Smalls Sliders Restaurant
Franchise research report · reviewed 2026 disclosure data
Researching Smalls Sliders Restaurant franchise opportunities? Every figure below is cited to the FDD.
Smalls Sliders restaurants serve made-to-order sliders, fries, sauces, milkshakes and other beverages. Locations generally operate as freestanding modular drive-through restaurants using the franchisor's recipes, equipment specifications and operating procedures.
Headline figures
Smalls Sliders Restaurant quick facts
- Is Smalls Sliders Restaurant a franchise?
- Yes. Smalls Sliders Restaurant offers franchises through a Franchise Disclosure Document. At the end of 2025, it reported 43 franchised and 2 company-owned outlets (2026 FDD, Item 20, PDF p. 52).
- How much does it cost to open a Smalls Sliders Restaurant franchise?
- The Smalls Sliders Restaurant Franchise Disclosure Document reports separate estimated initial investments by format: $1,408,948–$2,137,427 for single restaurant total initial investment low range (2026 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 19); $2,137,427 for single restaurant total initial investment high range (2026 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 19). These formats are not combined. Each is the franchisor's disclosed estimate, not a quote. Details
- What is the Smalls Sliders Restaurant initial franchise fee?
- The disclosed initial franchise fee for a standard single unit is $35,000 (2026 FDD, Item 5, PDF p. 10). Other fee options (for example multi-unit or conversion) are listed separately in the report. Details
- What ongoing fees does Smalls Sliders Restaurant charge?
- The disclosed ongoing royalty is 6% (2026 FDD, Item 6, PDF p. 12). The brand or advertising fund contribution is 3% (2026 FDD, Item 6, PDF p. 12). Other recurring fees are listed in Item 6. Details
- Does Smalls Sliders Restaurant disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- Yes. The Smalls Sliders Restaurant FDD includes an Item 19 financial performance representation (2026 FDD, Item 19, PDF p. 49). Figures apply only to the locations and period each one covers. Details
- How many Smalls Sliders Restaurant locations are there?
- The FDD reports 45 outlets at the end of 2025 (2026 FDD, Item 20, PDF p. 52). Existing locations do not indicate territory availability. Details
- Is Smalls Sliders Restaurant 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
- 1The 2026 FDD (Item 7) estimates opening costs separately by format: $1,408,948 – $2,137,427 (Single restaurant total initial investment low range); $2,137,427 (Single restaurant total initial investment high range); several initial fee options apply.
- 2Item 19 covers 11 separate groups: other measures for 1 locations; other measures for 2 locations; other measures for 18 locations; other measures for 1 locations; other measures for 18 locations; other measures for 18 locations; other measures for 18 locations; other measures for 24 locations; other measures for 24 locations; other measures for 2 locations; other measures for locations. They are not combined.
- 3Outlets grew by 24 in 2025, to 45 (United States systemwide, as labeled in the FDD, Item 20).
From reviewed FDD figures only. Not a recommendation or projection.
Smalls Sliders Restaurant 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
Range across 2 single-unit formats
2026 FDD · Item 7
Formats disclosed in Item 7 (2)
Each format has its own total. The total depends on the format you choose.
- Single restaurant total initial investment low rangePDF p. 19$1,408,948 – $2,137,427
- Single restaurant total initial investment high rangePDF p. 19$2,137,427
Standard single-unit franchise fee
2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 10
Discounted and multi-unit options are separate; see all fees.
Ongoing Fees — Item 6
Selected recurring charges; payment bases and conditions remain attached to each fee.
- Continuing service and royalty feeMain ongoing fee
27 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?
11 separate populations, shown apart. Revenue is not owner income.
Locations counted: not stated in the reviewed record
Other measures · 1 locations
- Who is counted
- Affiliate Restaurant #1 (individual restaurant identified in Item 19 Table 1)
- Period
- Median Week 2025
- Excluded
- Table 1 covers restaurants opened before January 1, 2025; restaurants that opened during 2025 are shown separately in Table 2. No exclusion is stated for this individual restaurant row.
- Method
- Historical outlet-level data reported by franchisees and affiliates; the filing states it was not audited or independently verified.
Locations counted: not stated in the reviewed record
Other measures · 2 locations
- Who is counted
- The two affiliate Restaurants opened before January 1, 2025 and open at least 50 weeks in 2025; Affiliate Restaurant #2 is separately identified in the table
- Period
- Median Week 2025
- Excluded
- Restaurants opened during 2025 are shown separately in Table 2.
- Method
- Historical outlet-level data reported by franchisees and affiliates; the filing states it was not audited or independently verified.
Locations counted: not stated in the reviewed record
Other measures · 18 locations
- Who is counted
- Franchised Restaurants opened before January 1, 2025 and open at least 50 weeks in 2025; the table identifies each restaurant row separately
- Period
- Average Week 2025
- Excluded
- Restaurants opened during 2025 are shown separately in Table 2; the single franchised Restaurant open fewer than 50 weeks due to building damage is described separately.
- Method
- Historical outlet-level data reported by franchisees and affiliates; the filing states it was not audited or independently verified.
Locations counted: not stated in the reviewed record
Other measures · 1 locations
- Who is counted
- The one franchised Restaurant opened before January 1, 2025 and open fewer than 50 weeks in 2025 due to temporary building damage; row #8 is separately identified
- Period
- Average Week 2025
- Excluded
- Restaurants opened during 2025 are reported separately in Table 2.
- Method
- Historical outlet-level data reported by franchisees and affiliates; the filing states it was not audited or independently verified.
Locations counted: not stated in the reviewed record
Other measures · 18 locations
- Who is counted
- Franchised Restaurants opened before January 1, 2025 and open 50 or more weeks in 2025; individual restaurant rows are separately identified
- Period
- Gross Sales Year 2025
- Excluded
- Restaurants opened during 2025 are reported separately in Table 2; the one franchised Restaurant open fewer than 50 weeks due to building damage is described separately.
- Method
- Historical outlet-level data reported by franchisees and affiliates; the filing states it was not audited or independently verified.
Locations counted: not stated in the reviewed record
Other measures · 18 locations
- Who is counted
- Franchised Restaurants opened before January 1, 2025 and open 50 or more weeks in 2025; individual rows are identified separately
- Period
- Median Week 2025
- Excluded
- Restaurants opened during 2025 are shown separately in Table 2; the one franchised Restaurant open fewer than 50 weeks due to building damage is described separately.
- Method
- Historical outlet-level data reported by franchisees and affiliates; the filing states it was not audited or independently verified.
Locations counted: not stated in the reviewed record
Other measures · 18 locations
- Who is counted
- Franchised Smalls Sliders Restaurants opened before January 1, 2025 and open 50 or more weeks in 2025; individual rows are identified separately
- Period
- Gross Sales Year 2025
- Excluded
- Restaurants opened during 2025 are reported separately in Table 2; the one pre-2025 franchised Restaurant open fewer than 50 weeks due to building damage is described separately.
- Method
- Historical outlet-level data reported by franchisees and affiliates; the filing states it was not audited or independently verified.
Locations counted: not stated in the reviewed record
Other measures · 24 locations
- Who is counted
- Franchised Smalls Sliders Restaurants that began operating in 2025 and operated for the remainder of the year; each row is identified separately
- Period
- Gross Sales Year 2025
- Excluded
- Restaurants opened before 2025 are reported separately in Table 1; no affiliated Restaurants began operating in 2025.
- Method
- Historical outlet-level data reported by franchisees and affiliates; the filing states it was not audited or independently verified.
Locations counted: not stated in the reviewed record
Other measures · 24 locations
- Who is counted
- Franchised Smalls Sliders Restaurants that began operating in 2025 and operated for the remainder of the year; individual rows are identified separately
- Period
- Gross Sales Year 2025
- Excluded
- Restaurants opened before 2025 are reported separately in Table 1; no affiliated Restaurants began operating in 2025.
- Method
- Historical outlet-level data reported by franchisees and affiliates; the filing states it was not audited or independently verified.
Locations counted: not stated in the reviewed record
Other measures · 2 locations
- Who is counted
- The two affiliate Restaurants opened before January 1, 2025 and open 50 or more weeks in 2025; the table reports Affiliate Restaurant #2 separately
- Period
- Average Week 2025
- Excluded
- Table 1 covers restaurants opened before January 1, 2025; restaurants opened in 2025 are presented separately in Table 2.
- Method
- Historical outlet-level data reported by franchisees and affiliates; the filing states it was not audited or independently verified.
Locations counted: not stated in the reviewed record
Other measures
- Who is counted
- Smalls Sliders Table 1, Affiliate Restaurant #2, opened before January 1, 2025 and shown separately; 2025 period.
- Period
- Gross Sales Year 2025
- Excluded
- The temporary-closure exclusion described for a different franchised restaurant does not apply to this affiliate row.
- Method
- Historical outlet-level data reported by franchisees and affiliates; the filing states it was not audited or independently verified.
These groups are never combined.
Outlet Changes — Item 20
How has the outlet count changed?
United States systemwide, as labeled in the FDD · counts as of 2025 of each year.
2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 52
Net +34 outlets, 2023–2025
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 ($1,408,948 – $2,137,427) 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 went from 21 to 45 in 2025. How many new units opened, closed or changed hands?
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]Standard initial franchise fee — Item 5 · PDF p. 10
- [2]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Affiliate Restaurant #1 (individual restaurant identified in Item 19 Table 1) · PDF p. 49
- [3]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — The two affiliate Restaurants opened before January 1, 2025 and open at least 5… · PDF p. 49
- [4]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchised Restaurants opened before January 1, 2025 and open at least 50 weeks… · PDF p. 49
- [5]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — The one franchised Restaurant opened before January 1, 2025 and open fewer than… · PDF p. 49
- [6]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchised Restaurants opened before January 1, 2025 and open 50 or more weeks… · PDF p. 49
- [7]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchised Restaurants opened before January 1, 2025 and open 50 or more weeks… · PDF p. 49
- [8]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchised Smalls Sliders Restaurants opened before January 1, 2025 and open 50… · PDF p. 49; PDF p. 50
- [9]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchised Smalls Sliders Restaurants that began operating in 2025 and operated… · PDF p. 50
- [10]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchised Smalls Sliders Restaurants that began operating in 2025 and operated… · PDF p. 50
- [11]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — The two affiliate Restaurants opened before January 1, 2025 and open 50 or more… · PDF p. 49
- [12]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Smalls Sliders Table 1, Affiliate Restaurant #2, opened before January 1, 2025… · PDF p. 49
- [13]Outlet counts — Item 20, Table 1 · PDF p. 52
"PDF p." is the page in the PDF file; "printed p." is the number printed on the FDD page.
Territory & operations
These are contract disclosures, not confirmation that any territory is currently available.
Legal & agreement
Franchisor financial statements
| Fiscal year | Measure | Reported value |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | total liabilities, 2025 | $19,621,808 |
| 2025 | member's deficit, 2025 | -$13,626,782 |
| 2025 | total revenues, 2025 | $7,981,002 |
| 2025 | total costs and expenses, 2025 | $11,956,836 |
| 2025 | loss from operations, 2025 | -$3,975,834 |
| 2025 | net loss, 2025 | -$4,013,607 |
| 2025 | net cash used in operating activities, 2025 | -$3,659,742 |
| 2025 | net cash provided by financing activities, 2025 | $6,254,442 |
| 2025 | cash at end of year, 2025 | $2,830,752 |
| 2025 | net cash used in investing activities, 2025 | -$234,459 |
| 2025 | total assets, 2025 | $5,995,026 |
| 2025 | total current assets, 2025 | $4,019,827 |
These figures describe the franchisor company, not individual franchise locations.
SBA-backed loans to franchisees
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Source: U.S. Small Business Administration 7(a) & 504 FOIA data. Loan volume is not a measure of franchisee success.
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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 12 · PDF p. 36 · 2026 FDD
Our summary: Exclusive territory: No; the franchisor says you will not receive an exclusive territory.
“You will not receive an exclusive territory.”
Note: Supplied quote could not be confirmed on the cited PDF page excerpt.
Item 12 · PDF p. 36 · 2026 FDD
Our summary: Territorial competition: Franchisee may face competition from other franchisees, franchisor-owned outlets, other distribution channels, or competitive brands.
“You may face competition from other franchisees, from outlets that we own, from other channels of distribution or competitive brands that we control.”
Note: Supplied quote could not be confirmed on the cited PDF page excerpt.
Item 12 · PDF p. 36 · 2026 FDD
Our summary: Territory definition: The Protected Territory is a geographical area around the accepted Premises, about three-quarters of a mile, potentially smaller based on stated factors.
“Once you secure a lease for the location, we will designate a geographical area surrounding your Premises, to be described in the Franchise Agreement and that will be about three-quarters of a mile around the premises of site of your Restaurant (the “Protected Territory”). However, your Protected Territory may be less than three-quarters of a mile, depending on factors including population density, street or walk by traffic patterns and natural geographic features, such as bodies of water, interstate highways and other features that normally define guest trip patterns.”
Note: Supplied quote could not be confirmed on the cited PDF page excerpt.
Independent analysis of franchisor-provided data. Not investment advice. Franopolis does not distribute FDDs.
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