Franchise opportunities compared

    Baja Fresh vs bbq_chicken_bbdotq_usa

    Reviewed figures from each brand's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), side by side. Each figure carries its FDD year and page. This is not a ranking or recommendation, and the two FDDs may cover different years and location groups.

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Baja Fresh

    $428,560

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 43

    bbq_chicken_bbdotq_usa

    $318,650 – $1,212,500

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 13

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Baja Fresh

    Not available

    bbq_chicken_bbdotq_usa

    $300,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 10

    Royalty · Item 6

    Baja Fresh

    $10

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 39

    bbq_chicken_bbdotq_usa

    Not available

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Only Baja Fresh has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Baja Fresh

    $428,560
    Grand Total — traditional — $428560
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 43

    bbq_chicken_bbdotq_usa

    $318,650 – $1,212,500
    TOTAL — $318650
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 13
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Baja Fresh

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified

    bbq_chicken_bbdotq_usa

    $300,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 10
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Baja Fresh

    $10
    Royalty surcharge: up to $10 per week
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 39

    bbq_chicken_bbdotq_usa

    Not available
    No reviewed royalty record
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Baja Fresh

    4%
    Advertising Fees — 4% — 4%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 36

    bbq_chicken_bbdotq_usa

    $20,000
    Area Representative Advertising — $20000
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Baja Fresh

    68
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 84

    bbq_chicken_bbdotq_usa

    8
    Outlets at end of 2024
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 29
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Baja Fresh

    −16
    Calculated: 84 at end of 2022 → 68 at end of 2025

    bbq_chicken_bbdotq_usa

    +3
    Calculated: 5 at end of 2023 → 8 at end of 2024
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Baja Fresh

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    bbq_chicken_bbdotq_usa

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year
    Franchising since (Item 1)

    Baja Fresh

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    bbq_chicken_bbdotq_usa

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Baja Fresh

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    bbq_chicken_bbdotq_usa

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Baja Fresh
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — All existing franchised US outlets
    $813,419
    other All franchised
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 83
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Top20% existing franchised US outlets
    $1,283,451
    other Top 20% franchised outlets
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 83
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Bottom20% existing franchised US outlets
    $406,368
    other Bottom20% franchised
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 83
    bbq_chicken_bbdotq_usa

    Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation

    Item 19 groups are shown separately and never combined. Revenue or sales figures are not profit. Net outlet change and turnover are Franopolis calculations from the disclosed counts; turnover is a count-based rate, not a measure of owner earnings.

    Baja Fresh vs bbq_chicken_bbdotq_usa: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Baja Fresh or bbq_chicken_bbdotq_usa?
    Baja Fresh: $428,560 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 43); bbq_chicken_bbdotq_usa: $318,650 – $1,212,500 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 13). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for bbq_chicken_bbdotq_usa. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    Which has more locations, Baja Fresh or bbq_chicken_bbdotq_usa?
    Baja Fresh: 68 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 84); bbq_chicken_bbdotq_usa: 8 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 29). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Baja Fresh and bbq_chicken_bbdotq_usa disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Baja Fresh has reviewed Item 19 figures for 3 location groups; bbq_chicken_bbdotq_usa makes no Item 19 financial performance representation. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

    Answers restate the reviewed figures above. Not a ranking or recommendation.

    How Franopolis reviews FDD figures

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