- Franchise 500 Rank
-
N/R Not ranked last year
- Initial investment
-
$121K - $360K
- Units as of 2024
-
58 28.9% 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.
Company Overview
About D.P. Dough
Business Overview
Franchising Since | 1996 (29 years) |
---|---|
# of employees at HQ | 5 |
Where seeking |
This company is offering new franchises throughout the US. |
# of Units | 58 (as of 2024) |
|
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
|
$40,000 |
---|---|
Initial Investment
|
$120,980 - $359,910 |
Net Worth Requirement
|
$300,000 |
Cash Requirement
|
$100,000 |
Veteran Incentives
|
10% off franchise fee |
Royalty Fee
|
4% |
Ad Royalty Fee
|
1% |
Term of Agreement
|
10 years |
Is franchise term renewable? | Yes |
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 | 150-225 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?
|
No |
Can this franchise be run part time?
|
No |
# of employees required to run | 10-15 |
Are exclusive territories available?
|
Yes |
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.

Destination Athlete
- description
- Equipment, apparel, fundraising, and performance solutions for youth, high school, and college athletic teams
Related Franchise Content
Catch up on the latest franchise news, trends, and more.
She Was a History Major and Single Mom. Now, She's One of Franchising's Most Influential Leaders.
A former Blockbuster executive and current Home Helpers Home Care CEO, Emma Dickison is now bringing decades of experience to the IFA board.
Angry Crab Shack Franchises Deliver Impressive Returns and Rapid Payback
The brand's smart real estate strategy focuses on converting second-generation restaurant spaces, keeping build-out costs low and minimizing overhead.
Buying a Franchise in the Age of AI? Ask These Key Questions First.
As AI lowers barriers to entry and accelerates business innovation, franchise brands must evolve to remain relevant. Here's how to evaluate franchise opportunities in this new era.
She Quit Corporate Accounting to Start a Business on Track for $3 Million: 'If I'm Working 14-Hour Days, It Should Be for Me.'
Tired of unreliable contractors, Sarah Ross launched her own painting franchise. Ten years later, she's leading a multi-million-dollar operation.
Think You're Too Young to Own a Franchise? Think Again.
It used to be that a franchise candidate in their 30s was an anomaly — now it's becoming increasingly common.
Looking to Open a Franchise on a Budget? These Brands Cost Less Than $5,000 to Get Started.
These Franchise 500-ranked brands offer national recognition, flexibility and low startup costs.