CityBird vs Papa Murphy's
Two franchise systems, side by side. For a software vendor, they are not the same opportunity.
More open target
Papa Murphy's
wins 3 of 12 vendor rows
CityBird is adding units faster (0.0% vs -3.596% YoY), the stronger timing signal. Papa Murphy's carries the lighter royalty load (5.0% vs 6.0%), leaving operators more room for software spend. Verdict: too close to call on the filings alone — pick based on your category fit.
quick_service_restaurant
CityBird
quick_service_restaurant
Papa Murphy's
Total units
8
1,014
Franchised units
2
965
Unit growth YoY
0%
-3.596%
Average unit revenue (AUV)
$605K
—
Royalty
6%
5%
Ad fund
0%
2%
Initial franchise fee
$35K
$25K
Investment range (low)
$293K
$450K
Investment range (high)
$957K
$693K
Procurement model
Approved supplier
Approved supplier
FDD fiscal year
2025
2026
Filing freshness
CURRENT
CURRENT
Common questions
CityBird vs Papa Murphy's, answered
CityBird has 8 total units and Papa Murphy's has 1,014, so Papa Murphy's is the larger system.
CityBird grew units 0% year over year vs -3.596% for Papa Murphy's, so CityBird is growing faster.
CityBird charges a 6% royalty and Papa Murphy's charges 5%, so Papa Murphy's has the lower royalty.
CityBird's initial franchise fee is $35K and Papa Murphy's's is $25K, so Papa Murphy's has the lower fee.
CityBird's initial investment runs $293K–$957K and Papa Murphy's's runs $450K–$693K, so CityBird requires the larger investment.
See this comparison scored to your product.
The vendor edge changes depending on what you sell. Run your site and we’ll re-weight it.