How to buy a Chatime franchise in Australia
Nine steps, from first enquiry to opening day. You are not asked for money at any stage of the application. You receive a disclosure document at least 14 days before you sign anything, and you have 14 days to change your mind after you do. Total investment starts at $300,000 + GST.
The nine steps, in order
Steps 7 and 8 are your legal protections under the Franchising Code of Conduct. They are not optional, and they apply to every franchise system in Australia, not just this one.
Submit an enquiry
Fill in the enquiry form. You will receive an information pack covering the opportunity, along with an invitation to complete the application form. There is no cost, and no obligation. Check your spam folder if it does not arrive.
Complete the application form
The application tells us about your background, your funding position and where you would like to operate. Chatime does not charge an application deposit at this or any later stage.
Talk through locations and the numbers
A conversation about what is actually available, what it costs, how long it takes and how people typically fund it. You can put forward your own location ideas here.
Build your business plan
How you will market and run the store. Chatime provides a template to work from. The point is not to satisfy us — it is that you understand the business you are buying before you commit to it.
Agree a site
Chatime works with you to identify a location, which is then built into your plan. Format follows the site: a kiosk suits a shopping centre food court, an inline store suits street-front and larger tenancies.
Spend time in a working store
Hands-on time in a trading Chatime store, so you see the day rather than the pitch. Most people find this is where the decision actually gets made, in one direction or the other.
Receive your disclosure document, and take advice
Under the Franchising Code of Conduct you must receive the disclosure document at least 14 days before you sign. It sets out the fee structure, the franchisee contact list, and what can be asked of you during the term. Use that fortnight: have a franchise lawyer and an accountant read it. This is expected, and no reputable franchisor will discourage it.
Approval meeting, then signing
You meet the executive team to confirm the fit both ways and settle the detail. Once you sign, a 14-day cooling-off period begins — you may terminate in writing within that window and recover some or all of your money.
Training, fit-out and opening
Training is 5 days online, then 6 days in-store at a Sydney franchise working alongside a current Chatime franchise partner. Fit-out runs in parallel, and then you open.
How long the whole thing takes
Typically several months to a year from first enquiry to opening. The variable is almost never the paperwork.
What sets the pace
Site availability, lease negotiation and fit-out. A site that is already available moves quickly; waiting for the right centre or the right corner does not.
What you control
How fast you complete the application, line up funding and get your advisers across the disclosure document. Being ready on those keeps you at the front of the queue when a site comes up.
Do not let anyone rush the 14 days
The disclosure period exists so you can take advice. If you ever feel pressured to sign early — in any franchise system — that pressure is itself the answer.
Nothing, at any stage
Chatime does not charge an application deposit, holding fee or reservation payment. You pay when you sign a franchise agreement, not to be considered for one.
On what a store earns
Chatime does not publish turnover, profit or return-on-investment figures, and no franchisor in Australia can lawfully guarantee financial performance. What a store earns depends on its site and lease, local competition, operating costs and how it is run. Take the disclosure document to your own accountant and build your own numbers.
Buying a Chatime franchise: your questions
How do I buy a Chatime franchise in Australia?
Submit an enquiry, complete the application form, discuss locations and costs, build a business plan, agree a site, spend time in a working store, receive your disclosure document at least 14 days before signing, attend an approval meeting and sign, then complete training and open. Nine steps, with no payment required to apply.
Do I have to pay anything to apply for a Chatime franchise?
No. Chatime does not charge an application deposit, holding fee or reservation payment at any stage. You pay when you sign a franchise agreement, not to be considered for one.
How long does it take to open a Chatime franchise?
Typically several months to a year from first enquiry to opening, depending mainly on site availability, lease negotiation and fit-out rather than on the application itself.
When do I receive the disclosure document?
Under the Franchising Code of Conduct, the franchisor must give you the disclosure document at least 14 days before you sign a franchise agreement. It sets out the fee structure, the franchisee contact list and what can be required of you during the term.
Can I change my mind after signing a Chatime franchise agreement?
Yes. A 14-day cooling-off period applies from when you enter the agreement. You may terminate in writing within that window and recover some or all of your money. The cooling-off period can only be waived in limited circumstances.
Do I need food and beverage experience to buy a Chatime franchise?
No. Training covers what you need: 5 days online, followed by 6 days in-store at a Sydney franchise working alongside a current Chatime franchise partner. Training is included in the investment.
Do I need to have a site before I apply?
No. Site selection happens during the process, and Chatime works with you to identify a location. You can put forward your own location ideas at the discussion stage.
How much does a Chatime franchise cost?
Total investment starts at $300,000 + GST and typically runs to $375,000, depending on store format and the specific site. That covers the franchise fee, fit-out, equipment, training and opening stock. Royalty and marketing levy rates are set out in your disclosure document.
Start with an enquiry
No payment, no obligation, and an information pack by email. You can stop at any point before you sign — and for 14 days after.
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