How Does the Baja Fresh Franchise Work?

The franchised business sells only the approved Baja Fresh menu and authorized items. Traditional Restaurants serve general-market guests; Non-Traditional Restaurants serve patrons of a captive-market Facility such as an airport, university, hospital, stadium, casino, government site, travel stop, or grocery venue.

The official menu groups burritos, tacos, favorites, salads, kids' meals, sides, and salsas. The FDD also permits soft drinks and related approved items. Traditional Restaurants carry the full prescribed menu; a Non-Traditional Restaurant may use a limited menu specified in the Confidential Manual.

Sources: 2026 FDD, Item 1, pp. 3-5; Item 16, pp. 69-70; official menu and concept-selection page.

The U.S. base is almost entirely franchised, with two disclosed formats and no exclusive territory. These are structural facts, not economics.

Source: 2026 FDD, Items 1, 12, and 20, pp. 3-5, 62-63, and 79-84.

A Baja Fresh transaction moves through demand generation, approved order intake, supervised food production, channel-specific handoff, approved payment and loyalty processing, and remote reporting to BF Acquisition Holdings.

Sources: 2026 FDD, Items 6, 8, 11, 15, and 16, pp. 31-35, 43-48, 53-61, and 68-70; official app and ordering page, official catering page, official location-channel directory, and Club Baja Rewards page.

The Franchise Agreement does not require a principal on every shift, but BF Acquisition Holdings says it does not seek passive investors. A trained owner, principal, or Manager must provide personal management and on-premises supervision.

The franchisee must employ at least one full-time on-premises Manager. Every shift needs a Manager who meets franchisor criteria, works full time during normal business hours, follows the Franchise Agreement and Confidential Manual, and signs a confidentiality agreement. Equity ownership is not required.

The franchisee hires and trains restaurant employees. Owner-level functions include supervision, inventory checks, sales and food-cost review, local store marketing, bookkeeping, customer-feedback management, and operating oversight. Customer-facing employees need sufficient language ability, while all personnel follow uniform, cleanliness, sanitation, and demeanor standards.

Sources: 2026 FDD, Item 11, pp. 55-57; Item 15, pp. 68-69; official training overview.

Most inputs are constrained. Food, equipment, hardware, software, fixtures, décor, signs, supplies, payment systems, and delivery integrations must meet BF Acquisition Holdings standards and generally use approved suppliers, designated programs, or specified purchasing channels.

An alternative supplier requires written approval; the purchasing department may inspect facilities, test samples, re-inspect, and revoke approval. The franchisee may select operational providers such as exterminators, refrigeration contractors, and refuse services, subject to standards.

Sources: 2026 FDD, Item 8, pp. 43-48; Item 11, pp. 59-61; Olo's official ordering-platform page.

BF Acquisition Holdings controls the operating system and brand-facing choices. The franchisee controls the local employer function and limited commercial decisions; approved third parties run critical supply, payment, loyalty, ordering, and delivery dependencies.

Sources: 2026 FDD, Items 8, 11, 12, 15, and 16, pp. 43-48, 53-63, and 68-70.

No. The grant covers one approved Franchised Location, not an exclusive territory. BF Acquisition Holdings, affiliates, other franchisees, affiliate brands, and Other Channels may compete nearby or in the same venue.

The franchisor may operate or license other Baja Fresh Restaurants, co-branded restaurants, and affiliated concepts without compensation. It reserves Internet, grocery, mobile-unit, vending, off-site, catalog, telemarketing, and other distribution rights. The franchisee cannot independently use Other Channels or create store-specific digital channels without written approval.

Catering is the stated exception: it may be provided anywhere under the Confidential Manual, with sales included in Gross Sales. Relocation requires prior approval, Franchise Agreement compliance, a legitimate business reason, and an approved replacement site.

Source: 2026 FDD, Item 12, pp. 62-63.

At November 30, 2025, the U.S. system had 67 franchised outlets and one company-owned outlet: 98.5% franchised and 1.5% company-owned.

The FDD establishes the control framework, while current details sit in the Confidential Manual, vendor notices, Facility documents, and local programs. Verify them for the proposed site.