Baja Fresh
Franchise research report · reviewed 2026 disclosure data
Researching Baja Fresh franchise opportunities? Every figure below is cited to the FDD.
Baja Fresh serves Mexican-style food including burritos, tacos, salads and salsas. Restaurants offer pickup and delivery where available, along with catering for groups and events.
Headline figures
Baja Fresh quick facts
- Is Baja Fresh a franchise?
- Yes. Baja Fresh offers franchises through a Franchise Disclosure Document. At the end of 2025, it reported 67 franchised and 1 company-owned outlets (2026 FDD, Item 20, PDF p. 84).
- How much does it cost to open a Baja Fresh franchise?
- The Baja Fresh Franchise Disclosure Document reports separate estimated initial investments by format: $428,560 for traditional restaurant — total initial investment (2025 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 43); $224,950–$777,200 for non-traditional restaurant — total initial investment (2025 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 46). These formats are not combined. Each is the franchisor's disclosed estimate, not a quote. Details
- What ongoing fees does Baja Fresh charge?
- The disclosed ongoing royalty is $10 (2026 FDD, Item 6, PDF p. 39). The brand or advertising fund contribution is 4% (2026 FDD, Item 6, PDF p. 36). Other recurring fees are listed in Item 6. Details
- Does Baja Fresh disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- Yes. The Baja Fresh FDD includes an Item 19 financial performance representation (2026 FDD, Item 19, PDF p. 83). Figures apply only to the locations and period each one covers. Details
- How many Baja Fresh locations are there?
- The FDD reports 68 outlets at the end of 2025 (2026 FDD, Item 20, PDF p. 84). Existing locations do not indicate territory availability. Details
- Is Baja Fresh a good franchise to buy?
- Franopolis does not rate or recommend franchises. From the reviewed FDD: Item 19 includes financial performance figures; check which locations and period they cover; Item 20 lists outlet openings, closures and transfers; Item 6 includes a brand or advertising fund contribution on top of royalty; Item 20 also lists current and former franchisees you can contact. Review the full FDD with a franchise attorney and accountant before deciding.
From reviewed FDD figures only. Not a recommendation or projection.
What the disclosures show
- 1Opening costs are estimated at $428,560 (Grand Total — traditional — $428560) in the 2026 FDD (Item 7); several initial fee options apply.
- 2Item 19 covers 3 separate groups: other measures for 65 Franchised locations; other measures for 13 Franchised locations; other measures for 13 Franchised locations. They are not combined.
- 3Outlets declined by 5 in 2025, to 68 (United States, as labeled in the FDD, Item 20).
From reviewed FDD figures only. Not a recommendation or projection.
Baja Fresh head-to-head
Closest peers in the same subcategory, side by side from reviewed FDD figures. Not a ranking or recommendation.
Costs · Items 5–7
What does it cost to open?
Estimated opening costs and the fees payable to the franchisor.
Startup Investment — Item 7
Total estimated initial investment
2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 43
Formats disclosed in Item 7 (2)
Each format has its own total. The total depends on the format you choose; multi-unit packages are listed but not included in the headline range.
- Grand Total — nontraditional — $224950Multi-unitPDF p. 45$224,950
- Grand Total — traditional — $428560Multi-unitPDF p. 43$428,560
Ongoing Fees — Item 6
Selected recurring charges; payment bases and conditions remain attached to each fee.
- Royalty surcharge: up to $10 per weekMain ongoing fee
64 reported fees, each with its payment basis, are listed below; they haven't been sorted into recurring, initial and occasional groups yet.
Financial Performance — Item 19
What results are disclosed—and for which locations?
3 separate populations, shown apart. Revenue is not owner income.
65 locations
Other measures · 65 locations
- Who is counted
- All existing franchised US outlets
- Period
- Median gross sales
- Excluded
- 67openNov30;65existingoutlets notfirstopenedthisfiscalyear and nottemporarilyclosedatstart/end included; top/bottom20 separate.
- Method
- Unaudited weekly franchise sales reports; grosssales goods/services lesssalestax,discounts,allowances,returns.
These groups are never combined.
Outlet Changes — Item 20
How has the outlet count changed?
United States, as labeled in the FDD · counts as of 2025 of each year.
2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 84
Net −16 outlets, 2022–2025
Year-end counts reported in Item 20. The scale starts at zero; the labels between the dots show each year's change. Openings and closures for 2025 haven't been pulled from the Item 20 tables yet, so no turnover or churn is shown.
Questions to investigate
Prompts based on what this brand's reviewed disclosures do and don't show — not conclusions. Join free as a member to save questions to your research.
For the franchisor
Which line items in the 2026 Item 7 estimate ($428,560) vary most by market, and why?
Which initial fee option would apply to my situation, and what conditions or discounts affect it?
Which locations are included in the Item 19 figures, and which were excluded?
Reported units decreased from 73 to 68 in 2025. What drove the change?
Is a territory available in my area, and how is it defined in my agreement?
For current and former owners
How did your actual startup costs and timeline compare with the Item 7 estimate?
How many hours a week do you work in the business, and in what role?
How do your results compare with the Item 19 figures, and what explains the difference?
What support from the franchisor has been most and least useful?
For your advisors
Ask a franchise attorney to review the territory, renewal, transfer and termination terms.
Ask an accountant to build a cash-flow plan using your own assumptions, not the franchisor's.
Sources & vintage history
Every displayed fact is retained with its disclosure vintage, item, page, and reviewed status. Prior vintages remain on file rather than being overwritten.
Citations (2026 FDD)
- [1]Estimated initial investment — Item 7 · PDF p. 43
- [2]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — All existing franchised US outlets · PDF p. 83
- [3]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Top20% existing franchised US outlets · PDF p. 83
- [4]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Bottom20% existing franchised US outlets · PDF p. 83
- [5]Outlet counts — Item 20, Table 1 · PDF p. 84
"PDF p." is the page in the PDF file; "printed p." is the number printed on the FDD page. Source document: FDD
Territory & operations
86 addresses in Franopolis's imported location list. Coverage may differ from Item 20 outlet counts.
These are contract disclosures, not confirmation that any territory is currently available.
Legal & agreement
Franchisor financial statements
| Fiscal year | Measure | Reported value |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | assets held for sale | $830 |
| 2025 | cash | $21,840 |
| 2025 | restricted cash | $104 |
| 2025 | accounts receivable | $28,436 |
| 2025 | receivables from ultimate parent and parent company | $233,800 |
| 2025 | prepaid expenses and deposits | $7,790 |
| 2025 | other current assets | $4,704 |
| 2025 | loans receivable | $34 |
| 2025 | other assets | $2,565 |
| 2025 | operating lease right-of-use assets | $181,327 |
| 2025 | goodwill | $346,490 |
| 2025 | accrued liabilities | $30,080 |
These figures describe the franchisor company, not individual franchise locations.
What changed from 2025 to 2026
- Franchise fee: $10,000 → $30,000
- System size: 79 → 68 units
SBA-backed loans to franchisees
Loading…
Source: U.S. Small Business Administration 7(a) & 504 FOIA data. Loan volume is not a measure of franchisee success.
Related research
Brands in the same subcategory first, then the wider industry, ordered by shared business format, overlapping investment range, Item 20 outlet count and search interest. This is not a ranking or recommendation.
Head-to-head comparisons
At a glance
Business history
Not reviewed
Owner participation
Not reviewed
Territory language
Litigation disclosure
Not reviewed
Bankruptcy disclosure
Not reviewed
Agreement term
Not reviewed
Reader notes on wording
Our automated check found that these summaries may not match the FDD's exact wording. Read the FDD excerpt itself; it is the authoritative text. Core cost, fee, Item 19 and outlet figures are not affected.
Item 7 · PDF p. 44 · 2025 FDD
Our summary: Non-traditional restaurant — Signage ($5250 to $17000)
“Signage $5, 25 0 $ 17 ,000”
Note: The cited page text renders the signage amount as “$5, 25 0”; the page text does not clearly settle the digit grouping needed to confirm $5,250.
Item 21 · PDF p. 524 · 2026 FDD
Our summary: Operating cash flow before interest and working capital — 2024
“MTV Franchising USA, Inc. Consolidated statements of cash flows Years ended November 30, 2025 and 2024 (In thousands of US dollars) Operating activities Net income (loss) and comprehensive income (loss) Items not affecting cash: Depreciation - property, plant and equipment Amortization - intangible assets Interest expense Loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets Impairment charge - property, plant and equipment Impairment charge - operating lease right-of-use assets Impairment charge - intangible assets and goodwill Loss on de-recognition/lease modification of operating lease liabilities Deferred income tax recovery Interest paid Changes in non-cash working capital items Accounts receivable Inventories Prepaid expenses and deposits Loans receivable Other current assets Income taxes Accounts payable Accrued liabilities Promotional funds payable Gift card liability Deferred revenue and deposits Other Net cash provided from operating activities Notes 6 7 19 6&9 5 7&9 5 2025 2024 $ $ 30,677 (12,556) 12,469 13,469 17,523 15,765 54,884 53,768 699 376 3,813 6,150 130 849 1,261 37,452 387 41 (5,021) (9 ,195) 116,822 106,119 (51,376) (53,768) 319 558 2,032 (925) (89) (278) 227 (27) 130 (1,502) (2,775) (303) (8,753) (1,070) 3,128 (1,817) (2,371) (4 ,166) (16,286) 4,546 257 3,735 3,752 713 45,017 51,815 Page 7”
Note: PDF p.524 text contains 116,822 and 106,119, but the extracted table does not reliably expose the corresponding row label, so the stated subtotal cannot be confirmed.
Item 21 · PDF p. 524 · 2026 FDD
Our summary: Operating cash flow before interest and working capital — 2025
“MTV Franchising USA, Inc. Consolidated statements of cash flows Years ended November 30, 2025 and 2024 (In thousands of US dollars) Operating activities Net income (loss) and comprehensive income (loss) Items not affecting cash: Depreciation - property, plant and equipment Amortization - intangible assets Interest expense Loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets Impairment charge - property, plant and equipment Impairment charge - operating lease right-of-use assets Impairment charge - intangible assets and goodwill Loss on de-recognition/lease modification of operating lease liabilities Deferred income tax recovery Interest paid Changes in non-cash working capital items Accounts receivable Inventories Prepaid expenses and deposits Loans receivable Other current assets Income taxes Accounts payable Accrued liabilities Promotional funds payable Gift card liability Deferred revenue and deposits Other Net cash provided from operating activities Notes 6 7 19 6&9 5 7&9 5 2025 2024 $ $ 30,677 (12,556) 12,469 13,469 17,523 15,765 54,884 53,768 699 376 3,813 6,150 130 849 1,261 37,452 387 41 (5,021) (9 ,195) 116,822 106,119 (51,376) (53,768) 319 558 2,032 (925) (89) (278) 227 (27) 130 (1,502) (2,775) (303) (8,753) (1,070) 3,128 (1,817) (2,371) (4 ,166) (16,286) 4,546 257 3,735 3,752 713 45,017 51,815 Page 7”
Note: PDF p.524 text contains 116,822 and 106,119, but the extracted table does not reliably expose the corresponding row label, so the stated subtotal cannot be confirmed.
Item 21 · PDF p. 522 · 2026 FDD
Our summary: Total current liabilities — 2025
“MTV Franchising USA, Inc. Consolidated balance sheets As at November 30, 2025 and 2024 (In l11 ousan ds of US dollars) 2025 2024 Notes $ $ Assets Current assets Cash 21,840 12,834 Restricted cash 2 104 250 Accounts receivable 3 28,436 28,755 Inventories 5,244 7,182 Assets held for sale 4, 6 & 7 830 3,116 Current portion of loans receivable 189 384 Receivables from ultimate parent and parent company 12 & 22 233,800 204,389 Prepaid expenses and deposits 7,790 8,039 Other current assets 4,704 4,834 Income taxes receivable 20 6,356 4,402 309,293 274 ,185 Non-current assets Loans receivable 34 66 Contract cost asset 4,643 4,277 Other assets 2,565 2,106 Property, plant and equipment 6 42,751 53 ,675 Operating lease right-of-use assets 5 181,327 190,303 Intangible assets 7 559,967 577,327 Goodwill 8 346,490 346,490 1,447,070 1,448,429 Liabilities Current liabilities Accounts payable 6,939 14,808 Accrued liabilities 30,080 26,837 Gift card liability 10 93,010 109,252 Promotional funds payable 8,152 10,523 Current portion of operating lease liabilities 5 36,983 38 ,340 Current portion of deferred revenue and deposits 11 7,037 8,093 Advances from parent company 12 & 22 2,540 4,417 Short-term loan from parent 13 13,793 198,534 212,270 Page 5”
Note: PDF p.522 text extraction merges the short-term parent loan row and the current-liabilities total; the cited 198,534 cannot be assigned confidently to the 2025 total from the available page text.
Item 21 · PDF p. 562 · 2025 FDD
Our summary: Revenue 2023
“Revenue 2023 2022 $ $ 580,280 263,686 472,147 194,664”
Note: The supplied quote was not present on the cited page; left pending for review.
Item 21 · PDF p. 567 · 2025 FDD
Our summary: Cash at end of year 2023
“Cash, end of year 21,409 23,563”
Note: The supplied quote was not present on the cited page; left pending for review.
Item 21 · PDF p. 562 · 2025 FDD
Our summary: Revenue 2022
“Revenue 2023 2022 $ $ 580,280 263,686 472,147 194,664”
Note: The supplied quote was not present on the cited page; left pending for review.
Item 21 · PDF p. 565 · 2025 FDD
Our summary: Stockholder equity 2022
“Common stock Retained earnings 2022 $ 179,154 56,804 235,958”
Note: The supplied quote was not present on the cited page; left pending for review.
Item 21 · PDF p. 566 · 2025 FDD
Our summary: Net cash provided from operating activities 2023
“Net cash provided from operating activities 41,748 39,059”
Note: The supplied quote was not present on the cited page; left pending for review.
Item 21 · PDF p. 562 · 2025 FDD
Our summary: Net income and comprehensive income 2022
“Net income and comprehensive income 16,978 19,573”
Note: The supplied quote was not present on the cited page; left pending for review.
Item 21 · PDF p. 565 · 2025 FDD
Our summary: Stockholder equity 2023
“Common stock Retained earnings 2023 $ 179,154 73,782 252,936”
Note: The supplied quote was not present on the cited page; left pending for review.
Item 21 · PDF p. 567 · 2025 FDD
Our summary: Cash at end of year 2022
“Cash, end of year 21,409 23,563”
Note: The supplied quote was not present on the cited page; left pending for review.
Item 21 · PDF p. 562 · 2025 FDD
Our summary: Net income and comprehensive income 2023
“Net income and comprehensive income 16,978 19,573”
Note: The supplied quote was not present on the cited page; left pending for review.
Item 21 · PDF p. 566 · 2025 FDD
Our summary: Net cash provided from operating activities 2022
“Net cash provided from operating activities 41,748 39,059”
Note: The supplied quote was not present on the cited page; left pending for review.
Independent analysis of franchisor-provided data. Not investment advice. Franopolis does not distribute FDDs.