Ford’s Garage^®

Food & Beverage • Year: 2025

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What Is Ford’s Garage?

Ford’s Garage is a full-service restaurant and bar franchise styled as a 1920s service station/prohibition bar that positions itself as a Prime Burger and craft beer joint offering lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. The primary service channel is sit-down, full-table service, and franchisees must offer beer and other alcoholic beverages as a revenue stream. Restaurants are typically 6,000 to 9,000 square feet and operate from stand-alone buildings or in strip centers.

Ford’s Garage Franchise: Pros and Cons

The franchisor offers exceptionally strong training and support-100 combined score and 432 hours of initial training-well above industry peers, but startup costs are very high, estimated $2,833,800–$6,618,000 with a $50,000 entry fee and $100,000–$400,000 reserve requirement, which means you'll need significantly more capital and financing than most Food & Beverage peers.

Pros

Training and support score of 100 combined with 432 hours of initial training is well above industry peers and indicates the franchisor invests heavily in preparing new operators.

Territory protection score of 51 is well above typical for Food & Beverage (top quarter), so you get stronger territory rights than most competitors in this sector.

Zero disclosed lawsuits, government penalties, franchisor enforcement actions, franchisee-initiated judgments/settlements, and fraud cases is well below typical for Food & Beverage, giving the system a clean legal and regulatory record.

Cons

Estimated startup costs of $2,833,800 (min) to $6,618,000 (max) are well above typical for Food & Beverage, meaning your total capital outlay and likely financing needs will be much higher than most peers (the entry fee itself is $50,000, also well above typical).

Reserve requirements listed at $100,000 (min) and $400,000 (max) are well above typical for Food & Beverage, indicating you'll need significantly more cash on hand to cover operating expenses before the business reaches self-sufficiency.

Managers are not required to complete initial training (an unusual omission-about 90.8% of Food & Beverage franchises require this), which could increase operational friction if on-site leadership isn't consistently trained.

Lawsuits & Legal Risk

100

Excellent

Ford’s Garage reported no material legal proceedings,

Territory Protection

51/100

Good

Ford’s Garage grants a non‑exclusive Protected Territory/DMA (negotiated size, minimum ~100,000 population) per franchise, with single‑unit territories retained without sales quotas. The franchisor retains rights to sell via e‑commerce/alternative channels, operate at non‑traditional sites or nearby units, and territory rights for multi‑unit development are contingent on meeting performance quotas.

Training & Support

100

Excellent

The brand provides a comprehensive 432-hour training curriculum designed to prepare eight franchise personnel for launch. The program includes on-site launch support for operational readiness; franchisees are responsible for travel and living expenses, and on-site assistance may incur additional fees.

Franchisee Stability

75/100

Good

Ford’s Garage earns a Good Stability Score overall. Three-year turnover of 3.33% falls below the typical Food & Beverage franchise (around 5.4%) and sits nearer the lower-churn side of the industry range, though it is not in the lowest-churn 10%. Out of 2 total exits, ceased operations dominated with 2, alongside no terminations, no non-renewals, and no franchisor buybacks.

The dominance of ceased operations points to location-level economics: operators likely closed underperforming sites rather than franchisor enforcement, so the pattern looks like local market pressure more than systemic franchisee-franchisor conflict overall, clearly. This is built on a compact track record (roughly 60 franchisees averaged across three years); continued retention as the system grows would solidify the picture. For prospective franchisees, examine unit-level economics in the geographies where closures have concentrated.

How Much Does It Cost to Open a Ford’s Garage Franchise?

Opening a Ford’s Garage franchise requires a total initial investment of $2,833,800 to $6,618,000, according to the 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document. This range covers the franchise fee, real estate, equipment, training, and initial working capital needed to launch and operate through the early months.

Minimum Investment

$2,833,800

Franchise Fee

Real Estate

Equipment & Assets

Reserves

Training

Other

Maximum Investment

$6,618,000

Minimum Investment Breakdown

Franchise Fee$50,000

Real Estate$2,147,000

Equipment & Assets$1,240,000

Reserves$100,000

Training$50,000

Other$0

Maximum Investment Breakdown

Franchise Fee$50,000

Real Estate$3,950,000

Equipment & Assets$1,670,000

Reserves$400,000

Training$100,000

Other$448,000

Investment Analysis

This investment analysis is coming soon. Have ideas for other analyses you'd like us to add? Get in touch.

The initial investment amounts shown are estimates only. Actual costs may vary based on location size, business model, and multi-unit ownership arrangements. We recommend reviewing the full Franchise Disclosure Document for complete details.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Ford’s Garage a good franchise to own?

Whether Ford’s Garage is a good franchise depends on your goals, experience, and local market. Key factors from the 2025 FDD: Ford’s Garage operates 29 locations, received a legal risk score of 100/100, a training and support score of 100/100. Financial performance data is disclosed in Item 19. Prospective franchisees should review the full Franchise Disclosure Document and consult with a franchise attorney before making any investment decision.

Is a Ford’s Garage franchise worth the investment?

The value of a Ford’s Garage franchise investment depends on factors such as location, operator experience, and market demand. The initial investment ranges from $2,833,800 to $6,618,000. Ford’s Garage disclosed average gross sales of $5,730,457 in 2025. Franchise investments carry inherent risk, and prospective buyers should conduct thorough due diligence before committing capital.

How long does it take to break even with a Ford’s Garage franchise?

Break-even timelines for Ford’s Garage franchises are not disclosed in the 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document. Break-even periods vary significantly based on initial investment level, local market conditions, operating costs, and revenue ramp-up speed. Prospective franchisees should build a pro forma financial model using Item 7 cost estimates and, where available, Item 19 financial performance data from the FDD.

Is Ford’s Garage a franchise or a corporate-owned business?

As of the 2025 FDD, Ford’s Garage operates 28 franchised locations and 1 company-owned locations. Franchise opportunities are available through the franchisor's disclosure process.

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