How Does Salsarita's Fresh Mexican Grill Franchise Work?

Salsarita’s Fresh Mexican Grill operates as a manager-led fast-casual Restaurant: guests select approved Mexican menu items in-store or through controlled digital and catering channels, unit employees prepare and fulfill the order, and the franchisee records every transaction through franchisor-designated technology. The 2026 FDD applies to single-location and multi-unit development paths.

The Restaurant sells only menu items and services approved by Salsarita’s Franchising, LLC, primarily customizable fast-casual Mexican meals, family packs and catering. The permitted customer is the end consumer; products may not be sold for resale.

The approved offering includes burritos, tacos, bowls, quesoritos, quesadillas, nachos, salads, kids meals, chips and dips, beverages and Fiesta Packs. Guests select proteins, rice, beans, salsas and toppings within prescribed recipes. The official Salsarita’s menu shows the current assortment; the Franchise Agreement permits SF to change menu items, ingredients and specifications.

The operating cycle starts when a guest selects an approved channel, continues through POS capture and standardized food preparation, ends with the authorized handoff, and then moves into closeout, reporting, customer-data and quality-control processes.

Personal operation by the franchisee is not required, but the model is not contractually passive. A qualified Operating Principal must provide full-time supervision, and a Manager must remain responsible for day-to-day management.

SF controls the sourcing architecture. All goods, services, supplies, fixtures, equipment, inventory, hardware and software required to establish or operate the Restaurant must meet SF specifications and come from SF, its designee or approved suppliers.

SF may require brands, designate a sole supplier, revoke approval and test a proposed alternative. An unlisted supplier requires written approval; no approval within 60 days means disapproval. Approved-source and technology designations may change during the term.

A compliant single-location franchisee receives a Protected Territory, but not an exclusive market. The protection primarily prevents SF or its affiliates from placing another Salsarita’s Fresh Mexican Grill Restaurant inside the agreed area, subject to broad channel and nontraditional-location exceptions.

The usual minimum Protected Territory is a one-mile radius. An urban or nontraditional Restaurant may receive protection limited to its building or structure. A drive-through uses the Restaurant license but requires additional menu, POS, kitchen-display and communications equipment. Other franchisees and retailers may advertise and accept orders inside the area, while SF and its affiliates reserve internet, supermarket, alternative-distribution and nontraditional-location rights without compensation to the franchisee.

Catering uses a separate, non-exclusive Catering Territory that includes the Protected Territory and may extend by agreement; SF may revise it. A multi-unit Development Area depends on the opening schedule and retains the nontraditional and alternative-channel exceptions. Food Truck operations require separate written approval.

At the end of fiscal 2025, the system reported 60 U.S. outlets: 52 franchised Restaurants and 8 company-owned or affiliate-owned Restaurants. The composition remains predominantly franchised, while the total outlet count declined across the three-year Item 20 period.

The franchisee controls the local enterprise within a tightly specified System: employment, shift execution, local compliance, lease obligations, routine maintenance, inventory ordering from approved sources and day-to-day customer service remain local responsibilities.

Item 11 describes SF’s suggested retail prices as nonmandatory. The franchisee develops the annual business plan and may propose local advertising, service providers or an alternative supplier, subject to approval, documentation and System standards.