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Salsarita’s Fresh Mexican Grill®

Food & Beverage Year: 2025
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What Is Salsarita’s Fresh Mexican Grill?

Salsarita’s Fresh Mexican Grill is a fast-casual franchise serving Mexican food such as burritos, tacos, quesadillas, salads and nachos. Franchisees are required to serve alcoholic beverages (unless they request not to or cannot obtain a license), making alcohol sales a material revenue stream. Restaurants are typically located in strip shopping centers, regional malls, and freestanding buildings, and the franchisor also franchises non-traditional locations such as airports, college campuses, and corporate campuses.

Salsarita’s Fresh Mexican Grill Franchise: Pros and Cons

A 100 training and support score means you'll get exceptionally thorough onboarding and ongoing operational help that lowers execution risk, but six reacquired outlets-well above food and beverage norms (top 10%)-suggest higher-than-normal franchisee turnover and potential instability for new operators.

Pros

The 100 training and support score is well above what's typical (top quarter), meaning you'll receive exceptionally thorough onboarding and ongoing operational support that lowers day‑to‑day execution risk.
Zero disclosed lawsuits, zero franchisor-initiated enforcement actions, zero government penalties, zero franchisee-initiated judgments/settlements, plus zero outlet terminations and zero non-renewals - all well below what's common in food & beverage - indicate a clean legal/compliance record and strong formal retention behavior.
Managers are not required to hold equity (0% required), which gives you clear flexibility to structure manager ownership and compensation to suit your operating model.

Cons

The 6 reacquired outlets is well above what's typical for food & beverage (top 10%), which primarily reflects franchisees exiting the system and suggests higher-than-normal operator turnover.

Territory Protection

43/100
NORMAL

Salsarita’s Fresh Mexican Grill grants a non-exclusive protected territory (generally a one‑mile radius, with urban/non‑traditional exceptions) providing limited territorial rights. Continuance is contingent on meeting performance quotas and compliance; the franchisor retains rights to develop nearby units and to sell via e‑commerce, retail, and alternative venues.

Training & Support

100
Excellent

The brand provides an extensive 186-hour training curriculum designed to prepare three managerial staff members for launch. The program includes on-site launch support to aid operational readiness; travel and lodging expenses, and any fees for additional on-site support, are the responsibility of the franchisee.

Franchisee Stability

57/100
NORMAL

Salsarita’s Fresh Mexican Grill receives a Normal Stability Score. Three-year turnover of 6.01% sits above the typical Food & Beverage franchise (around 5.4%), placing the brand slightly higher than peers but well below the high end of the range. Across the three reported years, there were 11 total exits: ceased operations dominated with 9, alongside 1 termination, 1 non-renewal, and no franchisor buybacks.

The dominance of ceased operations suggests location-level economics-operators chose to close underperforming locations rather than exits driven by franchisor enforcement. Look into where closures clustered, check typical unit sales and margins in those markets, and ask how the franchisor supports underperforming owners or handles relocations. Speak with current and former owners in affected regions to understand whether closures were driven by local rent, competition, or one-off events. For prospective franchisees, retention is in line with industry peers.

Unit Growth Analysis

Unit Growth Chart

This franchise is on a declining and accelerating trajectory: unit counts fell from 71 in 2023 to 69 in 2024 (−2.8%) and then to 65 in 2025 (−5.8%). The acceleration in shrinkage (total loss of 6 units, −8.5% over two years, and a worsening YoY decline from −2.8% to −5.8%) signals weakening franchise health and elevated investor risk, prompting a need to investigate closures, attrition drivers, or support issues before committing capital.

How Much Does It Cost to Open a Salsarita’s Fresh Mexican Grill Franchise?

Opening a Salsarita’s Fresh Mexican Grill franchise requires a total initial investment of $371,400 to $856,100, 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

$371,400
Minimum Investment Breakdown
Franchise Fee
Real Estate
Equipment & Assets
Reserves
Training
Other

Maximum Investment

$856,100
Maximum Investment Breakdown

Minimum Investment Breakdown

Franchise Fee$30,000
Real Estate$258,500
Equipment & Assets$175,800
Reserves$10,000
Training$4,500
Other$0

Maximum Investment Breakdown

Franchise Fee$30,000
Real Estate$443,000
Equipment & Assets$293,200
Reserves$35,000
Training$10,500
Other$44,400

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.

How Much Do Salsarita’s Fresh Mexican Grill Franchise Owners Make?

Average Gross Sales:
N/A
Median Gross Sales:
N/A
Sample Size:
46
Audit Status:
Unaudited
Franchise vs Corporate Performance: Franchised restaurants are reported in segmented thirds with higher top-third averages than the company-owned group, but there is no explicit overall franchised average to directly compare to the company-owned average of 1,074,147 for 2024.
Performance Variability Analysis: Reported top/middle/bottom third averages for franchised outlets show wide spread (top third average 1,904,787 vs bottom third 784,734), indicating substantial variability in unit sales across the system.
Data Scope and Limitations: The disclosure provides detailed group-level statistics but lacks a clear overall franchised mean/median/high/low and has inconsistent counts between tables, so conclusions about typical franchised unit performance require further substantiation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Salsarita’s Fresh Mexican Grill a good franchise to own?

Whether Salsarita’s Fresh Mexican Grill is a good franchise depends on your goals, experience, and local market. Key factors from the 2025 FDD: Salsarita’s Fresh Mexican Grill operates 65 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 Salsarita’s Fresh Mexican Grill franchise worth the investment?

The value of a Salsarita’s Fresh Mexican Grill franchise investment depends on factors such as location, operator experience, and market demand. The initial investment ranges from $371,400 to $856,100. 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 Salsarita’s Fresh Mexican Grill franchise?

Break-even timelines for Salsarita’s Fresh Mexican Grill 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 Salsarita’s Fresh Mexican Grill a franchise or a corporate-owned business?

As of the 2025 FDD, Salsarita’s Fresh Mexican Grill operates 56 franchised locations and 9 company-owned locations. Franchise opportunities are available through the franchisor's disclosure process.

Interested in Salsarita’s Fresh Mexican Grill?

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