Ace Sushi Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Ace Sushi is a franchise operating fresh, made-in-store sushi counters inside supermarkets and grocery stores. Franchisees run an in-store sushi station preparing rolls and bowls to order.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A ACE SUSHI franchise requires a total initial investment of $18K – $128K, including a $6K – $15K franchise fee. The 2026 FDD does not disclose unit-level revenue (no Item 19). FranchiseVerdict grade: A (Strongest tier), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified · figures per the 2026 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $18K – $128K
- 0th pct Service Resta…
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Royalty
- N/A
- Units
- 123
- 32nd pct Service Resta…
- SBA charge-off
- N/A
Quick verdict · Full-Service Restaurants · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Full-Service Restaurants avg · No shading = within ±10% · Red = unfavorable by >10% · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Bottom line
- COSTTotal investment $18K – $128K including a $6K franchise fee.
- RETURNSFY2025 revenue = franchise fees $822,256 + initial training fees $290,200 = $1,112,456 (FY2024 $1,198,473). Net of provision for credit losses, recognized revenue $1,111,656 (2025).
- RISKVerdict A (Strongest tier), verdict score 66/100 (higher is better).
- FLAG37 units terminated last reporting year (30.1% of the system). Ask existing franchisees why.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Ace Sushi Franchise Corporation
- Parent company
- Asiana Management Group, Inc.
- CEO title
- Director, President and Chief Executive Officer
- Harlan H. Chin
- Incorporated in
- California
- HQ
- 22771 S Western Avenue, Torrance, California 90501
- Auditor
- Windes, Inc.
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $1.1M
- vs $1.2M prior year
Overview
About
- CEO
- Harlan H. Chin
- Headquarters
- California
- Founded
- 2004
- FDD year
- 2026
- States available
- 23
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 94% below the typical full-service restaurants franchise.
Source: FDD 2026 · Items 5–7
Full Item 7 breakdown15 line items
Initial investment breakdown
| Line item | Low | High | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application Fee | $125 | $125 | |
| Initial Training Fee | $500 | $500 | |
| Initial Franchise Fee | $6K | $15K | |
| Licenses | $100 | $1K | |
| Insurance | $400 | $4K | |
| Initial Food Inventory | $3K | $30K | |
| Initial Marketing, Small Wares, Supplies, Uniforms and Other Non-Food Items | $1K | $4K | |
| Equipment Purchase/Rental | $50 | $500 | |
| Label Machine | $500 | $500 | |
| Sushi Robot | $0 | $17K | |
| Computer System | $100 | $600 | |
| Onsite Training Fee | $2K | $9K | |
| Leasehold Improvements | $0 | $30K | |
| Expenses Before Opening | $500 | $5K | |
| Additional Funds, Working Capital Reserve (for 3 months) | $5K | $10K | |
| Total initial investment | $18K | $128K |
Line items extracted from FDD Item 7. Ranges reflect the franchisor's stated low and high per line. Total is the sum of line-item lows / highs — actual costs may fall outside this range depending on market and build-out scope.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $18K – $128K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $5K – $10K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $6K – $15K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- Commission/compensation model rather than a royalty: "Com…
- Ad fund
- 2.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 10.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Marketing / ad fund | 2.0% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $99 |
| Training fee | $500 |
| Transfer fee | $3K |
| Renewal fee | $100 |
| Inventory (initial) | $3K – $30K |
| Total fee load | 10.0% of rev |
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
ACE SUSHI did not disclose financial performance in FDD Item 19. The ROIC and return models require Item 19 revenue. Without it all inputs are estimates. You can still run the calculator with your own assumptions by entering an expected revenue figure.
Returns model · single-unit ROIC
What would one ACE SUSHI unit return on the cash you put in?
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Estimated return on your total franchise investment, before any debt financing.
93%
Above the 30–60% band. Verify revenue is per-unit average
These models are for research and scenario planning only. Not investment advice. Actual results depend on your specific location, management, and market conditions. Consult a franchise attorney and accountant before signing any franchise agreement.
Item 19 · Source: 2026 FDD
Financial Performance
FY2025 revenue = franchise fees $822,256 + initial training fees $290,200 = $1,112,456 (FY2024 $1,198,473). Net of provision for credit losses, recognized revenue $1,111,656 (2025).
Operator outlook
What the numbers say
Data-driven interpretation of this brand's financial disclosures, fee structure, and system trajectory.
Fee burden
Total ongoing fee load of 10.0% — above the Full-Service Restaurants average of 7.6%.
Disclosure
Franchisor chose not to disclose financial performance representations. You will need to gather unit economics directly from existing franchisees.
Operator retention
System expanding at 98.3% CAGR over 3 years across 123 units — operators are staying and new ones are joining.
Source: FDD Item 19 financial performance representations and publicly filed FDD data. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Verify all figures with the franchisor and current franchisees before making any investment decision.
vs Full-Service Restaurants averages
How Ace Sushi Compares
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2026 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 123
- Opened
- 71
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 10
- Terminated
- 37
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 0
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- 40.2%
- Company-owned
- 6
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 95%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (3-yr)
- +98.3%
- Net unit change over 3 years
- 3-yr CAGR
- +98.3%
- Compounded over last 3 years
3-year detail · Item 20
- Opened (3yr)
- 71
- Closed (3yr)
- 10
- Terminated (3yr)
- 37
- Non-renewed (3yr)
- 0
- Transfers (3yr)
- 24
- Reacquired (3yr)
- 4
- Franchisor bought back
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 20 · 31 states with active franchisees
The Territory Map
Derived from franchisee contact records. Shows states with at least one current operator. Not where the franchisor is registered to sell new units (that data is re-extracting in a future refresh).
States derived from franchisee contact records (FDD Item 20). Shows states with at least one current operator on file. Full state registration data (Item 12) will appear on a future FDD refresh.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
No SBA loan data available for this brand.
What could kill this investment?
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 4, 8, 16, 21
Risk & Legal
ACE SUSHI presents HIGH RISK due to going concern status, multi-state regulatory violations, missing financial disclosures, unprotected territory, and documented franchise closures — prospective franchisees cannot validate unit economics and face significant franchisor stability concerns.
Litigation (Item 3)
Item 3 discloses 5 actions: (1) Maryland Securities Division determination/consent order that AMG's Contracts for Services were unregistered franchises (2004-2005); (2) Rhode Island determination of franchise-law violation, $5,000 fine (2005); (3) Virginia State Corporation Commission action, $1,500 investigation costs + $15,600 penalty (2005-2006); (4) Washington DFI Securities Division consent order, $600 reimbursement (2006); and (5) Ngung Sang v. Ace Sushi Franchise Corp. (Iowa small claims, 2021), a former franchisee breach/fraud claim settled for $5,375 in 2022. The first four are regulatory/administrative orders against AMG (and Ace) relating to pre-franchise Contracts for Services; the fifth is a private franchisee small-claims action. "Other than these 5 actions, no litigation is required to be disclosed."
Largest disclosed settlement: $15,600
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Windes, Inc.
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: No
- Kickbacks from required suppliers: Yes
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
- Can negotiate own supplier terms: No
Score breakdown · what drove the 66 / 100 verdict
- 01HIGHGoing concern status is FALSE — indicates potential financial instability or insolvency risk at corporate level
- 02HIGH4 state regulatory orders (MD, RI, VA, WA) for franchise registration/disclosure violations suggest systemic compliance failures and potential fraud risk
- 03MEDNo average revenue or net income disclosed (missing Item 19) — prevents ROI validation and suggests corporate may be hiding poor unit economics
- 04MINORNo territory protection — franchisees face direct competition from other ACE SUSHI units and cannot defend market share
- 05MINORRoyalty structure tied to 'chef or invoice price' is vague and creates ambiguity on actual payment obligations
- 06HIGH1 franchise closure with small claims litigation suggests unit failure and potential payment disputes with franchisor
- 07MINOR20.6% YoY growth masks potential unit churn — growth rate is superficial without retention/closure data
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 10.0% of sales (royalty + ad fund), before rent and labor.
Source: FDD 2026 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 4 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 4 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 1 |
| Territory type | none |
| Protected territory | No |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| Online sales rightsℹ | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Required |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Non-compete (miles)ℹ | 10 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | No |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | California |
| Litigation count | 5 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
Item 3 discloses 5 actions: (1) Maryland Securities Division determination/consent order that AMG's Contracts for Services were unregistered franchises (2004-2005); (2) Rhode Island determination of franchise-law violation, $5,000 fine (2005); (3) Virginia State Corporation Commission action, $1,500 investigation costs + $15,600 penalty (2005-2006); (4) Washington DFI Securities Division consent order, $600 reimbursement (2006); and (5) Ngung Sang v. Ace Sushi Franchise Corp. (Iowa small claims, 2021), a former franchisee breach/fraud claim settled for $5,375 in 2022. The first four are regulatory/administrative orders against AMG (and Ace) relating to pre-franchise Contracts for Services; the fifth is a private franchisee small-claims action. "Other than these 5 actions, no litigation is required to be disclosed."
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 8 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 55 hrs
- Training location
- ACE's Online Learning Management System (initial); Host Venue Sushi Bar (onsite)
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Site selection
- franchisor
- Franchisor financing
- Offered
- Item 10
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
588 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
ACE SUSHI · FDD (2026) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a ACE SUSHI franchise?
The total investment to open a ACE SUSHI franchise ranges from $18K – $128K, with an initial franchise fee of $6K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do ACE SUSHI franchise owners earn?
ACE SUSHI does not disclose average franchise owner earnings in their FDD Item 19. Not all franchisors are required to make financial performance representations. We recommend asking existing franchisees directly about their financial experience.
What is Item 19 in the ACE SUSHI FDD?
The FDD section where a franchisor may disclose financial performance of its outlets. Disclosure is optional and formats vary; figures are typically gross sales, which is revenue before expenses, not profit. FranchiseVerdict extracts these figures directly from the ACE SUSHI FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is ACE SUSHI's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for ACE SUSHI (fewer than 10 loans on file). Charge-off rates are one way to gauge franchise risk, but not all franchise loans go through the SBA program. We recommend reviewing turnover and closure data in the FDD and speaking with current franchisees.
How many ACE SUSHI franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, ACE SUSHI has 123 total units in the United States, including 117 franchised units and 6 company-owned units. 71 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is ACE SUSHI a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates ACE SUSHI as a A-grade franchise with a verdict score of 66 out of 100 (higher is better), based on our analysis of investment costs, revenue data, SBA loan performance, and growth trends. Our rating is based solely on publicly available FDD and government data; we recommend speaking with current franchisees before making any investment decision. This is not investment advice.
Data sourced from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) FOIA records. Not financial advice.
For franchisors
Are you the franchisor?
If you represent ACE SUSHI, you can request corrections or provide updated information.
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Data extracted from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan disclosures (FOIA). This information is provided for research purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Verify all figures with the franchisor's current Franchise Disclosure Document before making any investment decision.