How Much Does a Saladworks Franchise Cost?

A single traditional Saladworks restaurant requires an estimated initial investment of $484,000 to $677,800 under the January 23, 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document. That range is for a strip-center restaurant built around the current 1,600–2,000-square-foot prototype. A Saladworks/Frutta Bowls Co-Brand Restaurant has a separate range of $529,000 to $738,600, while the FDD’s three-restaurant Development Agreement example is $554,000 to $823,600 and covers the development fee plus the first restaurant—not all three openings.

Capital snapshot

The figures below separate the up-front fee, initial working-capital allowance and continuing charges. They are not interchangeable measures of how much cash a buyer must hold.

The 2026 FDD separates three different cost contracts: a single Saladworks restaurant, a Saladworks/Frutta Bowls Co-Brand Restaurant and a three-restaurant Development Agreement example. The figures should not be collapsed into one headline range because the co-brand adds equipment and inventory, while the development example includes territorial development rights and only the first restaurant’s opening costs.

The FDD also says costs for a nontraditional location will likely be lower in selected categories, but it does not publish a separate nontraditional total. WOWorks discusses flexible and co-brand development on its official franchise investment page; that marketing description does not replace the format-specific Item 7 figures.

The $484,000–$677,800 range contains 19 disclosed expenditure categories. Leasehold Improvements and Equipment are the largest line items, but the total also incorporates design, permits, technology, training travel, inventory, insurance and a three-month operating reserve.

Agreement, design and approvals

These payments begin with the Franchise Agreement and continue through design review and permitting. The $1,000 Architectural Plan Review is avoided when the preferred architect is used, but the separate $15,000 Architect Fees estimate remains in Item 7.

Source: 2026 FDD, Items 5 and 7, pp. 13–14 and 20–23. The Technology Deposit Fee is refundable after expiration or termination if the covered equipment is returned, unlike most initial payments.

Premises, equipment and systems

The premises estimate assumes a 1,600–2,000-square-foot prototype with core utilities and building conditions already suitable for the restaurant. The Leasehold Improvements range does not include the cost of retaining the qualified general contractor.

Source: 2026 FDD, Item 7, pp. 20–22. Item 7 assumes furniture, fixtures and equipment are purchased. If leased, the FDD says to expect a 20% down payment plus the first and last months’ rent; it does not estimate the financing rate.

Opening inventory, training and working capital

The last group funds launch activity and the first three operating months. The Grand Opening Marketing amount is a minimum expenditure, not a payment that can be redirected to another line item.

Source: 2026 FDD, Item 7, pp. 20–23. The Additional Funds estimate includes hourly wages, supplier payments, rent, utilities, bank fees and miscellaneous costs; it excludes owner compensation, Royalty Fees and Brand Development Fund Contributions.

The Co-Brand Restaurant adds seven specific cost lines to the single Saladworks investment. Their exact low-end sum is $45,000 and their exact high-end sum is $60,800, which reconciles the base range to the official $529,000–$738,600 co-brand total.

Most cash is paid in stages rather than in one transfer. The standard sequence begins with the Franchise Agreement, moves through site acceptance and buildout, and ends with opening inventory, launch marketing and the first three months of operations.

1. Disclosure review comes first. The FDD states that the prospect must receive the disclosure at least 14 calendar days before signing a binding agreement or paying the franchisor or an affiliate.
2. Agreement payments establish the rights. Under the standard terms, the $35,000Initial Franchise Fee and $5,000 Technology Deposit Fee are tied to Franchise Agreement execution. A Co-Brand License Fee of $7,500 applies when the Affiliate Product Line Addendum is signed. A Development Fee is tied to the Development Agreement.
3. Site and design expenses follow. The buyer must obtain an acceptable site within six months. The $1,000 Site Selection Extension Fee applies if Saladworks grants the one-time six-month extension. Architect, plan review, permit and licensing costs arise as plans are prepared and approved.
4. Buildout and systems are paid before opening. Leasehold Improvements, Equipment, Furniture, Millwork, Smallwares, Signage and Technology Systems are paid to contractors and designated vendors as incurred.
5. Training and launch costs close the pre-opening period. Travel and living expenses are incurred during training. Opening Inventory, uniforms, insurance and the $15,000 Grand Opening Marketing program are funded before or at opening.
6. Operating reserves and recurring fees begin at launch. Additional Funds cover the first three months as incurred. Royalty Fee and Brand Development Fund Contribution payments are due weekly, while the Technology Bundle Fee is monthly.

The recurring cost structure combines percentage-of-Net-Sales charges with a fixed monthly technology range and other operating expenses. The FDD defines the Royalty Fee and Brand Development Fund Contribution on Net Sales, not on profit and not on a projected annual sales figure.

Source: 2026 FDD, Item 6, pp. 14–19; Item 8, pp. 26–29; Item 11, p. 37.

Net Sales

Broadly includes revenue from business conducted at or from the restaurant, including uncollected credit sales and the customer-facing amount before delivery-cost deductions, with stated exclusions for separately collected sales taxes, honored discounts and coupons.

Automatic Draw

If required Net Sales data is not received, Saladworks may draw 125% of the last Royalty Fee and advertising contribution, then reconcile the difference when actual data arrives.

Marketing ceiling

The Brand Development Fund Contribution can change, but the FDD caps the combined Brand Development Fund and Local Advertising Requirement at 5% of Net Sales.

Renewal, transfer, remodel and default-related obligations sit outside the opening range unless Item 7 expressly includes an initial payment. Some are fixed; others depend on actual expenses or the condition of the restaurant.

Source: 2026 FDD, Item 6, pp. 14–19; Item 8, p. 28; Item 17, pp. 43–47.

Other compliance and default triggers

The remaining Item 6 charges are less predictable but still belong in contract review because they can arise from late payments, reporting failures, unapproved conduct or termination.

• Unauthorized Advertising Fee: $1,000 per occurrence for unapproved advertising or marketing materials.
• Interest and Insufficient Funds: generally the lesser of 18% per year or the highest lawful rate, plus $100; state-specific limits can apply.
• Costs & Attorneys’ Fees: actual amount incurred in the circumstances described by the Franchise Agreement.
• Audit Expenses: actual costs, disclosed as $250–$7,500, when reporting or remittance triggers are met, including more than a 2% understatement of Net Sales.
• Service Fee: $600 per day if Saladworks takes operational control during a default, plus reimbursable operating costs and overhead.
• Annual Convention/Regional Meeting: travel, lodging, meals and related expenses; the current attendance fee is $0, but failure to attend is $1,000.
• Training Cancellation Fee: currently $400 per person, per class.
• Additional Training and Replacement Personnel: travel and lodging; participation is currently $0 for additional training, but a future fee is reserved.
• Food Safety and Operations Excellence Report Fee: actual costs for follow-up visits or inspections after a failed evaluation.
• Guest Complaint Resolution Fee: currently $10 for the first occurrence, $25 for the second, $50 for the third and $100 for the fourth and later occurrences, plus refunded amounts.
• Critical Operating Standards Violation: no fee for the first infraction, $250 for the second and $1,000 for the third and later infractions.
• Additional Onsite Visit/Evaluation, Survey Fee, Use of Proprietary Marks and Indemnification: actual amounts incurred under the stated triggers.
• Co-Brand License Fee: $7,500 when a qualified franchisee later adds the Frutta Bowls product line; this is the same fee included in the co-brand opening disclosure.
• Liquidated Damages: after a default termination, the formula uses average monthly Royalty Fees and Brand Fund Contributions for up to 36 months or the remaining term; Item 6 states a minimum of $100,000, subject to applicable law and state addenda.

The 2026 FDD does not state a fixed Liquid Capital or Net Worth minimum. Instead, Item 7 requires the franchisee to use its own non-borrowed funds for 20% to 30% of total projected development and opening costs, depending on the lender’s requirements.

Item 10 says Saladworks offers no direct or indirect financing and does not guarantee a note, lease or other obligation. The official Saladworks franchise FAQ likewise states that the franchisor does not provide financing. Federal loan-program information is available from the U.S. Small Business Administration loan programs, but eligibility and lender approval remain separate from Saladworks approval.

The Franchise Agreement also carries personal-credit consequences: the franchisee executes a Personal Guaranty at signing; when the franchisee is an entity, all direct and indirect owners must sign, and spouses of ownership-interest holders must also execute the guaranty. Source: 2026 FDD, Item 15, p. 42.

The Item 7 total is an official estimate, not a fixed construction quote. Several obligations remain dependent on the site, landlord, lender, contractor, supplier configuration and operating circumstances.

• General contractor cost: the Leasehold Improvements estimate does not include retaining the qualified licensed general contractor.
• Landlord credits: tenant-improvement allowances, rent abatement and comparable credits are not deducted from the official range.
• Owner compensation: Additional Funds exclude salary or draw for the owner.
• Percentage fees during the runway: Royalty Fees and Brand Development Fund Contributions are excluded from the Additional Funds estimate.
• Longer working-capital period: the franchisor says more than $35,000 or more than three months of Additional Funds may be needed.
• Nontraditional format: the FDD says selected categories will likely be lower, but provides no separate Item 7 total.
• Equipment leasing: Item 7 assumes purchase; a lease changes the timing and introduces financing costs the franchisor does not estimate.
• Second and later development units: the three-unit example excludes the investment needed to open the remaining restaurants.
• Required supplier pricing: designated-source purchases and technology services can change under system standards and supplier arrangements.
• State addenda: Illinois and Maryland change when certain initial fees are collected without changing the disclosed fee amounts.

A prospective single-unit franchisee should treat $484,000–$677,800 as the official starting range for the disclosed strip-center prototype, not as the Initial Franchise Fee or a stated cash-on-hand requirement. The $35,000 Initial Franchise Fee is one component; the biggest range drivers are Leasehold Improvements, Equipment, Furniture, Millwork, Signage and the site-specific conditions behind them.

The co-brand path adds a verified $45,000–$60,800 of compatible Item 7 costs, producing a separate $529,000–$738,600 total. The Development Agreement changes the contract again: its example combines a $105,000–$127,500 Development Fee with the first restaurant’s opening investment and leaves later restaurants outside the stated total.

After opening, the principal continuing obligations are the 6% Royalty Fee, current 3% Brand Development Fund Contribution, current 2% Local Advertising Requirement and $605–$1,800 monthly Technology Bundle Fee. The main unresolved capital question is not the franchise fee; it is how the selected site, landlord contribution, financing structure, non-borrowed-fund percentage and post-opening working-capital need fit within the official range.