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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Challenge Island vs Taste Buds Kitchen

    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.

    Challenge Island2026 FDDTaste Buds Kitchen2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Challenge Island

    $58,465 – $74,050

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 16

    Taste Buds Kitchen

    $425,750

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 24

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Challenge Island

    $49,900

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 10

    Taste Buds Kitchen

    $49,500

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 11

    Royalty · Item 6

    Challenge Island

    7%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 10

    Taste Buds Kitchen

    $8.00

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Item 19 figures cover the location groups each FDD names (Challenge Island: 2, Taste Buds Kitchen: 9). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Challenge Island

    $58,465 – $74,050
    Total initial investment 58465–74050 USD
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 16

    Taste Buds Kitchen

    $425,750
    Total estimated initial investment single Kitchen
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 24
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Challenge Island

    $49,900
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 10

    Taste Buds Kitchen

    $49,500
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 11
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Challenge Island

    7%
    Royalty Fee
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 10

    Taste Buds Kitchen

    $8.00
    Royalty Fee
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Challenge Island

    2%
    Marketing Contribution — 2%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 10

    Taste Buds Kitchen

    $2.00
    Brand Development Fund maximum
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Challenge Island

    177
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 44

    Taste Buds Kitchen

    14
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 64
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Challenge Island

    +27
    Calculated: 150 at end of 2023 → 177 at end of 2025

    Taste Buds Kitchen

    +3
    Calculated: 11 at end of 2022 → 14 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Challenge Island

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Taste Buds Kitchen

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

    Challenge Island

    2013
    From a verified franchisor listing

    Taste Buds Kitchen

    2014
    From a verified franchisor listing
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Challenge Island

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Taste Buds Kitchen

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Challenge Island
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Full-time franchisees reporting 2025 results
    74 territories
    other Full-time territories
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 43
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Full-time and part-time franchisees reporting 2025 results
    $256,315
    other High gross revenue per franchisee
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 43
    Taste Buds Kitchen
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Top quartile of the Qualifying Outlets: franchised locations meeting the disclo…
    $977,379
    other Top quartile low gross revenue
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 63
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchise locations that opened during calendar year 2025 and reported pre-open…
    $31,146
    other 2025 pre-opening gross revenue high
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 65
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — All nine Qualifying Outlets: franchised locations meeting the disclosed territo…
    $172,156
    other 2025 qualifying outlet net operating income average
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 64
    +6 more groups in the full report

    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.

    Challenge Island vs Taste Buds Kitchen: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Challenge Island or Taste Buds Kitchen?
    Challenge Island: $58,465 – $74,050 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 16); Taste Buds Kitchen: $425,750 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 24). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Challenge Island. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Challenge Island and Taste Buds Kitchen royalties compare?
    Challenge Island: 7% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 10); Taste Buds Kitchen: $8.00 (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, Challenge Island or Taste Buds Kitchen?
    Challenge Island: 177 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 44); Taste Buds Kitchen: 14 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 64). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Challenge Island and Taste Buds Kitchen disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Challenge Island has reviewed Item 19 figures for 2 location groups; Taste Buds Kitchen has reviewed Item 19 figures for 9 location groups. 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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    Full Challenge Island report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

    Full Taste Buds Kitchen report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

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