000
5.00%

$448,000

-

$2,254,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

$2,344,000

72.4%

xx%

n.a.

6.6%

xx%

n.a.

No
Upgrade
No
No
Upgrade
No
2006
154
+
-7%
-7%
$30,000
n.a.

$37,000

-

$186,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

$0

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

Upgrade
Upgrade
1998
24
+
-14%
-14%
$25,000
6.00%

$122,000

-

$339,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

$0

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

Upgrade
Upgrade
2004
146
+
-3%
-3%
$35,000
6.00%

$135,000

-

$407,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

$471,000

74.0%

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

No
Upgrade
No
Yes
Upgrade
Yes
2023
0
+
n.a.
n.a.
$55,000
6.00%

$235,000

-

$712,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

$579,000

76.0%

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

No
Upgrade
No
No
Upgrade
No
2021
1
+
n.a.
n.a.
$40,000
6.00%

$660,000

-

$1,021,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

$3,145,000

63.3%

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

No
Upgrade
No
No
Upgrade
No
2006
32
+
-18%
-18%
$40,000
5.00%

$1,090,000

-

$2,335,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

$0

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

No
Upgrade
No
No
Upgrade
No

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$49 / month
Total investment

?

Revenue (AUV)

?

Revenue growth (last 3 years)

?

Profit margin

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Franchise Disclosure Documents
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Priority support

?

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Training 

Joining La Madeleine means becoming part of a brand that brings the charm of French cuisine to the table. Their dedication to franchisee success is reflected in their comprehensive training and support structure. Here’s an overview of what they offer:

Training Program: La Madeleine offers an extensive training program to ensure franchisees are well-prepared to operate their café effectively.

Who Needs to Attend: The franchisee’s designated General Manager, along with up to three other management personnel, must complete La Madeleine’s management training program.

Training Content: This program covers critical topics for running the café, including sales techniques, product orientation, accounting procedures, food preparation, and operations management.

Territory Protection

Franchisees are granted a geographical area referred to as the "Protected Territory," but they do not receive exclusive territorial rights. Within this Protected Territory, La Madeleine commits not to establish or grant a new franchise for the operation of another La Madeleine Restaurant.

However, the delivery of goods to customers within the franchisee's Protected Territory by a La Madeleine Restaurant located outside of this territory, even if done by a third-party delivery service, does not violate the franchisee's territorial rights.

Franchisees may still encounter competition from other franchisees, La Madeleine-owned outlets, or other distribution channels or competitive brands managed by La Madeleine.

Number of units

2025
Franchised units

60

64

62

Company-owned units

27

26

29

Total units

87

90

91

Competitors

Aunt Millies Bakeries

Franchisees

?

154
+
-7%
-7%
Investment

?

$37,000 - $186,000

The Pretzel Twister

Franchisees

?

24
+
-14%
-14%
Investment

?

$122,000 - $339,000

Philly Pretzel Factory

Franchisees

?

146
+
-3%
-3%
Investment

?

$135,000 - $407,000

Bang Cookies

Franchisees

?

0
+
n.a.
n.a.
Investment

?

$235,000 - $712,000

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