How much does a Pokeworks franchise cost?
The April 10, 2026 Pokeworks Franchise Disclosure Document lists an Estimated Initial Investment of $270,435 to $599,661 for one standard Pokeworks Restaurant. A Multiple Unit Development Agreement for the minimum commitment of three restaurants carries a separate disclosed total of $811,305 to $1,798,983. Those figures are total Item 7 investment ranges, not the cash-only Initial Franchise Fee and not the franchisor's financial qualification thresholds.
This 2026 range applies to a single Pokeworks Restaurant modeled at 500 to 2,000 square feet. It includes the $40,000 Initial Franchise Fee and $25,000 to $40,000 of Additional Funds for the first three months, but several location-dependent costs can exceed the disclosed range. Source: 2026 FDD, Item 7, pp. 20-24.
- Legal franchisor
- Beyond Franchise Group LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.
- Document basis
- U.S. Franchise Disclosure Document issued April 10, 2026; Items 5, 6 and 7, with cost-relevant provisions from Items 8, 10, 11 and 17.
- Development paths
- One standard restaurant or a Multiple Unit Development Agreement covering at least three restaurants. The FDD also reserves Limited Access Locations, but publishes no separate Item 7 range for that format.
- Public source status
- No matching 2026 FDD copy was located on an official Pokeworks-controlled domain, so FDD citations below are unlinked Item and page references. Current qualification language is available on the official U.S. franchise information page.
- Information checked
- July 18, 2026.
On July 18, 2026, the official franchise page displayed an Item 7 range of $314,455 to $602,878 and a separate target average of $400,000 to $450,000. Those figures do not match the April 10, 2026 FDD's $270,435 to $599,661 single-unit range. This article uses the newer verified FDD for contractual cost disclosures. A buyer should request any amendment and a written reconciliation before paying a deposit or signing an agreement.
What is included in the single-unit investment range?
The 2026 Item 7 total includes 16 cost categories for one standard Pokeworks Restaurant, from the Initial Franchise Fee through three months of Additional Funds. Construction and Remodeling is the widest disclosed range, while several smaller categories are fixed or have narrow ranges.
Premises, build-out and physical assets
| Item 7 category | 2026 amount | When due | Payee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural Design and Permits | $6,700-$17,500 | During design and as incurred | Architect, designer and government agencies |
| Construction and Remodeling | $80,000-$323,000 | Before, during and at completion of construction | Contractors |
| Initial Lease Deposit | $5,000-$20,000 | When the lease is signed | Landlord |
| Furniture & Fixtures | $4,000-$9,000 | Beginning of construction | Contractors or suppliers |
| Equipment | $60,075-$74,392 | Beginning of construction | Suppliers |
| Signs | $9,780-$14,986 | Beginning of construction | Supplier |
Opening readiness and working capital
| Item 7 category | 2026 amount | When due | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Licenses and Permits | $1,000-$4,000 | As incurred | Municipal and other government approvals |
| Inventory | $5,000-$10,000 | After health permits are issued | Opening food, ingredients and packaging inventory |
| Pre-Opening Marketing | $7,500 | One month before opening | Grand-opening campaign, excluding promotional food |
| Insurance | $500-$3,000 | Upon acquiring the space | Low end includes a 20% down payment; high end includes a full annual premium |
| Computer, POS and ERP Systems | $5,880-$8,783 | Under supplier agreement | Required hardware and software, including an estimated $650 POS installation |
| Employee Wages | $15,000 | From construction start until opening | Pre-opening payroll; payroll and other taxes are excluded |
| Legal and Accounting Fees | $2,000-$5,000 | As incurred | Professional services |
| Additional Funds - First 3 Months | $25,000-$40,000 | At varied times | Food and beverage costs, supplies, utilities, ordinary maintenance and other operating expenses |
| Training Expenses | $3,000-$7,500 | As incurred | Travel, living and payroll-related costs for required trainees |
Source: 2026 FDD, Item 7, pp. 20-24. The official total is $270,435 to $599,661. The line items above should not be re-summed into a substitute estimate because actual amounts are location-dependent and the FDD preserves its stated total.
The scale runs from $0 to the $323,000 maximum for Construction and Remodeling. Exact low and high amounts are printed beside each bar.
Interpretation: Construction and Remodeling creates most of the disclosed dollar variability among the largest categories. Source: 2026 FDD, Item 7, pp. 20-24. Bar positions are derived only from the published low and high endpoints.
Additional Funds are already included in the $270,435 to $599,661 Item 7 total. Adding the $25,000 to $40,000 range again would double-count working capital. The allowance covers only the first three months and does not state that owner compensation is included.
When is the money paid before and after opening?
The 2026 disclosures spread payments across site evaluation, contract signing, lease execution, construction, opening preparation and the first three operating months. The full Item 7 high end is not ordinarily paid to one party on one date.
Sources: 2026 FDD, Item 5, pp. 13-15; Item 7, pp. 20-24.
How does a Multiple Unit Development Agreement change the capital requirement?
The 2026 FDD requires a Multiple Unit Developer to commit to at least three Pokeworks Restaurants, with a total Estimated Initial Investment of $811,305 to $1,798,983. This is a three-restaurant capital range, not merely a development fee layered onto one store.
Three-unit Initial Franchise Fee ladder
The stated Initial Franchise Fees total $105,000: $40,000 for the first restaurant, $35,000 for the second and $30,000 for the third. At signing, the developer pays the full first fee plus 50% of the later fees.
Source: 2026 FDD, Item 5, pp. 14-15; Item 7, pp. 25-29. The $72,500 signing amount is a derived calculation from the disclosed payment formula.
The two ranges represent different contracts and numbers of restaurants. They should not be blended or compared as if they were alternative formats for one outlet.
Interpretation: The three-unit commitment scales the full development and opening budget across three restaurants, including $75,000 to $150,000 of Additional Funds and $9,000 to $22,500 of Training Expenses. Source: 2026 FDD, Item 7, pp. 25-29.
Each later restaurant is opened under the franchisor's then-current Franchise Agreement, which may materially differ from the 2026 form and may carry a different Initial Franchise Fee. The Certified-to-Expand policy also requires financial and operational good standing at existing restaurants before additional development begins.
Which fees continue after a Pokeworks Restaurant opens?
The main 2026 continuing charges are a 6% Royalty Fee, a 1.5% Marketing Fund Contribution, a 2% Local Marketing Expense requirement and a $300 monthly Technology Fee. Additional POS and ERP charges are paid to suppliers, and an Advertising Cooperative may be formed under the disclosed conditions.
| Continuing obligation | Amount or basis | Timing | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royalty Fee | 6% of Gross Sales | Generally withdrawn each Wednesday | Gross Sales excludes collected sales tax and is reduced by specified point-of-sale discounts |
| Marketing Fund Contribution | 1.5% of Gross Sales | Paid with the Royalty Fee | The fund need not benefit the restaurant proportionately or in its local market |
| Local Marketing Expenses | 2% of Gross Sales | Spent quarterly | Unspent required amounts may be applied by the franchisor and invoiced |
| Local Advertising Cooperative | Up to 2% of Gross Sales | If a cooperative is formed | Expected to be credited toward Local Marketing Expenses; combined local and cooperative spending may not exceed 4% of annual Gross Sales |
| Technology Fee | Currently $300/month | Electronic withdrawal on the 10th day of each month | May be adjusted annually under the disclosed cost-allocation formula |
| POS service and maintenance | Up to $303/month | Under supplier agreement | Internet connection is additional |
| Restaurant365 subscription | Up to $375/month | Required beginning January 1, 2027 | Bookkeeping and other third-party charges are excluded; see the official Restaurant365 website for provider information, not the contractual fee disclosure |
Sources: 2026 FDD, Item 6, pp. 15-20; Item 11, pp. 40-43. Percentage fees are stated only on the disclosed Gross Sales basis and are not converted into annual dollar estimates.
Which event-triggered fees could add to the cost?
The 2026 FDD includes material charges that arise only after a transfer, renewal, audit, training issue, payment default, opening delay, compliance failure or early termination. These amounts are outside the routine Item 7 opening budget unless a specific initial payment is included there.
Sources: 2026 FDD, Item 6, pp. 16-20; Item 8, pp. 31-33; Item 17, pp. 59-66.
How much liquid capital and net worth does Pokeworks require?
The official U.S. franchise page, checked July 18, 2026, states that a candidate needs $250,000 in liquid capital and $750,000 in net worth. Those are qualification thresholds, not the 2026 Item 7 investment range and not a statement that $250,000 is sufficient to fund a restaurant.
- Liquid Capital
- Readily available funds to invest. It is distinct from the total Estimated Initial Investment and from total assets.
- Net Worth
- Total assets minus liabilities. It does not mean the same amount is available as cash.
- Financing
- Item 10 states that Beyond Franchise Group LLC does not offer direct or indirect financing and does not guarantee notes, leases or other obligations.
- Veteran incentive
- A qualified U.S. Armed Forces veteran may receive a 15% discount on the Initial Franchise Fee, subject to an Honorable Discharge, at least 50% ownership and notice before signing. The discount does not reduce construction, equipment, inventory or other Item 7 categories.
Sources: official Pokeworks financial qualifications, checked July 18, 2026; 2026 FDD, Item 5, p. 14 and Item 10, p. 36.
How do required suppliers affect the cost obligation?
The 2026 FDD estimates that 90% to 100% of purchases used to establish and operate a Pokeworks Restaurant will be required, sourced from approved suppliers or made to franchisor specifications. That makes supplier pricing, required technology and future system changes material parts of the capital decision even when a future amount is not fixed in Item 7.
Required-source scope: 90%-100% of establishment and operating purchases
Named required or approved sources include Sysco for specified food items and proprietary sauces, Clayton Kendall for uniforms and printing materials, Clark National Accounts for certain kitchen equipment and supplies, and Restaurant365 beginning January 1, 2027. Beyond Restaurant Group LLC may retain disclosed rebates or commissions, and the franchisee does not automatically receive that benefit.
Source: 2026 FDD, Item 8, pp. 29-32. The 90%-100% range applies separately to establishing and operating the franchised business.
Which costs are not fully resolved by the official range?
The 2026 single-unit range is a nationwide estimate for a 500- to 2,000-square-foot restaurant, but the FDD identifies exclusions and circumstances that can move the actual cash requirement above the published high end. Limited Access Locations also lack a separate Item 7 range.
Before committing capital, reconcile the landlord work letter, contractor bids, required equipment list, approved-supplier quotes, insurance proposal, technology agreements and a location-specific cash-flow plan against the current FDD. The FTC franchise buying guide explains why Items 5 through 7 should be tested against costs that may not be fully captured by the disclosure tables.
What is the clearest capital takeaway?
A prospective single-unit buyer should distinguish four separate amounts: the $270,435 to $599,661 Estimated Initial Investment, the $40,000 Initial Franchise Fee, the $250,000 liquid-capital and $750,000 net-worth qualifications, and the continuing percentage and technology obligations after opening. For a three-unit developer, the relevant disclosed contract range is $811,305 to $1,798,983, with $105,000 of Initial Franchise Fees paid in stages. The largest unresolved variable is site-specific construction, followed by required supplier, lease, technology and post-opening working-capital needs.
Official documents and verification tools
Under the federal Franchise Rule, a prospective franchisee generally must receive the disclosure document at least 14 calendar days before signing a binding agreement or paying consideration to the franchisor or an affiliate. Verify that the document received is the current version and includes any applicable amendments.