Franchise Facts Report → compare → Do It Best vs Wild Birds Unlimited
Do It Best vs Wild Birds Unlimited
Two retail 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.
| Do It Best | Wild Birds Unlimited | |
|---|---|---|
| Total initial investment FDD Item 7 | $852,500 – $1,580,500 | $231,635 – $376,392 |
| Initial franchise fee FDD Item 5 | $8,500 | $40,000 |
| Royalty FDD Item 6 | — | 4% |
| Item 19 earnings disclosed FDD Item 19 | Not disclosed | Yes |
| Avg unit revenue (headline) FDD Item 19 | — | disclosed (not machine-read) |
| Franchised outlets FDD Item 20 | 3,555 | 344 |
| Net outlet change (latest yr) FDD Item 20 | +148 | +4 |
| Closure rate FDD Item 20 | — | 0.3% |
| Franchisee lawsuits FDD Item 3 | 4 | 0 |
| Risk level our read | High | Low |
| FDD year registration | 2025 | 2026 |
Are Do It Best and Wild Birds Unlimited the same company?
No — Do It Best and Wild Birds Unlimited are franchised by separate companies. Do It Best's franchisor is DO IT BEST CORP.; Wild Birds Unlimited's is WILD BIRDS UNLIMITED INC. 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
Wild Birds Unlimited is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $231,635 – $376,392, against $852,500 – $1,580,500 for Do It Best.
How much does each make? (Item 19)
Only Wild Birds Unlimited disclosed earnings: it makes an Item 19 financial performance representation, while Do It Best's most recent FDD makes none. That asymmetry is itself a data point: one franchisor puts its unit economics on paper, the other doesn't.
Closures & failure rate
Do It Best reports 3,555 franchised outlets, net change +148 in the latest reported year (FDD Item 20). Wild Birds Unlimited reports 344 franchised outlets, net change +4 in the latest reported year, a 0.3% closure rate (FDD Item 20). Outlet churn — closures, terminations, non-renewals — is the closest thing an FDD has to a failure rate.
Litigation
Do It Best discloses 4 franchisee-vs-franchisor proceedings in FDD Item 3. Wild Birds Unlimited discloses no franchisee-initiated proceedings in FDD Item 3.
Deciding between Do It Best and Wild Birds Unlimited?
See what else fits before you choose. Tell us your budget and state and we'll send you the 5–10 retail franchises (or any industries you pick) with the strongest FDD record for it.
Do It Best vs Wild Birds Unlimited — frequently asked
Are Do It Best and Wild Birds Unlimited the same company?
No — Do It Best and Wild Birds Unlimited are franchised by separate companies. Do It Best's franchisor is DO IT BEST CORP.; Wild Birds Unlimited's is WILD BIRDS UNLIMITED INC. 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 Do It Best and Wild Birds Unlimited?
Do It Best and Wild Birds Unlimited are retail franchises from different franchisors (DO IT BEST CORP. and WILD BIRDS UNLIMITED INC). Wild Birds Unlimited is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $231,635 – $376,392, against $852,500 – $1,580,500 for Do It Best. Only Wild Birds Unlimited disclosed earnings: it makes an Item 19 financial performance representation, while Do It Best's most recent FDD makes none. That asymmetry is itself a data point: one franchisor puts its unit economics on paper, the other doesn't.
Is Do It Best more profitable than Wild Birds Unlimited?
Only Wild Birds Unlimited disclosed earnings: it makes an Item 19 financial performance representation, while Do It Best's most recent FDD makes none. That asymmetry is itself a data point: one franchisor puts its unit economics on paper, the other doesn't.
Which is cheaper to open — Do It Best or Wild Birds Unlimited?
Wild Birds Unlimited is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $231,635 – $376,392, against $852,500 – $1,580,500 for Do It Best.
Is Do It Best or Wild Birds Unlimited growing faster?
Do It Best reports 3,555 franchised outlets, net change +148 in the latest reported year (FDD Item 20). Wild Birds Unlimited reports 344 franchised outlets, net change +4 in the latest reported year, a 0.3% closure rate (FDD Item 20).
Go deeper on each brand
Retail rankings
Figures are as disclosed in each brand's most recent registered FDD (Do It Best 2025, Wild Birds Unlimited 2026). “—” means the FDD does not disclose it or the table did not parse cleanly — never an estimate.