Franchisor Stories
Franchise Opportunity Deep Dive: Papa Murphy’s offers a low-overhead, take-and-bake pizza model with strong unit sales, simplified operations and support from MTY Food Group.
Papa Murphy’s is a take-and-bake pizza franchise that brings fresh, made-to-order pizzas to customers who bake them at home. With no ovens, no dine-in and a lower labor model, it’s a streamlined pizza concept that prioritizes simplicity, quality and affordability.
Papa Murphy’s began in 1995 as the merger of two take-and-bake pizza chains: Papa Aldo’s Pizza (founded in 1981) and Murphy’s Pizza (founded in 1984 by Robert Graham). Terry Collins combined the superior operations of Papa Aldo’s with the better product of Murphy’s to create what is now Papa Murphy’s. In 2019, the brand was acquired by MTY Food Group.
Mission: To enrich everyday life with unconventional moments of happiness by delivering fresh-made, high-quality meals guests can enjoy at home.
Vision: To be the leading take-and-bake pizza franchise known for freshness, guest service and community presence.
Franchise opportunities are available throughout the United States and internationally.
Initial Costs: The estimated initial investment required to begin operation of a Papa Murphy’s franchise ranges from $367,428 to $733,124. The 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) breaks these costs down as follows:
| Type of Expenditure | Min | Max |
| Initial or Subsequent Franchise Fee | $15,000 | $25,000 |
| Lease/Utilities Deposits & Payments | $3,000 | $7,500 |
| Leasehold Improvements | $139,000 | $325,000 |
| Signs | $9,000 | $25,000 |
| Stamped Architectural Drawings | $7,850 | $9,350 |
| As Built Survey | $2,800 | $4,100 |
| Opening Package (Equipment, Supplies, Decor, POS) | $150,144 | $230,000 |
| Misc. Development Service Fees | $0 | $1,270 |
| Inventory | $5,000 | $7,000 |
| Initial Marketing Fees & Expenses (6 Months) | $15,000 | $15,000 |
| Franchise Premises Rent (3 Months) | $7,284 | $17,374 |
| Materials & Supplies | $500 | $2,000 |
| Operations/Enterprise/Foundations Training | $0 | $750 |
| Training Expenses | $1,000 | $7,875 |
| Employee Training | $500 | $1,500 |
| Insurance (3 Months) | $375 | $1,175 |
| Bookkeeping/Payroll (3 Months) | $825 | $1,800 |
| Additional Funds (3 Months) | $10,000 | $50,000 |
Initial Franchise Fee: The franchise fee is $25,000 for the first unit and $15,000 for each additional unit, payable upon signing the franchise agreement. Multi-unit deals require full payment up front.
Ongoing Fees: According to the 2025 Papa Murphy’s franchisees are responsible for the following ongoing payments and fees:
| Type of Fee | Amount |
| Royalty Fee | 5% of net sales/week |
| Brand Marketing Fee | 2% of net sales/week |
| Local Marketing/Promotion/Regional Cooperative Advertising | Greater of 5% of net sales or $2,000/month |
Online Ordering Fee | $0.35/online transaction |
| Customer Relations Management | $10/month |
| Loyalty Program | $53/month |
| Gift Card Redemption Fee | 6.06% - 13.63% of total amount of gift card redemption/month |
| Food Service Incident Management | $3/month |
| Software Support & Maintenance | $114/month |
| Managed Firewall Service | $30 - $90/month |
| Internet Access | $50 - $200/month |
ROI Potential: According to the 2025 FDD, the 1,015 franchised stores operating for the entirety of FY 2024 reported the following net sales:
| Region | Average | Median | High | Low |
| West (438) | $819,415 | $752,250 | $2,397,004 | $245,427 |
| Central (381) | $639,851 | $594,798 | $1,661,817 | $178,123 |
| East (196) | $488,609 | $459,624 | $977,308 | $189,199 |
| Total (1,015) | $688,133 | $616,110 | $2,397,004 | $178,123 |
New franchisees complete more than 80 hours of training that combines classroom instruction with in-store experience. This training covers hands-on food preparation, product knowledge, and customer service standards. Franchisees also have access to ongoing refresher training throughout their ownership to stay aligned with brand best practices.
Papa Murphy’s provides guidance with real estate site selection and offers assistance during lease negotiations. The brand supports franchisees with grand opening marketing strategies designed to drive early awareness and traffic. Franchisees also receive ongoing operations and business development support as they grow their business.
Franchisees are equipped with POS and inventory management systems that support daily operations. The brand offers digital ordering and a loyalty program to help drive repeat visits and convenience. Franchisees also have access to a centralized intranet with operational and marketing resources.
Food service or retail experience preferred, but not required.
Papa Murphy’s encourages full-time ownership to help franchisees stay closely involved in day-to-day operations. Semi-absentee ownership may be considered when a franchisee has a qualified operating partner in place. All franchisees are required to complete the brand’s training program before opening and throughout ownership.
Papa Murphy’s is registered with third-party lenders and may help facilitate SBA loans or other financing for qualified candidates.
“What drew us to Papa Murphy’s was the fact that our goals as franchisees are so closely aligned with the goals of the franchisor. That’s not always the case in franchising, but with Papa Murphy’s, we see it as a win-win. Beyond that, I really love the simplicity of the concept. It’s an easy-to-operate model, but the product is exceptional — better ingredients than many traditional pizza chains. And it performs really well in the Pacific Northwest, where we’re based. The demand is there, and we see a huge opportunity for growth.”
- Kyle McCandless, Franchisee — Lewiston, Idaho and Clarkston, Washington. (Read his story here)
“Take ‘n’ bake sounded strange the first time I heard it. I brought it up to my wife and she wasn’t sure. Then I brought home a couple pizzas from Fort Collins — a chicken garlic pizza — and when she smelled it, she remembered it from a friend’s house in Oregon. She loved it. And that’s the thing — once customers try the product, they’re usually hooked. It’s fresh and at its peak when you bake it at home. You’re not waiting for delivery. That’s what makes it great. There’s pride in ownership. When you’re out in the community and talk about it, people light up. Just a couple days ago, we were at a landscaping place, and I gave someone a card. The guy next to him said, “Oh my God, I go to that store all the time. I love that place.”
- Ed Holmes, Franchisee — 18 locations across Arizona (Read his story here)
“I started working at Papa Murphy’s when I was 14, so I had three years of experience before taking over. By junior year of high school, I was touring colleges, but nothing felt right. I love science, but I couldn’t find anything that excited me enough to justify the big investment. At the end of junior year, the previous owner came to my parents about selling. They had shown interest before, but weren’t in a position to take it on themselves. Since I hadn’t committed to a path yet, they asked me if I’d be interested. The more I thought about it, the more excited I got — this was something I loved and could learn and grow in.”
- Lily Wilford, Franchisee — Sioux City, Iowa (Read her story here)
The U.S. pizza market is valued at over $49 billion, and while delivery-focused brands dominate, take-and-bake occupies a unique position. Consumers continue to seek fresher, healthier, more affordable alternatives to delivery, and Papa Murphy’s fits that niche.
Papa Murphy’s competes with Papa John’s, Domino’s, Pizza Hut and Little Caesars. Its edge lies in freshness, customization and a lower price point, with the added benefit of at-home baking that fits consumer demand for convenience without compromise.
Here’s what the process looks like:
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