Ambrosio’s Take
The Grounds Guys is a commercial and residential lawn care and landscaping franchise, part of the Neighborly family of brands, and its Item 19 splits the system by maturity, which is the most useful way to read a seasonal, route-based business. Ranked No. 268 on Entrepreneur’s 2026 Franchise 500 list, the system ended 2025 with 219 outlets, down 10 from the year before, even as average gross sales rose 8.8% to $671,405 after a 3.5% gain in 2024. The 109.3% gap between the $820,392 average at businesses open three years or more and the $392,054 at those open less than three is best read as a ramp-up curve rather than a ceiling, and the $533,092 median for the mature group, with only 35% at or above its average, shows how much the top performers, led by a high of $3,588,439, pull that figure up. A 3.7:1 sales-to-investment ratio compares well with the 1.6:1 at Heroes Lawn Care, and with the vehicle line running from $7,000 to $82,000, how an owner equips the business has more bearing on that ratio than any other single choice.
Ambrosio’s Take appears on all Franchise Chatter FDD Talk posts based on the 2026 FDD.
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Section I – Estimated initial investment (franchise costs) for The Grounds Guys franchise, based on Item 7 of the company’s 2026 FDD
Section II – Initial franchise fee, royalty fee, and marketing fee for The Grounds Guys franchise, based on Items 5 and 6 of the company’s 2026 FDD
Section III – Number of franchised and company-owned The Grounds Guys outlets at the start of the year and the end of the year for 2023, 2024, and 2025, based on Item 20 of the company’s 2026 FDD
Section IV – News updates on The Grounds Guys franchise opportunity
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Most franchise buyers spend months researching brands and building excitement — unaware that their preferred territory could be snapped up at any moment. By the time they contact the franchisor, their preferred territory may already be taken. Enter your ZIP code to see which franchises are still available near you — before someone else claims that territory.Section V – Presentation and analysis of The Grounds Guys’ financial performance representations (average revenues and/or profits), based on Item 19 of the company’s 2026 FDD, including information on the:
- 2025 average, median, highest, and lowest gross sales for the 105 franchised The Grounds Guys businesses that, as of December 31, 2025, had been in operation for at least 3 years and for the full 12 months of the 2025 calendar year, and reported gross sales data to The Grounds Guys for at least 9 months of the 2025 calendar year
- 2025 average, median, highest, and lowest gross sales for the 56 franchised The Grounds Guys businesses that, as of December 31, 2025, had been in operation for less than 3 years and for the full 12 months of the 2025 calendar year, and reported gross sales data to The Grounds Guys for at least 9 months of the 2025 calendar year
Section VI – Key ratios, comparables, computations, and analyses for The Grounds Guys franchise opportunity (exclusive content for Platinum subscribers)
Section I – The Grounds Guys Franchise Costs
- The Grounds Guys franchise costs, based on Item 7 of the company’s 2026 FDD:
- Initial Franchise Fee: $43,750 for a territory of up to 125,000 in population, plus $350 per 1,000 additional population
- Software Enrollment Fee (per license): $1,250
- Vehicle: $7,000 to $82,000
- Equipment, Supplies, and Inventory: $21,000 to $41,000
- Insurance: $1,200 to $3,000
- Advertising & Promotional and Local Marketing Spending: $550 to $15,000
- Training, Travel, Lodging, and Food: $2,700 to $5,850
- Deposits, Permits, and Licenses: $50 to $3,000
- Professional Fees: $150 to $2,000
- Real Estate: $0 to $6,000
- Additional Funds for 12 Months: $30,000 to $50,000
- Total Estimated The Grounds Guys Franchise Costs: $107,650 to $252,850, plus any additional franchise fee
Section II – The Grounds Guys’ Initial Franchise Fee, Royalty Fee, and Marketing Fee
- The Grounds Guys’ initial franchise fee, royalty fee, and marketing fee, based on Items 5 and 6 of the company’s 2026 FDD:
- Initial Franchise Fee: $43,750 for a territory of up to 125,000 in population, plus $350 per 1,000 additional population
- License Fee: 5-6% of Gross Sales, except for “roll-in” sales. In addition, minimum license fees apply.
- Marketing, Advertising, and Promotion Fee: 2% of Gross Sales, except for “roll-in” sales
- Local Marketing Groups: not to exceed 3% of Gross Sales
Section III – Number of Franchised and Company-Owned The Grounds Guys Outlets
Franchised
2023
- Outlets at the Start of the Year: 211
- Outlets at the End of the Year: 226
- Net Change: +15
2024
- Outlets at the Start of the Year: 226
- Outlets at the End of the Year: 229
- Net Change: +3
2025
"Multi-unit ownership is where the real wealth in franchising is built. It starts with one key decision: choosing a brand with enough territory runway to grow into." — Ambrosio, Franchise Chatter
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- Outlets at the End of the Year: 219
- Net Change: -10
Company-Owned
2023
- Outlets at the Start of the Year: 0
- Outlets at the End of the Year: 0
- Net Change: 0
2024
- Outlets at the Start of the Year: 0
- Outlets at the End of the Year: 0
- Net Change: 0
2025
- Outlets at the Start of the Year: 0
- Outlets at the End of the Year: 0
- Net Change: 0
Section IV – News Updates on The Grounds Guys Franchise
Section V – Financial Performance Representations (Average Revenues and/or Profits) for The Grounds Guys Franchise (Item 19, 2026 FDD)
- The information set forth in this Item 19 is derived from historical operating results of The Grounds Guys franchised businesses indicated for the time periods covered, which data were reported to The Grounds Guys by the franchisees. Franchisees are not required to use generally accepted accounting principles when reporting these figures.
- As of December 31, 2025, there were 219 The Grounds Guys businesses in operation in the United States, all of which were franchised businesses. The tables below in this Item 19 show average and median annual gross sales data (and supporting metrics) for the calendar year 2025 (the “Reporting Period”) for (i) 105 franchised businesses that, as of December 31, 2025, had been in operation for at least 3 years and that reported Gross Sales data to The Grounds Guys for at least 9 months of the Reporting Period (Part 1), and (ii) 56 franchised businesses that, as of December 31, 2025, had been in operation for less than 3 years and reported Gross Sales for at least 9 months of the Reporting Period (Part 2).
- Because of the potential seasonality of The Grounds Guys businesses in certain geographic areas, all franchised businesses that reported Gross Sales to the franchisor for at least 9 months of the Reporting Period were included as part of the data set used to create the tables in this Item 19.
- The information provided in this Item 19 does not include data from (a) 9 franchised businesses that opened during the year 2025 and as a result did not report data for at least 9 months of the Reporting Period, (b) 5 franchised businesses that underwent a change of ownership transfer in 2025 and as a result did not report data for at least 9 months of the Reporting Period, (c) 20 franchised businesses that closed during the Reporting Period and as a result did not report data for at least 9 months of the Reporting Period (with 1 business that closed after being open for less than 12 months); and (d) 44 franchised businesses that operated less than 9 months of the Reporting Period due to the seasonality of their business and as a result did not report Gross Sales data to The Grounds Guys for at least 9 months of the Reporting Period.
- Some outlets have earned this amount. Your individual results may differ. There is no assurance you will earn as much.
- As used herein, “Gross Sales” means and includes the total revenues and receipts from whatever source (whether in the form of cash, credit, agreement to pay, barter, trade, or other consideration) that arise, directly or indirectly, from the operation of – or in connection with – a Grounds Guys business whether under any of the Marks or otherwise.
- Gross Sales exclude sales taxes collected from customers and paid to the appropriate taxing authority and any other bona fide refunds, rebates, or discounts that the franchisor authorizes in writing. Gross Sales also exclude sales from any Excluded Services (as defined in a mutually executed Excluded Services Addendum).
Part 1 – Statement of Average and Median Annual Gross Sales (3+ Years in Operation)
- The following table provides the average and median annual Gross Sales data for 105 franchised businesses that, as of December 31, 2025, had been in operation for at least 3 years and reported Gross Sales data to The Grounds Guys for at least 9 months of the Reporting Period.
2025
- Number of Reporting Businesses: 105
- High Annual Gross Sales: $3,588,439
- Low Annual Gross Sales: $42,555
- Average Annual Gross Sales: $820,392
- Number and Percent at or Above Average: 37/35%
- Median Annual Gross Sales: $533,092
- “Number of Reporting Businesses” is the number of franchised businesses included in this analysis (i.e., open for at least 3 years and for the full 12 months of the Reporting Period and reporting for at least 9 months of the Reporting Period).
Part 2 – Statement of Average and Median Annual Gross Sales (Less Than 3 Years in Operation)
- The following table provides the average and median annual Gross Sales data for 56 franchised businesses that, as of December 31, 2025, had been in operation for less than 3 years and reported Gross Sales data to The Grounds Guys for at least 9 months of the Reporting Period.
2025
- Number of Reporting Businesses: 56
- High Annual Gross Sales: $1,608,826
- Low Annual Gross Sales: $35,170
- Average Annual Gross Sales: $392,054
- Number and Percent at or Above Average: 20/36%
- Median Annual Gross Sales: $294,312
- “Number of Reporting Businesses” is the number of franchised businesses included in this analysis (i.e., open for less than 3 years and for the full 12 months of the Reporting Period and reporting for at least 9 months of the Reporting Period).
Section VI – The Grounds Guys Franchise Ratios, Comparables, Computations, and Analyses (Exclusive Content for Platinum Subscribers) ⬇️
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