FREE Franchise Guide!
Franchise 500 Rank
N/R Not ranked last year
See the Full List
Initial investment
$106K - $325K
Units as of 2023
55 Increase 34.1% over 3 years

D.P. Dough is the brainchild of a mother and son, Penny and Dan Haley, who named their first calzone restaurant with their combined first name initials in 1987. Primarily targeting late-night-dining college students, the business has been delivering hot cheesy calzones for several decades.

D.P. Dough began franchising in 1996 and boasts over 25 franchised locations in the United States, as well as several company-owned locations.

D.P. Dough offers an alternative to pizza with calzones that the young and young at heart can't seem to pass up. This franchisor is seeking to partner with dynamic individuals who are passionate about business growth and are hungry to deliver a superior experience to their customers.

Why You May Want to Start a D.P. Dough Franchise

As a franchisee for a D.P. Dough outlet, you'll be working hard to deliver world-class calzones, focusing your business on calzone-loving clientele. You may benefit from a dedicated D.P. Dough franchising team that will offer training and support throughout the process of opening up your location.

This franchise makes calzones using quality ingredients in an effort to give customers delicious options that aren't confusing. 

Answering a description as one of the few national calzone businesses that has opened franchises, D.P. Dough focuses on quality calzone offerings, as well as chicken wings, breadsticks, fresh-baked cookies, tater tots, and ice cream. The franchise sells twenty varieties of calzones across its locations and allows individual franchisees to offer specialty versions. At the beginning of the school year, with the influx of college students, D.P. Dough feeds college and academic-related diners that are up at all hours.

What Might Make a D.P. Dough Franchise a Good Choice?

D.P. Dough may offer great unit-level economics. You'll be operating in an all-season food industry segment with a unique late-night sector angle. Your outlet, depending on its size and location, may hire multiple staff members. D.P. Dough offers territorial rights, and you may be able to have multiple units as long as you're able to keep them open crazy late.

To be part of the D.P. Dough team, you should make sure you're financially ready for an initial investment made up of a franchise fee and other startup costs. In addition, you should prepare yourself for the existence of ongoing fees that will include advertising, royalty, and potential renewal fees. Franchisees will also need to meet the company's set net worth and liquid capital requirements.

How To Open a D.P. Dough Franchise?

As you decide if opening a D.P. Dough franchise is the right move for you, make sure you take time to explore the opportunity. Research the brand and your local area to see if a D.P. Dough franchise would do well in your community. While competition is healthy, too much of it may not allow for the most possible growth. As a result, if there are multiple restaurants that specialize in pizza and calzones in your area, you may want to think twice about opening a D.P. Dough franchise.

Before making any financial commitment or signing an agreement, you must perform your due diligence and establish if this is the right opportunity for you. As part of your due diligence, you may want to speak to existing franchisees and ask the D.P. Dough franchising team questions.

Find Your Perfect Franchise

Company Overview

About D.P. Dough

Industry Food
Related Categories Miscellaneous Quick-Service Restaurants, Pizza
Founded 1987
Parent Company Calzone King LLC
Leadership Eric Cook, CEO
Corporate Address 3961 State Rte. 41
East Freetown, NY 13040
Social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube

Business Overview

Franchising Since 1996 (28 years)
# of employees at HQ 5
Where seeking

This company is offering new franchises throughout the US.

# of Units 55 (as of 2023)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a D.P. Dough franchise.

Financial Requirements & Ongoing Fees

Here's what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.

Initial Franchise Fee Information Circle
$25,000
Initial Investment Information Circle
$105,980 - $324,910
Net Worth Requirement Information Circle
$300,000
Cash Requirement Information Circle
$100,000
Veteran Incentives Information Circle
10% off franchise fee
Royalty Fee Information Circle
4%
Ad Royalty Fee Information Circle
1%
Term of Agreement Information Circle
10 years
Is franchise term renewable? Yes
Take Our Free Franchise Quiz!

Training & Support Offered

Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.

On-The-Job Training 225 hours
Classroom Training 24-30 hours
Ongoing Support
Purchasing Co-ops
Newsletter
Meetings & Conventions
Grand Opening
Online Support
Security & Safety Procedures
Lease Negotiation
Field Operations
Site Selection
Proprietary Software
Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Support
Ad Templates
Regional Advertising
Social Media
SEO
Website Development
Email Marketing
Loyalty Program/App

Operations

Additional details about running this franchise.

Is absentee ownership allowed? No
Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit? Information Circle
No
Can this franchise be run part time? Information Circle
No
# of employees required to run 10-15
Are exclusive territories available? Information Circle
Yes
Take our quick quiz to find your ideal franchise

Additional Rankings

Curious to know where D.P. Dough ranked on other franchise lists? Find out below.

Sign Up for Our Franchise Newsletter

Stay up to date on the latest news and trends affecting the franchise industry.

Related Franchises

Are you eager to see what else is out there? Browse franchises that are similar to D.P. Dough.

Rascal House

description
Pizza, pasta, sandwiches, salads, desserts

Jamba

description
Smoothies, juices, and bowls

Related Franchise Content

Catch up on the latest franchise news, trends, and more.

Franchise

Location Is Everything — Especially in Franchising. These Are the Territory Rules You Need to Know.

In the franchising world, one of the most significant business model decisions you'll make is whether to buy a location-based brick-and-mortar brand or a service-based brand. Based on this decision, the rules around franchise territories change. Here's what you need to know.

Franchise

What the NLRB Appeal of the Expanded Joint Employer Rule Judgment Means for Your Business

With this action by the NLRB, the once-dead expanded rule could be resurrected by a federal appeals court. Here's what to do to protect your business.

Franchise

Burger King Makes a $300 Million Investment in Modernizing Its Restaurants — See the Updated Look Here

The fast-food giant is set to revamp 1,100 of its U.S. locations, signaling a significant next phase in its ongoing "Reclaim the Flame" initiative.

Franchise

Build Your Entrepreneurial Dream with the Top Home Improvement Franchises in 2024

Whether you're a design enthusiast or a veteran contractor, turn passion into profit and explore the best home improvement franchises.

Franchise

President Biden Just Vetoed a Franchise-Saving Resolution — Here's What You Can Do to Protect Your Business

President Biden's veto of the repeal of the expanded Joint Employer Rule leaves many uncertainties for the franchise industry. Here's how to protect your business.

Franchise

These Are the Most Diverse and Equitable Franchises in 2024

If you're looking for a diverse franchise family, these brands are a great place to start.

See more franchise content
Disclaimer
The information on this page is not intended as an endorsement or recommendation of any particular franchise or business opportunity by Entrepreneur Media. Our listings and rankings are solely research tools you can use to compare opportunities. Entrepreneur stresses that you should always conduct your own independent investigation before investing in a franchise or business opportunity. That should include reviewing the company's legal documents, consulting with an attorney and an accountant, and talking to former and current franchisees/licensees/dealers.
Updated: December 12th, 2022