Buns on FireFranchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Buns on Fire franchise requires a total initial investment of $255K – $462K, including a $50K franchise fee and an ongoing 6.0% royalty[2]. The 2025 FDD does not disclose unit-level revenue (no Item 19). Verdict grade: A. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified June 18, 2026 · figures per the 2025 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $255K – $462K
- 14th pct Service Resta…
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- 28th pct Service Resta…
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- 26th pct Service Resta…
- Units
- 2
- 6th pct Service Resta…
- SBA default
- N/A
Quick verdict · Full-Service Restaurants · color = vs category peers
Green = >15% above Full-Service Restaurants avg · No shading = within ±15% · Red = >15% below avg · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Started franchising in 2023. Newer systems carry more uncertainty but may offer better territories.
Bottom line
- Total investment $255K – $462K including a $50K franchise fee, 6.0% ongoing royalty.
- No Item 19 financial performance data disclosed. The franchisor chose not to publish revenue figures.
- Verdict A (Top Quintile) with a risk score of 47/100.
- No Item 19 financial performance representation. Without franchisor-disclosed revenue data, you'll need to gather unit economics directly from existing franchisees.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
- Legal entity
- SMYA Ventures LLC
- Incorporated in
- IL
- HQ
- 258 Town Center Lane, Glendale Heights, Illinois 60139
Overview
About
Franchisees operate what appears to be a food service concept (likely a quick-service restaurant or bakery focused on bun-based products). Day-to-day operations likely include food preparation, inventory management, customer service, and point-of-sale operations, though specific operational procedures cannot be confirmed given the minimal franchise infrastructure.
- CEO
- Sohaib Mohammed
- Headquarters
- IL
- Founded
- 2021
- FDD year
- 2025
- States available
- 0
FDD Item 7 · 2025 filing · 14 line items
Initial investment breakdown
| Line item | Low | High | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $40K | $60K | |
| Travel Expenses to Attend Training | $2K | $10K | |
| Real Property | $3K | $10K | |
| Build-Out/Construction | $150K | $250K | |
| Fixture Package | $20K | $40K | |
| Initial Inventory | $8K | $15K | |
| Marketing Supplies | $2K | $7K | |
| Signage | $5K | $10K | |
| Computer Hardware, Software, and POS System | $4K | $6K | |
| Insurance | $6K | $10K | |
| Licenses, Permits | $1K | $3K | |
| Grand Opening Campaign | $1K | $5K | |
| Legal & Accounting | $3K | $6K | |
| Additional Funds - 3 Months | $10K | $30K | |
| Total initial investment | $255K | $462K |
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
- $255K – $462K
- Better than avg vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $10K – $30K
- Better than avg vs category
- Franchise fee
- $40K – $60K
- Better than avg vs category
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- Gross Revenue · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 1.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 7.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 6.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 1.0% of gross sales |
| Training fee | $25 |
| Transfer fee | $25K |
| Renewal fee | $13K |
| Inventory (initial) | $8K – $15K |
| Total fee load | 7.0% of rev |
Financial Performance
This franchisor did not disclose financial performance representations in Item 19, or our extractor could not parse them.
vs Full-Service Restaurants averages
How Buns on Fire Compares
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 2
- Opened
- 0
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 0
- Turnover rate
- 0.0%
- Company-owned
- 2
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 0%
- vs corporate-owned
3-year detail · Item 20
- Transfers (3yr)
- 0
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 20 · 9 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.
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 5, 6, 12, 17
Risk & Legal
Buns on Fire presents HIGH RISK due to an extremely underdeveloped franchise system (2 units), complete financial non-disclosure, false going concern status, and a substantial investment requirement without proven unit economics.
Litigation (Item 3)
0 case reference(s): 3 pending, 0 settled.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
No audited financials on file
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: No
- Must buy proprietary products: No
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
Score breakdown · what drove the 47 / 100 rating
- 01MINOROnly 2 existing units indicates an extremely early-stage or stalled franchise system with no demonstrated scalability
- 02MEDNo Item 19 financial disclosure (Avg Revenue and Net Income not disclosed) prevents validation of ROI claims and profitability
- 03HIGHGoing Concern status is False, suggesting potential financial instability or operational viability questions at corporate level
- 04MINORHigh initial investment range ($255K-$462K) paired with zero financial transparency creates severe downside risk exposure
- 05MEDMinimal franchise network provides insufficient peer support infrastructure and limited proven operating procedures
- 06MED6% royalty on undisclosed revenue makes it impossible to model actual profit margins or break-even timelines
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
FDD Items 5, 6, 12, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 10 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 10 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 1 |
| Territory type | Radius |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Online sales rights | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Not allowed |
| Owner-operator | Required |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Illinois |
| Litigation count | 0 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
0 case reference(s): 3 pending, 0 settled.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 19 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 76 hrs
- Training location
- On-site and corporate
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
9 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
Buns on Fire · FDD (2025) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Buns on Fire franchise?
The total investment to open a Buns on Fire franchise ranges from $255K – $462K, with an initial franchise fee of $50K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Buns on Fire franchise owners earn?
Buns on Fire 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 Buns on Fire's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Buns on Fire (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 Buns on Fire franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Buns on Fire has 2 total units in the United States, including 0 franchised units and 2 company-owned units.
Is Buns on Fire a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Buns on Fire as a A-grade franchise with a risk score of 47 out of 100, 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
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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.