Franchise opportunities compared
Moe’s Southwest Grill vs Restaurant
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.
Before you compare
- Moe’s Southwest Grill figures come from its 2026 FDD and Restaurant figures from its 2024 FDD, so the years differ.
- Only Moe’s Southwest Grill has reviewed Item 19 figures here.
| Disclosure |  Moe’s Southwest Grill | RRestaurant |
|---|---|---|
| Financial commitment | ||
| Estimated initial investment (Item 7) | $644,425 Endcap and Inline 23 $644,425 $1,401,650 Total Initial Investment – Freestanding 23 — 644425 2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 43 | $222,200 – $696,000 Total estimated initial investment range 2024 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 19 |
| Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5) | $7,500 2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 29 | $49,500 2024 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 13 |
| Royalty (Item 6) | 5% OTHER FEES Type of Fee 1 Amount Date Due Remarks Royalty Fee — 5% 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 30 | 6% Royalty after first 26 weeks 2024 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15 |
| Brand / advertising fund (Item 6) | 1% Marketing Obligation Currently, each calendar quarter, you must spend not less than — 1% — 1% 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 31 | 2% Advertising and marketing fund current contribution — 2% 2024 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15 |
| System scale & health | ||
| Total outlets (Item 20) | 1,136 Outlets at end of 2025 2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 85 | 6 Outlets at end of 2023 2024 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 60 |
| Net outlet change (Item 20) | −88 Calculated: 1,224 at end of 2023 → 1,136 at end of 2025 | −1 Calculated: 7 at end of 2021 → 6 at end of 2023 |
| Outlet exits (Item 20) | Not available No complete exit records for a year | Not available No complete exit records for a year |
| Franchising since (Item 1) | 2001 From a verified franchisor listing | Not available Not in reviewed records |
| Franchisor founded (Item 1) | Not available Not in reviewed records | Not available Not in reviewed records |
| Performance (Item 19) | ||
| Financial performance (Item 19), by location group | Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Traditional eligiblefranchises Top Quartile $1,686,299 other Top Quartile · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 83 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Traditional eligiblefranchises Total $1,137,571 other Total · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 83 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Traditional eligiblefranchises 3rd Quartile $879,161 other 3rd Quartile · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 83 +2 more groups in the full report | 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.
Moe’s Southwest Grill vs Restaurant: common questions
- Which costs less to open, Moe’s Southwest Grill or Restaurant?
- Moe’s Southwest Grill: $644,425 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 43); Restaurant: $222,200 – $696,000 (2024 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 19). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Restaurant. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
- How do Moe’s Southwest Grill and Restaurant royalties compare?
- Moe’s Southwest Grill: 5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 30); Restaurant: 6% (2024 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
- Which has more locations, Moe’s Southwest Grill or Restaurant?
- Moe’s Southwest Grill: 1,136 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 85); Restaurant: 6 (2024 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 60). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
- Do Moe’s Southwest Grill and Restaurant disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- Moe’s Southwest Grill has reviewed Item 19 figures for 5 location groups; Restaurant 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.