Thai Express
Franchise research report · reviewed 2026 disclosure data
Researching Thai Express franchise opportunities? Every figure below is cited to the FDD.
Thaï Express operates quick-service restaurants serving made-to-order Thai cuisine, including noodle, curry, rice, soup, and stir-fry dishes. Its customers include people seeking a fast prepared meal, including diners who want Thai-style food for takeout, dine-in, or delivery.
Headline figures
Quick facts
- How much does it cost to open a Thai Express franchise?
- The Thai Express Franchise Disclosure Document reports separate estimated initial investments by format: $15,000 for construction management fee: the lesser of 8% of the total cost of all leasehold improvements, furniture, fixtures, equipment and graphics, and $15,000 in the aggregate. (2026 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 40); $494,050 for total unit (restaurant standard location): $494,050 to $814,200 (2026 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 41); $8–$15,000 for the lesser of 8% of the total cost of all leasehold improvements, furniture, fixtures, equipment and graphics, and $15,000 in the aggregate. (2026 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 40); $532,400 for total unit (restaurant food court location): $532,400 to $832,500 (2026 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 44). These formats are not combined. Each is the franchisor's disclosed estimate, not a quote. Details
- What is the Thai Express initial franchise fee?
- The disclosed initial franchise fee for a standard single unit is $30,000 (2026 FDD, Item 5, PDF p. 30). Other fee options (for example multi-unit or conversion) are listed separately in the report. Details
- What ongoing fees does Thai Express charge?
- The disclosed ongoing royalty is 18% (2026 FDD, Item 6, PDF p. 38). 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 Thai Express disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- No. The reviewed Thai Express FDD states that it does not make a financial performance representation in Item 19. Details
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: $15,000 (Construction Management Fee: the lesser of 8% of the total cost of all leasehold improvements, furniture, fixtures, equipment and graphics, and $15,000 in the aggregate.); $494,050 (Total Unit (Restaurant Standard Location): $494,050 to $814,200); $8 – $15,000 (The lesser of 8% of the total cost of all leasehold improvements, furniture, fixtures, equipment and graphics, and $15,000 in the aggregate.); $532,400 (Total Unit (Restaurant Food Court Location): $532,400 to $832,500); several initial fee options apply.
- 2The franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19.
From reviewed FDD figures only. Not a recommendation or projection.
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 4 single-unit formats
2026 FDD · Item 7
Formats disclosed in Item 7 (4)
Each format has its own total. The total depends on the format you choose.
- The lesser of 8% of the total cost of all leasehold improvements, furniture, fixtures, equipment and graphics, and $15,000 in the aggregate.PDF p. 40$8 – $15,000
- Construction Management Fee: the lesser of 8% of the total cost of all leasehold improvements, furniture, fixtures, equipment and graphics, and $15,000 in the aggregate.PDF p. 40$15,000
- Total Unit (Restaurant Standard Location): $494,050 to $814,200PDF p. 41$494,050
- Total Unit (Restaurant Food Court Location): $532,400 to $832,500PDF p. 44$532,400
Standard single-unit franchise fee
2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 30
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.
- Breaching Royalties: for percentage-based royalties, up to 18% of Gross Sales during any period of franchisee breach or default, without advance notice or right to cure; franchisor may instead charge the greater of three times the fixed Royalty fee. Breaching Royalties apply for at least 14 days.Main ongoing fee
44 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?
No financial performance representation in Item 19
The reviewed 2026 FDD for Thai Express has no Item 19 figures on record. Franopolis does not estimate revenue or earnings in their place; ask the franchisor and current owners what unit-level information they can share.
Outlet Changes — Item 20
How has the outlet count changed?
Coverage not stated in the reviewed record · counts as of year end of each year.
2026 FDD · Item 20 ·
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 ($8 – $532,400) vary most by market, and why?
Which initial fee option would apply to my situation, and what conditions or discounts affect it?
Thai Express reports no financial performance figures in Item 19. What information can you share about unit-level results?
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?
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. 30
"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 | inventories —november30,2025 | $5,244 |
| 2025 | depreciation —november30,2025 | $12,469 |
| 2025 | net income and comprehensiveincome —november30,2025 | $30,677 |
| 2025 | currentloansreceivable —november30,2025 | $189 |
| 2025 | revenue —november30,2025 | $604,239 |
| 2025 | amortization —november30,2025 | $17,523 |
| 2025 | prepaidexpensesanddeposits —november30,2025 | $7,790 |
| 2025 | cash —november30,2025 | $21,840 |
| 2025 | restricted cash —november30,2025 | $104 |
| 2025 | totassets —november30,2025 | $1,447,070 |
| 2025 | retainedearnings —november30,2025 | $91,903 |
| 2025 | incometaxreceivable —november30,2025 | $6,356 |
| 2025 | promotionalfundspayable —november30,2025 | $8,152 |
| 2025 | cashnetchange —november30,2025 | $8,860 |
| 2025 | accruedliabilities —november30,2025 | $30,080 |
| 2025 | netcashusedfinancing —november30,2025 | -$30,402 |
| 2025 | operating expenses —november30,2025 | $481,496 |
| 2025 | operatingleaseliabilities —november30,2025 | $149,724 |
| 2025 | deferredrevenue/deposits —november30,2025 | $29,483 |
| 2025 | accounts receivable —november30,2025 | $28,436 |
| 2025 | assets held for sale —november30,2025 | $830 |
| 2025 | deferredtax —november30,2025 | $96,036 |
| 2025 | parentreceivables —november30,2025 | $233,800 |
| 2025 | othercurrentassets —november30,2025 | $4,704 |
| 2025 | total liabilities —november30,2025 | $1,176,013 |
| 2025 | totalcurrentassets —november30,2025 | $309,293 |
| 2025 | accounts payable —november30,2025 | $6,939 |
| 2025 | commonstock —november30,2025 | $179,154 |
| 2025 | giftcardliability —november30,2025 | $93,010 |
| 2025 | parentlongtermloan —november30,2025 | $701,795 |
| 2025 | liabilitiesheldforsale —november30,2025 | $441 |
| 2025 | total equity —november30,2025 | $271,057 |
| 2025 | net cashfromoperations —november30,2025 | $45,017 |
| 2025 | netcashusedinvesting —november30,2025 | -$5,755 |
| 2025 | cashrestrictedend —november30,2025 | $21,944 |
| 2024 | restricted cash —november30,2024 | $250 |
| 2024 | othercurrentassets —november30,2024 | $4,834 |
| 2024 | operating expenses —november30,2024 | $490,300 |
| 2024 | inventories —november30,2024 | $7,182 |
| 2024 | assets held for sale —november30,2024 | $3,116 |
| 2024 | accruedliabilities —november30,2024 | $26,837 |
| 2024 | currentloansreceivable —november30,2024 | $384 |
| 2024 | incometaxreceivable —november30,2024 | $4,402 |
| 2024 | cashrestrictedend —november30,2024 | $13,084 |
| 2024 | accounts receivable —november30,2024 | $28,755 |
| 2024 | totassets —november30,2024 | $1,448,429 |
| 2024 | parentreceivables —november30,2024 | $204,389 |
| 2024 | retainedearnings —november30,2024 | $61,226 |
| 2024 | prepaidexpensesanddeposits —november30,2024 | $8,039 |
| 2024 | promotionalfundspayable —november30,2024 | $10,523 |
| 2024 | totalcurrentassets —november30,2024 | $274,185 |
| 2024 | accounts payable —november30,2024 | $14,808 |
| 2024 | net cashfromoperations —november30,2024 | $51,815 |
| 2024 | giftcardliability —november30,2024 | $109,252 |
| 2024 | cashnetchange —november30,2024 | -$8,325 |
| 2024 | total equity —november30,2024 | $240,380 |
| 2024 | revenue —november30,2024 | $597,538 |
| 2024 | depreciation —november30,2024 | $13,469 |
| 2024 | amortization —november30,2024 | $15,765 |
| 2024 | operatingleaseliabilities —november30,2024 | $156,073 |
| 2024 | net income and comprehensiveincome —november30,2024 | -$12,556 |
| 2024 | cash —november30,2024 | $12,834 |
| 2024 | deferredrevenue/deposits —november30,2024 | $28,170 |
| 2024 | deferredtax —november30,2024 | $101,057 |
| 2024 | total liabilities —november30,2024 | $1,208,049 |
| 2024 | commonstock —november30,2024 | $179,154 |
| 2024 | parentlongtermloan —november30,2024 | $708,363 |
| 2024 | liabilitiesheldforsale —november30,2024 | $2,116 |
| 2024 | netcashusedinvesting —november30,2024 | -$8,745 |
| 2024 | netcashusedfinancing —november30,2024 | -$51,395 |
| 2024 | cashrestrictedstart —november30,2024 | $21,409 |
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
Independent analysis of franchisor-provided data. Not investment advice. Franopolis does not distribute FDDs.