Bambu Franchise Cost & 2026 FDD Data
30/100
Fourth tier
30 this brand51 Quick-Service Restaurants medianlikely 24–36: narrower with more SBA loans (high confidence)
Higher is better · an editorial assessment, not investment advice
#2,979 of 3,068 graded brands
Why a D: Held back by financial health, unit growth, legal record and transparency. See all six factors
- Total investment
- $143K – $440K
- Avg gross sales
- not disclosed
- SBA charge-off
- 5 resolved of 9 loans: too few to judge
Data from the FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records. Analysis by FranchiseVerdict · Methodology · Website · Report an error · Franchisor? Claim this listing
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026 FDD
Per the 2026 FDD, a Bambu franchise requires a total initial investment of $143K – $440K, including a $35K franchise fee. Once open, the ongoing royalty is 4.0%. This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the verdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. Verdict grade: D (Fourth tier), an editorial assessment, not investment advice.
Sources: 2026 FDD · What one unit could make and lose →
Sources, dates and evidence
FDD issued: · Data extracted: · Last cited check: · Staleness risk: low (issued within the last 12 months)
Evidence for the headline figures: strong✓ Investment (Item 7)✓ Item 19 status✓ Units and owners (Item 20)✗ SBA loan coverage✓ Litigation (Item 3)✓ Financial statements (Item 21)✓ Franchisor identityhow this is scored4 of 4 headline figures on this page cite a page of the filing.
Overview
Quick verdict · vs Quick-Service Restaurants median
Top edge: green = better than the Quick-Service Restaurants median by more than 10%, red = worse by more than 10%, gray = within 10% or no benchmark. Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a).
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Methodology
Bottom line
- RETURNSThe FDD makes no financial performance representation in Item 19, so it discloses no revenue or earnings figures; Item 19 is voluntary, and the Financial performance section explains what that does and does not mean.
- GROWTHIn the latest Item 20 year, the number of franchised outlets fell by 8 (5 opened, 13 closed).
- DECLINE-17 franchised outlets between the first and last year-ends Item 20 prints (69 to 52, -24.6% in total, -13.2% a year compounded). Ask whether closures are franchisor-driven (consolidation) or franchisee-driven (economics).
AT STAKEOne unit at the Item 7 midpoint: $38K a year in payments on assumed SBA 7(a)-style terms.You put in about $58K of your own cash and personally guarantee a $233K loan. Assumptions are labeled in Sales; not investment advice.See what one unit could make and lose
Things to check before you sign (3)
- Net -8 franchised outlets in the latest Item 20 year. Ask owners why outlets closed.
- The franchisor keeps the right to compete inside your territory (Item 12, territory).
- You waive a jury trial in disputes with the franchisor (Item 17, renewal, termination and disputes).
Checked and clear: no auditor doubt that the franchisor can keep operating, no pending lawsuit naming the franchisor, no rule that the owner must run it personally and the full filing on file. Not on file here, so ask: SBA charge-off rate against the category median and supplier rebates.
What to do next
Step 1: Read the FDD itself.
Free: the franchisor must give it to you at least 14 days before you sign or pay. Or look it up in a state registry (Wisconsin, Minnesota, California). What to read first.
Step 2: Talk to current and former owners.
Free: Item 20 of the FDD lists every current owner and those who left last year, most with a phone number. Questions to ask.
Step 3: Talk to an SBA lender.
Free: the SBA's Lender Match. Ask what you would personally guarantee and what the monthly payment would be. If you plan to use retirement savings, ask a CPA about the rules for that first.
Step 4: Have a franchise attorney review the FDD and agreement.
Free: your state bar's lawyer referral service can name franchise lawyers, and many offer a short first consultation. Bring the checks listed above.
Research steps, not investment or legal advice.
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost (the Item 7 midpoint) is 40% below the Quick-Service Restaurants median ($487K).
Source: FDD 2026 · Items 5–7 (fees and startup costs)
Do you qualify? The filing states no minimum net worth or liquid capital. Ask Bambu Franchising LLC (Item 1: 7700 E. Arapahoe Rd., Suite 300, Centennial, Colorado 80112) and your lender what they require, and keep living costs for the first year outside the deal.
Full Item 7 breakdown13 line items
Initial investment breakdown
| Line item | Low | High | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $35K | $35K | |
| Leasehold Improvements | $40K | $170K | |
| General Conditions and Structural | $0 | $60K | |
| Final Architectural Drawings, Permits, and Approvals | $5K | $19K | |
| IT and POS Systems | — | — | |
| Equipment | $28K | $52K | |
| Interior Finishes, Fixtures and Furniture | $5K | $35K | |
| Signage and Menu Board | $6K | $10K | |
| Opening Inventory and Supplies | $6.5K | $9.5K | |
| Security and Utility Deposits, Business Licenses, Insurance and Professional Fees | $7K | $15K | |
| Opening Training Expenses | $2K | $2K | |
| Opening Marketing Campaign | $3K | $7K | |
| Additional Funds - 3 Months | $5K | $25K | |
| Total initial investment | $143K | $440K |
Line items extracted from FDD Item 7. Ranges reflect the franchisor's stated low and high per line. The total row is the total as printed in Item 7. Actual costs may fall outside this range depending on market and build-out scope.
Item 6 · what you pay once you are open
Ongoing fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 4.0% of net sales |
| Technology feesMarketing and Technology Fee of $575/month covers technology as well as marketing; separate $80/month POS software fee paid to third-party provider | See the list |
| Transfer fee | $15,000 |
What do units actually make?
This FDD makes no Item 19 financial performance representation - a voluntary item - so unit sales aren't disclosed.
Source: FDD 2026 · Item 19 (sales and earnings)
Items 6 (other fees), 7 (startup costs) and 19 (sales and earnings) · assumptions labeled
What you could make and lose: one unit
What one Bambu unit would ask of you, from the filing's Item 7 total and labeled assumptions.
How these figures are worked out
- Loan (assumption): 80% of the $291K Item 7 midpoint is a $233K loan, paid over 10 years at 10.5%: $38K a year. SBA 7(a)-style terms on a long-term rate; your lender sets yours.
What you put at risk
Your own cash in: about $58K Assumption (the part the loan does not cover of the $291K Item 7 midpoint), plus whatever anything Item 7 leaves out (its notes say what). The loan is $233K.
Personal guarantee. SBA 7(a) loans require a personal guarantee from anyone who owns 20% or more of the business. If the unit cannot pay, the lender can collect from you personally, which can include your savings and your home. The worst case is losing the cash you put in and still owing the rest of the loan.
Gross sales are not profit, and none of these figures is take-home pay until tax and every operating cost are paid. The assumptions are ours, not the filing's. Not investment advice.
Returns modelOne unit · several units · editable
Bambu makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD - a voluntary item under the FTC Franchise Rule - so no gross sales figures are disclosed. The return models need one gross sales figure to start from, plus the operating costs that turn gross sales into a profit. Enter your own and the calculator runs on your assumptions; nothing here is modelled until you do.
Returns model · one unit
What would one Bambu unit leave you each year after the loan payment?
Not disclosed in Item 19. Enter your own gross sales assumption
Gross sales, not profit: the costs below decide what is left.
This brand's Item 19 prints cost or operating-income lines that are not on this page yet. Read them in Item 19 and enter them here.
Illustrative category typicals, not sourced to any filing, survey or sample. Replace them with figures from franchisee validation calls before you rely on the output.
Item 7 midpoint of $143K to $440K
Item 7's $5K to $25K additional funds are already in the total
Left after the loan payment · per year
The unit's EBITDA minus the assumed loan payment. Before tax, depreciation and any cost your inputs leave out (insurance, accounting and legal, licenses, technology fees): not take-home pay.
Gross sales are not profit. Neither the filing nor a stated assumption on this page supplies annual revenue, ad fund rate, COGS, labor, rent / occupancy and other operating costs. Enter your own (a lease quote, owner calls) and the model runs on it.
Loan of $233K at 10.5% over 10 years, an assumption, not a quote. Return and payback are before tax, depreciation and the costs above. The loan usually needs your personal guarantee.
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 · filed by Bambu Franchising LLC
Financial performance
No financial performance representation
This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the verdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that.
Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
vs Quick-Service Restaurants medians
How Bambu compares
Category median of published Quick-Service Restaurants brands that report the figure; the middle half spans the 25th to 75th percentile and n counts the brands behind it. Medians are used because a few very large systems pull an average far from the typical brand. Revenue is disclosed gross sales, not profit.
Who are you contracting with?
Bambu Franchising LLC.
Item 1 (the franchisor) · who you're contracting with
The franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Bambu Franchising LLC
- Predecessor
- Bambu Desserts & Drinks, Inc.; Bambu IP, LLC; Bambu Desserts & Drinks Franchise, Inc.
- Prior franchisor entity
- CEO title
- Chief Executive Officer and Manager
- Marc Geman
- Incorporated in
- Colorado
- HQ
- 7700 E. Arapahoe Rd., Suite 300, Centennial, Colorado 80112
- Auditor
- Reese CPA LLC
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $2.6M
- latest fiscal year in the 2026 FDD
Overview
About
Franchisor of Bambū shoppes, fast-casual Vietnamese-style beverage shops selling Vietnamese dessert drinks (Che), Vietnamese-style coffee (Ca Phe), blended yogurts (Yonami), Asian-inspired teas including bubble tea, and real fruit smoothies, plus mochi waffles and complementary snack/food items.
- CEO
- Marc Geman
Is the system healthy?
-17 franchised outlets between the first and last year-ends Item 20 prints (69 to 52, -24.6% in total, -13.2% a year compounded).
Source: FDD 2026 · Item 20 (outlets opened, closed and transferred)
Item 20 (outlet counts) · unit dynamics
The growth chart
- Company-owned
- 0
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 100%
- vs corporate-owned
Last fiscal year · Item 20 rates and pipeline
- Signed, not yet open
- 15
- 0.29 per open outlet · Item 20 Table 5
- Projected new
- 7
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
Item 20 · franchised units at year end
Franchised units fell from 69 in 2023 to 52 in 2025
Axis does not start at zero.
Source and method
Item 20 (outlet counts) outlets · 14 states
Where current outlets are
States with at least one current outlet in the Item 20 list the franchisor prints. Former owners are not counted, and this is not a list of where the franchisor may sell new units.
Current outlets (count on the tile) · 14 statesNo current outlet
51 current outlets in 14 states: the 51 on the owner list, of 52 franchised at year end (Item 20). 11 former owners (terminated, transferred, not renewed or otherwise left) listed separately.
Counts only, from the list the franchisor prints in Item 20. The contact details are for your own due diligence and are not shown here.
A system that lost more than 10% of its franchised outlets across the Item 20 years is a red flag. Check whether closures are concentrated in specific regions.
Government records
SBA loan data
Aggregated from SBA loan disclosures. This brand has only 9 7(a) loans on file; statistical reliability is limited below 10 loans.
- Loans on file
- 9
- SBA 7(a) loans matched to this brand, incl. those still being repaid
- Loan volume
- $1.6M
- Average loan
- $182K
- loan volume divided by loans
- Charge-off rate
- 5 resolved of 9 loans: too few to judge
- Insufficient SBA coverage: 9 loans, rate hidden below 10
- Paid in full
- 5 resolved of 9 loans: too few to judge
- Recent-loan charge-off
- 5 resolved of 9 loans: too few to judge
- Lenders
- 9
Cumulative: every 7(a) loan matched to this brand in the SBA’s FOIA files, approved FY1991 onward. Historical lending data, not predictive of future performance. How SBA charge-off rates are calculated
Explore lender portfolios on Bank Reports or regional data on State Reports.
What are the risks?
Main risk: a shrinking system. Franchised outlets fell from 69 to 52 over the two Item 20 years.
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21
Verdict grade + FDD Items 3 (litigation), 4 (bankruptcy), 8 (required suppliers), 16 (what you may sell), 21 (audited financials)
Risk and legal
Grade D: Fourth tier, 30/100 (category median 51); the full grade is at the top of the page.
How the grade is built
Why a D, factor by factor
- Financial health Weighs on itAudited financials; no going-concern doubt; franchisor net income positive; negative net worth
- Unit economics NeutralNo Item 19 sales figure to set against the investment, so neutral
- Unit growth Weighs on it, weakest dimension-17 franchised outlets between the first and last year-ends Item 20 prints (69 to 52, -24.6% in total, -13.2% a year compounded); turnover 25.0%
- Scale Neutral52 franchised units; franchising since 2015
- Legal Weighs on it4 matters naming the franchisor among the Item 3 matters we list (7.7 per 100 outlets)
- Transparency Weighs on itItem 19 declines to disclose financial performance; audited financials
From the six scored dimensions, an editorial assessment, not investment advice. How the score is built
Litigation (Item 3)
Subject: the franchisor is a named party (defendant).
Franchisee territory dispute settled 2024; two 2015-2016 predecessor regulatory actions (VA and MD securities/franchise violations, settled with restitution); one 2025 arbitration by franchisor against a former franchisee/guarantors for breach of contract and collection of amounts due.
Largest disclosed settlement in the franchisor's own cases: $5,000
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Reese CPA LLC
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: No
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
Litigation case detail4 matters · Item 3
Litigation cases
The franchisor and its predecessor
Concluded (3)
Sweet Delights by cLc, LLC, d/b/a BAMBU Mays Landing v. Bambu Franchising, LLC and Sadia & Nadia, LLC d/b/a BAMBU Atlantic City
settledBrought by a franchisee · filed 2022-06-08 · Superior Court of New Jersey, Atlantic County (Chancery Division, then Law Division) · ATL-C-34-22; ATL-L-707-23
“… Case No. ATL-C-34-22, in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Chancery Division – General Equity for the County of Atlantic, State of New Jersey.”Page 11 of the 2026 FDD, Item 3
Commonwealth of Virginia, ex rel., State Corporation Commission v. Bambu IP, LLC, Bambu Desserts & Drinks, Inc. and Kimhong Thi Nguyen
settledGovernment or regulatory action · Bambu IP, LLC and Bambu Desserts & Drinks, Inc. (BIP and BDDI, our predecessors) · filed 2015 · Virginia State Corporation Commission · SEC-2015-00028
“… (also known as Kelly Nguyen), Case no. SEC-2015- 00028.”Page 11 of the 2026 FDD, Item 3
In the Matter of: Bambu Desserts and Drinks, Inc. (Securities Commissioner of Maryland)
concludedGovernment or regulatory action · Bambu Desserts and Drinks, Inc. (BDDI, our predecessor) · filed 2015 · Securities Commissioner of Maryland · 2015-0307
“Administrative Proceeding Before the Securities Commissioner of Maryland In the Matter of: Bambu Desserts and Drinks, Inc., Case no. 2015-0307.”Page 11 of the 2026 FDD, Item 3
Outcome: “we paid on behalf of the predecessor $5,000 in restitution to the Virginia licensee. The $5,000 was included in the amount paid under the Virginia Settlement Order described in paragraph 1 above.”
Status not stated in the filing (1)
Bambu Franchising, LLC v. CYF, LLC, Chinh Nguyen, and Phoebe Phan
Brought against a franchisee · filed 2025-07-03 · American Arbitration Association · 01-25-0003-1940
“… (American Arbitration Association, AAA Case No. 01-25-0003-1940, filed July 3, 2025).”Page 12 of the 2026 FDD, Item 3
Item 3 lists the litigation the franchisor must disclose; a matter against a parent, an affiliate or a named officer is not a matter against the franchisor, and pending claims are allegations, not findings.
What are you signing up for?
Source: FDD 2026 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12 (territory), 15 (owner participation) and 17 (renewal, termination and disputes)
Contract and territory detail
| Protected territory | Yes |
|---|---|
| Exclusive territory | No |
| Territory size | “Franchise Agreement designates a "Protected Area" (radius, zip code, or street boundaries determined case-by-case) in which the franchisor will not establish or franchise other Bambu shoppes, but franchisee does not receive an exclusive territory and franchisor retains rights to Drive-thru shoppes, Institutional Facilities, and alternative distribution channels within the Protected Area.” |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Who runs it (Item 15) | A manager may run it |
| Non-compete (years) | 2 years |
| Non-compete (miles) | 10 mi |
| Right of first refusal | Yes |
| RoFR response window | 30 days |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | Denver, Colorado |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Colorado |
Items 5 (initial fees), 7 (startup costs), 12 (territory) and 20 (outlet counts) · development agreement
Area development (several units)
The filing offers a development agreement for several units. If you miss the schedule, the development agreement can be ended.
Every term, with its page
- If you miss the schedule
- The development agreement can be ended.
2026 FDD p.39
“Failure to meet the Development Schedule may result in the termination of your development rights.” - Signed, not yet open
- 15 franchises sold but not open at year end (Item 20, Table 5; see Growth). Ask how long they have been waiting and why.
Each unit still needs its own Item 7 investment on top of the development fee. Have a franchise attorney read the schedule and the default terms before you sign.
Items 10 (financing), 11 (training and support)
Training and operations
- Classroom training
- 16 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 72 hrs
- Training location
- Grand Prairie, Texas and at the franchisee's shoppe / franchisor-designated locations
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Time to open
- 3–10 mo
- From signing to launch (FDD p.35)
- Site selection
- franchisor-approved, franchisee-led with franchisor assistance
- Franchisor financing
- Not offered
- Item 10
- POS system
- Square (bundled POS system)
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 (initial fees) & 11 (training and support)
Franchisor support
Item 20 (outlet counts) · call current owners
Franchisee contacts
Who can you call before you sign?
51 current outlets listed
Each record has a phone number and state. No franchisee names or cities. 62 records: 51 current outlets + 11 former owners (terminated, transferred, not renewed or otherwise left). From the filing's Item 20 (the outlet list); the FDD itself is the free source. Our list covers 51 of the 52 franchised outlets Item 20 counts at year end; the owner exhibit prints the rest without a usable phone number, or omits them.
For your own due-diligence calls only. Not for telemarketing, marketing lists, or automated or prerecorded calls or texts.
The list is not offered for this brand yet. The FDD's Item 20 exhibit lists the owners.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to open a Bambu franchise?
Per the 2026 FDD, the total investment to open a Bambu franchise ranges from $143K to $440K, with an initial franchise fee of $35K. This is the Item 7 total in the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD): the startup costs the franchisor lists, such as build-out, equipment, inventory and working capital. It usually leaves out buying land or a building; Item 7's notes say what is excluded.
What do Bambu franchise owners earn?
Bambu makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD - a voluntary item under the FTC Franchise Rule - so no gross sales figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the verdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Who owns Bambu?
Bambu is franchised by Bambu Franchising LLC. Source: FDD Item 1, 2026 filing.
What is Item 19 in the Bambu 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. The Bambu FDD does not make an Item 19 financial performance representation, so this page shows no earnings figure.
What is Bambu's franchise failure rate?
There is no published franchise failure rate, and Bambu has too few resolved SBA 7(a) loans on file (fewer than 10) to show an SBA charge-off rate that would mean anything. The SBA charge-off rate is the share of a brand's resolved SBA 7(a) loans to its franchisees that the SBA wrote off, including purchased guarantees. Resolved means paid in full or charged off; active loans are excluded because their outcome is not yet known. It is a lending outcome, not a count of closed businesses. Review the turnover and closure figures in Item 20 of the FDD and speak with current and former franchisees.
How many Bambu franchise locations are there?
Per the 2026 FDD, Bambu has 52 franchised units and 0 company-owned (52 in all). In the latest year, the number of franchised outlets fell by 8 (5 opened, 13 closed).
Is Bambu a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict gives Bambu a D Verdict grade (Fourth tier) with a verdict score of 30 out of 100 (higher is better), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Held back by financial health (audited financials), unit growth, legal record and transparency. The “Why a D” section on this page lists all six dimensions and any adjustment. Speak with current franchisees before making any investment decision.
Other Quick-Service Restaurants franchises
Similar investment first, then by grade
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.