Start a Red Roof Franchise in 2025

Franchise 500 Rank: N/R Not ranked last year

Initial investment: $259K - $14.6M

Units as of 2023: 601 0.7% over 3 years

The first Red Roof was founded in 1972 in Columbus, Ohio. By 1996, the first Red Roof franchise location was opened, and since then, the brand has grown to more than 500 locations across the United States. Guests may enjoy standard and luxury amenities such as a kitchenette, free Wi-Fi, laundry, dining table, chairs, and more.

With over 45 years in the hostel hospitality industry, Red Roof believes it knows how to host guests.

Why You May Want To Start a Red Roof Franchise

With four brands of hotels under the Red Roof name, franchisees pick which type of franchise they would like to open. The four brands include Red Roof Inn, Red Roof Plus+, The Red Collection, and HomeTowne Studios by Red Roof. Additionally, franchisees can choose to build or convert an existing property to a Red Roof location. This type of flexibility may allow the franchisee to make their location their own.

If you choose to franchise with Red Roof, be prepared for ample franchise support from company headquarters, which are located in Columbus, Ohio. Franchisees have access to the Red Roof franchise advisory council to produce superior guest and franchisee experiences. Support may include management expertise, branding supplies, revenue management, training, mobile websites, and increased distribution channels, and more.

An ideal franchisee is committed to the Red Roof company values with the guests’ comfort at the center of their hotel. While experience in the hotel industry is not required, it is recommended and may be seen as a strength when entering the franchising process.

What Might Make a Red Roof Inn Franchise a Good Choice?

Opening a Red Roof franchise may offer a more predictable outcome than investing in a completely new brand that could struggle to thrive in an already crowded and competitive industry.

As you decide if opening a Red Roof 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 Red Roof franchise would do well in your community. While competition is healthy, too much of it may not allow for the most possible growth.

Red Roof may allow you to operate your franchise as an absentee owner. This could afford you the opportunity to be hands-off, delegating work and serving as your own boss. This may also allow you to spend more time with your family and friends, doing what you want to do, while still running a business.

How To Open a Red Roof Franchise

To be part of the Red Roof 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.

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 Red Roof franchising team questions.

Company Overview

About Red Roof

Industry	Lodging
Related Categories	Hotels & Motels
Founded	1972
Leadership	Matthew Hostetler, Chief Development Officer
Corporate Address	7815 Walton Pkwy. Columbus, OH 43054
Social	Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok

Business Overview

Franchising Since	1996 (29 years)
# of employees at HQ	199
Where seeking	This company is offering new franchises throughout the US. This company is offering new franchises worldwide.
# of Units	601 (as of 2023)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Red Roof 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 Definition: The initial fee paid to a franchisor to join their system What you need to know: Found in Item 5 of the FDD, this may be a flat fee, or may vary based on territory size, experience, or other factors.The franchise fee is an up-front (one-time) cost that a new franchisee pays to the franchisor. This fee is usually due at the signing of the franchise agreement and covers the right to use the franchisor's trademarks, name, and related business systems.	$30,000
Initial Investment Definition: The total amount necessary to begin operation of the franchise What you need to know: The initial investment includes the franchise fee, along with other startup expenses such as real estate, equipment, supplies, business licenses, and working capital. This is outlined in a chart in Item 7 of the FDD, showing a range of possible costs from low to high.	$259,000 - $14,643,155
Royalty Fee Definition: A ongoing fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis. What you need to know: Most franchisors require franchisees to pay an ongoing royalty fee, which is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD. This fee is typically a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales, but may also be a flat weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	5%
Ad Royalty Fee Definition: An going fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis to support advertising or marketing efforts. What you need to know: This may also be called advertising fee, marketing fee, brand fund fee, and more, but the basic purpose is the same-- to support promotion of the brand systemwide. As with the royalty fee, it is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD, and can be a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales or a weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	4%
Term of Agreement Definition: The length of time your franchise agreement will last. What you need to know: Franchise terms are typically anywhere from 5 to 20 years in length, but are sometimes instead dependent on factors such as the term of your lease. Once your term is up, you may have the option to renew your agreement, typically for a smaller fee than the original franchise fee.	20 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	9 hours
Classroom Training	24 hours
Ongoing Support	Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings & Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security & Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Support	Co-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media 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? Definition: The business can be run from your home and/or a vehicle, and it is not necessary to have a retail facility, office space, or warehouse.	No
Can this franchise be run part time? Definition: This business can be run by the owner on a part-time basis (less than 40 hours per week) and/or as a side business; it is not necessary for the business to be open/run full-time.	No
# of employees required to run	10
Are exclusive territories available? Definition: An exclusive territory is a fixed area in which you are given the right to operate and in which no other units of the same franchise may be opened. What you need to know: Territory size may be based on factors such as radius, population size, zip codes, and more. Details can be found in Item 12 of the FDD.	No