- 2025 Franchise 500 Rank
-
#414 Ranked #493 last year
- Initial investment
-
$362K - $2M
- Units as of 2024
-
84 52.7% over 3 years
Escapology was founded in 2014 and began franchising in 2016. It has since grown to over 50 locations in the United States, Canada, Chile, and the United Arab Emirates. It is actively seeking to continue to develop franchises in new locations. Escapology provides escape rooms, which is a fairly new entertainment experience, to the community.
Escape game rooms are thought-provoking, challenging, and exciting, letting people interact and put away their phones for at least an hour. Escapology's first store opened in Orlando, Florida, but its presence has been felt all around the country. The franchisor is committed to providing a premium real-life escape game experience, continuing in the innovation and development of escape gaming. Escapology aims to find franchisees that will embrace their practices, procedures, and principles to become the standard in the escape gaming sector.
Why You May Want to Start an Escapology Franchise
As a franchisee for an Escapology escape game room or multiple unit franchise, you'll be offering services to individuals or groups. The well-designed escape rooms may appeal to people from many different backgrounds given their puzzle-like activities. Escapology uses a formula that creates streamlined game schemes that may help your business become a repeat one.
Escapology game rooms have unique layouts for the games, common spaces, control rooms, and lobby. The franchisor may offer premium levels of support, advice, and management. The enterprise builds on a backbone of training systems and world-class integrated business intelligence. Talented teams of engineers, scene fabricators, and artisans bring to life ideas using innovative technology.
What Might Make an Escapology Franchise a Good Choice?
To be part of the Escapology 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 ongoing fees that will include advertising, royalty, and potential renewal fees. A typical franchise agreement runs for ten years. At the end of those ten years, you may be able to renew your franchise if you and the franchisor are in agreement.
For a more intensive level of client engagement, your escape game room may hire employees thoroughly trained by the franchisor. Escapology offers franchisees exclusive territory where you can set up multiple escape game rooms, plus on-the-job training, ongoing education, and marketing support.
How To Open an Escapology Franchise
Once you have applied to become a franchisee, a franchise development team member may get in touch with you to initiate discussion and review the franchisor's latest Franchise Disclosure Document. Once your application for a franchise license is approved, you'll sign an agreement and visit the Orlando, Florida corporate headquarters for an exclusive meet and greet.
Escapology offers comprehensive training over several days, which continues online with in-game tutorials, procedures, marketing, and backend systems. You'll receive help with site selection, constructing a facility, and designing your location's game room. The franchisor also works closely with franchisees to market and prepare for a grand opening ceremony and continues offering ongoing support once your doors open.
Company Overview
About Escapology
Industry | Recreation |
---|---|
Related Categories | Miscellaneous Recreation Businesses, Escape Rooms |
Founded | 2014 |
Parent Company | Escapology Holdings LLC |
Leadership | Burton Heiss, CEO |
Corporate Address |
11951 International Dr., #2D5 Orlando, FL 32821 |
Social | Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok |
Business Overview
Franchising Since | 2016 (9 years) |
---|---|
# of employees at HQ | 20 |
Where seeking |
This company is offering new franchises throughout the US. This company is offering new franchises worldwide. |
# of Units | 84 (as of 2024) |
|
Information for Franchisees
Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Escapology 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
|
$45,000 |
---|---|
Initial Investment
|
$362,167 - $2,008,500 |
Cash Requirement
|
$100,000 |
Veteran Incentives
|
10% off franchise fee |
Royalty Fee
|
6%+ |
Ad Royalty Fee
|
$849-$1.3K/mo. |
Term of Agreement
|
10 years |
Is franchise term renewable? | Yes |
Financing Options
Some franchisors offer in-house financing, while others have relationships with third-party financing sources to which they refer qualified franchisees.
Third Party Financing | Escapology has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: franchise fee, startup costs, equipment, inventory, accounts receivable, payroll |
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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 | 91 hours |
---|---|
Classroom Training | 60 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 |
Co-op Advertising
Ad Templates
Regional Advertising
Social Media
SEO
Website Development
Email Marketing
|
Operations
Additional details about running this franchise.
Is absentee ownership allowed? | Yes |
---|---|
Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit?
|
No |
Can this franchise be run part time?
|
No |
Are exclusive territories available?
|
Yes |
Franchise 500 Ranking History
Compare where Escapology landed on this year's Franchise 500 Ranking versus previous years.
Additional Rankings
Curious to know where Escapology ranked on other franchise lists? Find out below.
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