Franchise Facts Report → compare → Arthur Murray Dance Studio vs Bar Method
Arthur Murray Dance Studio vs Bar Method
Two other franchises, compared on the numbers their own Franchise Disclosure Documents put on record — investment, fees, Item 19 earnings, outlet churn, and litigation. Not marketing copy.
| Arthur Murray Dance Studio | Bar Method | |
|---|---|---|
| Total initial investment FDD Item 7 | $71,120 – $252,120 | $356,292 – $512,854 |
| Initial franchise fee FDD Item 5 | $100,000 | — |
| Royalty FDD Item 6 | 5% | 6% |
| Item 19 earnings disclosed FDD Item 19 | Yes | Yes |
| Avg unit revenue (headline) FDD Item 19 | disclosed (not machine-read) | disclosed (not machine-read) |
| Franchised outlets FDD Item 20 | 237 | 73 |
| Net outlet change (latest yr) FDD Item 20 | +7 | -2 |
| Closure rate FDD Item 20 | 1.7% | — |
| Franchisee lawsuits FDD Item 3 | disclosed | disclosed |
| Risk level our read | Low | Medium |
| FDD year registration | 2025 | 2024 |
Are Arthur Murray Dance Studio and Bar Method the same company?
No — Arthur Murray Dance Studio and Bar Method are franchised by separate companies. Arthur Murray Dance Studio's franchisor is ARTHUR MURRAY INTERNATIONAL, INC.; Bar Method's is BAR METHOD FRANCHISOR LLC (THE). Each registers and files its own Franchise Disclosure Document, and you would be signing with a different entity depending on which you chose. Note that a registry filing names the franchisor, not necessarily its ultimate parent — two brands owned by the same parent company can still have separate franchisors.
Cost to open
Arthur Murray Dance Studio is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $71,120 – $252,120, against $356,292 – $512,854 for Bar Method.
How much does each make? (Item 19)
Both franchisors make an Item 19 financial performance representation — the detailed figures are in each brand's FDD (Item 19).
Closures & failure rate
Arthur Murray Dance Studio reports 237 franchised outlets, net change +7 in the latest reported year, a 1.7% closure rate (FDD Item 20). Bar Method reports 73 franchised outlets, net change -2 in the latest reported year (FDD Item 20). Outlet churn — closures, terminations, non-renewals — is the closest thing an FDD has to a failure rate.
Litigation
Arthur Murray Dance Studio discloses litigation in FDD Item 3 (each case is described there). Bar Method discloses litigation in FDD Item 3 (each case is described there).
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Arthur Murray Dance Studio vs Bar Method — frequently asked
Are Arthur Murray Dance Studio and Bar Method the same company?
No — Arthur Murray Dance Studio and Bar Method are franchised by separate companies. Arthur Murray Dance Studio's franchisor is ARTHUR MURRAY INTERNATIONAL, INC.; Bar Method's is BAR METHOD FRANCHISOR LLC (THE). Each registers and files its own Franchise Disclosure Document, and you would be signing with a different entity depending on which you chose. Note that a registry filing names the franchisor, not necessarily its ultimate parent — two brands owned by the same parent company can still have separate franchisors.
What is the difference between Arthur Murray Dance Studio and Bar Method?
Arthur Murray Dance Studio and Bar Method are other franchises from different franchisors (ARTHUR MURRAY INTERNATIONAL, INC. and BAR METHOD FRANCHISOR LLC (THE)). Arthur Murray Dance Studio is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $71,120 – $252,120, against $356,292 – $512,854 for Bar Method. Both franchisors make an Item 19 financial performance representation — the detailed figures are in each brand's FDD (Item 19).
Is Arthur Murray Dance Studio more profitable than Bar Method?
Both franchisors make an Item 19 financial performance representation — the detailed figures are in each brand's FDD (Item 19).
Which is cheaper to open — Arthur Murray Dance Studio or Bar Method?
Arthur Murray Dance Studio is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $71,120 – $252,120, against $356,292 – $512,854 for Bar Method.
Is Arthur Murray Dance Studio or Bar Method growing faster?
Arthur Murray Dance Studio reports 237 franchised outlets, net change +7 in the latest reported year, a 1.7% closure rate (FDD Item 20). Bar Method reports 73 franchised outlets, net change -2 in the latest reported year (FDD Item 20).
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Other rankings
Figures are as disclosed in each brand's most recent registered FDD (Arthur Murray Dance Studio 2025, Bar Method 2024). “—” means the FDD does not disclose it or the table did not parse cleanly — never an estimate.