One U.S. Military Veteran To Receive a Complimentary $40,000 Franchise License 

NEW ORLEANS – PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans, the New Orleans-born coffeehouse franchise with a longstanding commitment to veterans and local communities, has opened applications for its tenth annual Veteran Franchise License Giveaway. The program will award one U.S. military veteran a complimentary franchise license, valued at $40,000, helping one veteran take the first step toward franchise ownership.

The applications are open to active-duty service members and honorably discharged veterans who demonstrate strong leadership skills and an entrepreneurial mindset now through October 10, 2026. The selected winner will be announced on Veterans Day, November 11, 2026.

To be eligible, applicants must complete a questionnaire and submit a one-to-two-minute video explaining why they are interested in this opportunity. Applicants are expected to meet the brand’s financial requirements, including a minimum of $175,000 in liquid capital and $500,000 in net worth. Additionally, applicants must have access to, or the ability to obtain, sufficient capital to fund the initial investment required to open a PJ’s Coffee.

Active and former military members interested in applying must also reside in one of PJ’s target growth markets: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Jersey, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Washington D.C.

“As a former U.S. Marine Corps veteran, I’ve seen how service members bring a mission-driven mindset and a real commitment to serving others, traits that naturally fit franchise ownership,” said David Mesa, President of PJ’s Coffee. “At PJ’s, it’s not just about opening coffeeshops but rather helping people find purpose in what comes next. We give franchisees the support so they can focus on building something meaningful.

The Veteran Franchise License Giveaway, now in its tenth year, reflects PJ’s Coffee’s ongoing commitment to empowering veterans through entrepreneurship. In addition to the annual giveaway, PJ’s offers a 20% discount on the franchise fee for all qualified veterans and participates in the International Franchise Association’s VetFran program and has been named to Entrepreneur’s Top Franchises for Veterans list annually since 2022.

To enter the 2026 Veteran Franchise Giveaway, visit pjsfranchise.com/why-us/veterans-incentive

To learn more about the New Orleans-born brand, visit pjscoffee.com, or discover more about PJ’s Coffee franchising opportunities at pjsfranchise.com.

About PJ’s Coffee

Phyllis Jordan, a pioneer in the coffee industry, founded PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans in 1978 and demonstrated that better beans, superior roasting techniques and pure passion for the art of coffee-making mattered. In 2008, the company was purchased by New Orleans natives and brothers Paul, Steven, and Scott Ballard. PJ’s Coffee serves a wide variety of hot, iced and frozen coffee beverages using only the best quality Arabica coffee beans, as well as organic tea and fresh breakfast pastries. PJ’s Original Cold Brew™ Iced Coffee is brewed daily using a special cold-drip process that protects the flavor and strength of the beans while producing a coffee that is two-thirds less acidic – a process and technique developed by its founder and used for more than 45 years at all PJ’s locations. Bags of whole-bean coffee and single-serve cups of PJ’s Coffee are available for sale in-store and online. With nearly 200 operating stores, including four international locations, PJ’s Coffee continues to grow in the U.S. and abroad. For more information, visit PJsCoffee.com or follow PJ’s Coffee on Facebook, Instagram or X.