Was in the same boat last year after 15 years in retail management. Researched both independent and franchise options. Found this helpful list of cafe franchises at https://topfranchise.com/catalog/cafe-franchises/ that lets you compare investment levels, royalty fees, and territory requirements. What surprised me was the range - some coffee concepts need $400K+ to start while others can launch for under $100K with a smaller footprint. Ended up going with a mid-tier breakfast cafe franchise that had good training