Mister Car Wash sells an Unlimited Wash Club: one monthly fee for as many washes as you like at any location. Club sales grew from 71% of wash sales in 2023 to 79% in 2025, with about 2.3 million members. Unlimited works because nobody washes their car daily and a tunnel wash costs little. In 2026 it agreed to go private at an enterprise value of about $3.1 billion.
Key takeaways
- "Unlimited" works when customers can't physically overuse it and your marginal cost is low.
- Members come back far more often than one-off customers, which smooths out rainy weeks.
- The share of revenue from members is the number a buyer values you on.
- A club economy still needs new members. Mister Car Wash's same-store growth slowed through 2025.
- Effortless check-in (app, card or tag) makes members feel like VIPs every visit.
It's Saturday morning and it's raining.
If you own a car wash, that's a lost day. Nobody pays to wash a car that's about to get wet again. A wet month can wreck your quarter.
Now imagine most of your customers have already paid for the month. Rain or shine, the money's in the bank.
That's the trick Mister Car Wash pulled off. And it's one of the clearest examples I know of a traditional business transformed by subscription.
What Is the Unlimited Wash Club?
Mister Car Wash had 548 locations at the end of 2025. It sells an Unlimited Wash Club (UWC): a monthly fee for as many washes as you like, at any location.
Over three years, the club stopped being an add-on and became the business.
| 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Club share of total wash sales | 71% | 74% | 79% |
| Club members | About 2.3 million (up 7%) | ||
| Total revenue | $1.05 billion (up 6%) | ||
| Comparable-store sales growth | 2.9% |
Nearly four out of every five wash dollars now come from members.
Why Does "Unlimited" Work for Car Washes When It Failed for Coffee?
Because usage is naturally capped.
Most people won't wash their car more than a few times a month. There's only so clean a car can get. And an automated tunnel's marginal cost per wash is low.
Compare that with drinks. Panera found that "unlimited" coffee invited people to come in many times a day, so it capped the plan at 30 drinks a month. A car wash doesn't need a cap. The customer's own life is the cap.
In the book, I described the Unlimited Content model as being about the unfettered access subscribers feel, not a literal endless supply. That's exactly what a car wash club sells: the freedom to drive through whenever the car looks grubby, without thinking about the price.
And members come back far more often than one-off customers. That smooths revenue across rainy weeks and makes staffing easier to plan.
The Numbers: What Is a Car Wash Club Worth?
Investors value predictability. Here's what one investor paid.
In February 2026 Leonard Green & Partners, already the controlling shareholder with about 67% of the shares, agreed to take Mister Car Wash private at $7.00 a share, an enterprise value of about $3.1 billion.
The valuation in plain numbers
- Enterprise value: about $3.1 billion
- 2025 revenue: $1.05 billion
- $3.1 billion / $1.05 billion = roughly 3 times revenue
In the book, I compared the average small business with Slack. The average small business sold for about 0.67 times revenue. Slack sold for about 26 times projected revenue.
A car wash chain isn't Slack. It owns land, buildings and equipment, and its margins look nothing like software. But roughly 3 times revenue is a long way above 0.67. Recurring members are a big part of why. Our guide to recurring revenue multiples explains how buyers think about this.
What would a membership do to your business value?
See how switching to recurring revenue changes revenue, cash flow and valuation with the Subscription vs One-off Profit Calculator.
What's the Catch?
Growth.
Comparable-store sales growth slowed from 6.0% in Q1 2025 to 1.6% in Q4. Membership still grew 7% for the year, but a club economy depends on signing new members as well as keeping existing ones.
Once most of the regular customers in an area have joined, there are fewer left to convert. Then growth has to come from new locations, higher-priced packages or price rises.
My take
This is the part owners forget. A membership base is wonderful, but it's not a perpetual motion machine. You still need a steady flow of new members to replace the ones who move house, sell the car or just drift away. Track your monthly churn as closely as your sign-ups.
How Does This Fit the Book's Frameworks?
Three connections:
- Unlimited Content model. Low marginal cost plus natural usage limits make "unlimited" safe.
- Member Benefits model. Members get something casual customers don't: as many washes as they like, at any location.
- Churn and loyalty. The value of the club depends on retention. Use the Churn Rate Calculator to see what each lost member costs you.
What You Can Steal From Mister Car Wash
- Look for services with low marginal cost and natural usage limits. Car washes, tanning, gyms, laundromats and dog washes are ideal for "unlimited."
- Make member check-in effortless. An app, a card or a windshield tag so members feel like VIPs every visit.
- Track the share of revenue from members. It's the number a buyer will value your business on.
- Keep selling memberships. Train staff to offer the club to every casual customer, every time.
- Watch same-store growth, not just total members. When it slows, you've converted the easy customers.
What Would This Look Like for an Australian Car Wash?
The model travels well. Our car wash membership guide has illustrative price points, a sample three-tier offer and launch steps.
Two local notes. First, your membership price includes GST, so price from the ex-GST number up. Second, Australia's new subscription rules start on 1 July 2027, with requirements around disclosure, notices and easy cancellation. That's general information as at October 2026, so check the details before you launch.
If you're thinking about the value of the business, read selling a subscription business in Australia. The share of revenue from members could matter a great deal when a buyer looks at it.
Free Subscription Profit Review
Australian business owners can book a free 30-minute review with a BPAG Accountants adviser. An honest conversation about:
- whether a subscription model could work for your business
- how recurring revenue could cover your fixed costs each month
- how it could lift what your business is worth
No cost, no obligation. General information only until we understand your situation.
Frequently asked questions
How does the Mister Car Wash Unlimited Wash Club work?
Members pay a monthly fee and can wash their car as often as they like at any Mister Car Wash location. Prices vary by wash package and location, so check Mister Car Wash's Unlimited Wash Club page for current plans.
Why is Mister Car Wash going private?
In February 2026 Leonard Green & Partners, already the controlling shareholder with about 67% of the shares, agreed to take Mister Car Wash private at $7.00 a share, an enterprise value of about $3.1 billion. Trade press linked the deal to moderating growth: comparable-store sales growth slowed from 6.0% in Q1 2025 to 1.6% in Q4.
Do car wash memberships make money?
They can, because the cost of an extra wash in an automated tunnel is low and most members only wash a few times a month. The membership turns irregular visits into predictable monthly income and lifts visit frequency. The risk is pricing too low for your heaviest users, or failing to keep signing up new members as the area matures.
How many members does a car wash need to be viable?
There's no universal number. It depends on your fixed costs, wash price and how often members visit. Work backwards: add up monthly fixed costs, subtract what casual customers bring in, and divide the gap by your monthly membership price net of GST and card fees. That's your break-even membership count.
Can a hand car wash or detailer offer a membership?
Yes, but cap it. Hand washing and detailing take real labor time per car, so "unlimited" can get expensive fast. A better fit is a set number of washes a month, or a monthly plan with one full detail a quarter plus member pricing on extras. Keep unlimited for automated washes where each extra visit costs little.
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Robert Coorey, MBA
Robert is the author of The Subscription Playbook and Feed a Starving Crowd and a Director at BPAG Accountants in Sydney. More about Robert.
Sources
- Car Wash Pro, Mister Car Wash to go private as growth moderates in 2025 (19 Feb 2026)
- Mister Car Wash, 2024 Annual Report / Form 10-K (UWC share of wash sales 2023 and 2024)
- Mister Car Wash, Unlimited Wash Club page
Facts and prices checked 27 October 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.