When you’re investigating various franchises, the franchise fee is one of the first things you’ll want to learn about. The amount of the franchise fee is usually listed on the home page of the franchise’s website. If it’s not there, call the franchisor’s home office and ask to speak to a salesperson who can tell you what the franchise fee is. The franchise fee is normally due and payable at the time you sign your franchise agreement. However, some com-panies let you pay a portion of the fee (usually half to two-thirds) when you sign the franchise agreement and the remainder sometime prior to the grand opening. Others let you pay the franchise fee in two or three equal installments. Franchise fees are not generally refundable, but some com-panies will refund your franchise fee within the first 30 days if you decide to back out of the deal.