Hot Stuff Pizza / Hot Stuff Kitchen Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Hot Stuff Pizza is a franchise offering pizza and hot foods, often as a counter inside convenience stores and other host locations. Franchisees run a compact pizza operation managing prep, order fulfillment, and staffing with light franchisor overhead.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Hot Stuff Pizza / Hot Stuff Kitchen franchise requires a total initial investment of $63K – $173K. The 2024 FDD does not disclose unit-level revenue (no Item 19). FranchiseVerdict grade: B (Above average), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified · figures per the 2024 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $63K – $173K
- 2nd pct Service Resta…
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Royalty
- N/A
- Units
- 752
- 37th 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 $63K – $173K.
- RETURNSItem 21 statements are the audited consolidated financial statements of the franchisor's ultimate parent and guarantor, Performance Food Group Company, as of June 29, 2024 and July 1, 2023 (FY2024/FY2023), prepared under US GAAP and reported in millions of USD (all figures scaled x1,000,000). Performance Food Group Company guarantees the franchisor's (Orion Food Systems, LLC) performance. No standalone audited statements of the franchisor are provided. Reconciles: assets 13,392.9M = liabilities 9,266.0M + equity 4,126.9M.
- RISKVerdict B (Above average), verdict score 53/100 (higher is better).
- DECLINESystem contracting at -16.7% CAGR over 3 years. Investigate whether closures are franchisor-driven (consolidation) or franchisee-driven (economics).
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- ORION FOOD SYSTEMS, LLC
- Parent company
- Performance Manufacturing, LLC
- Ultimate parent
- Performance Food Group Company
- Predecessor
- Orion Food Systems, Inc. (OFSI)
- Prior franchisor entity
- CEO title
- President
- Raden Smith
- Incorporated in
- SD
- HQ
- 2930 West Maple Street, Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57107
- Auditor
- Deloitte & Touche LLP
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $58.3B
- vs $57.3B prior year
Independent franchisee associations
- Independent Franchisee Association
Franchisee-led councils or alliances disclosed in Item 20. Indicates operator voice.
Overview
About
- CEO
- Raden Smith
- Headquarters
- SD
- Founded
- 1994
- FDD year
- 2024
- States available
- 39
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 90% below the typical full-service restaurants franchise.
Source: FDD 2024 · Items 5–7
Full Item 7 breakdown10 line items
Initial investment breakdown
| Line item | Low | High | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Training Expenses | $6K | $11K | |
| Leasehold Installation | $2K | $7K | |
| Equipment, Fixtures and Furnishings including OLM Installation Assistance | $20K | $72K | |
| Opening Inventory | $5K | $16K | |
| Security Deposits, Utility Deposits, Business Licenses and other Prepaid Expenses | — | — | |
| Insurance | $2K | $5K | |
| Additional Funds (for the first three months' of operations) | $26K | $51K | |
| Contractor Expenses | $3K | $10K | |
| Grand Opening Kit | $500 | $500 | |
| RightBytes Essentials License Fee | $597 | $597 | |
| Total initial investment | $63K | $173K |
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
- $63K – $173K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $26K – $51K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- N/A
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- No royalty or other continuing fee required under standar…
- Ad fund
- No advertising fund; franchisees pay $150/quarter for mar…
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Technology fee | $199 |
| Training fee | $6K |
| Inventory (initial) | $5K – $16K |
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
Hot Stuff Pizza / Hot Stuff Kitchen 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 Hot Stuff Pizza / Hot Stuff Kitchen unit return on the cash you put in?
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Estimated return on your total franchise investment, before any debt financing.
43%
Within the 30–60% "attractive franchise" band
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: 2024 FDD
Financial Performance
Item 21 statements are the audited consolidated financial statements of the franchisor's ultimate parent and guarantor, Performance Food Group Company, as of June 29, 2024 and July 1, 2023 (FY2024/FY2023), prepared under US GAAP and reported in millions of USD (all figures scaled x1,000,000). Performance Food Group Company guarantees the franchisor's (Orion Food Systems, LLC) performance. No standalone audited statements of the franchisor are provided. Reconciles: assets 13,392.9M = liabilities 9,266.0M + equity 4,126.9M.
Operator outlook
What the numbers say
Data-driven interpretation of this brand's financial disclosures, fee structure, and system trajectory.
Disclosure
Franchisor chose not to disclose financial performance representations. You will need to gather unit economics directly from existing franchisees.
Operator retention
System contracting at -16.7% CAGR over 3 years. Investigate whether closures are franchisor-driven consolidation or franchisee exits.
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 Hot Stuff Pizza / Hot Stuff Kitchen Compares
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2024 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 752
- Opened
- 24
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 95
- Turnover rate
- 12.6%
- Company-owned
- 0
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 100%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (3-yr)
- -16.7%
- Net unit change over 3 years
- 3-yr CAGR
- -16.7%
- Compounded over last 3 years
3-year detail · Item 20
- Opened (3yr)
- 24
- Closed (3yr)
- 64
- Terminated (3yr)
- 14
- Non-renewed (3yr)
- 17
- Transfers (3yr)
- 30
- Reacquired (3yr)
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 12 · 39 states reported
The Territory Map
FDD Item 12 reports the state count, but the specific list isn't in our current data. The map will appear once we re-extract from the FDD or enough franchisee contacts are available.
39
states with franchisees (per FDD Item 12)
A system losing more than 10% of its units year-over-year is a red flag. Check whether closures are concentrated in specific regions.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA loan disclosures. This brand has only 7 7(a) loans on file; statistical reliability is limited below 10 loans.
- Total loans
- 7
- Loan volume
- $3.5M
- Median loan
- $498K
- average
- Charge-off rate
- N/A
- limited sample (7 loans) — rate not shown below 10
Historical SBA 7(a) lending data, not predictive of future performance. How SBA charge-off rates are calculated
- Repayment rate (PIF)
- N/A
- 5-yr charge-off
- N/A
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 4
- Defaults
- N/A
Explore lender portfolios on Bank Reports or regional data on State Reports.
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
Hot Stuff Pizza presents HIGH RISK due to system contraction, missing financial performance data, lack of territorial protection, and unclear franchisor financial health, despite low entry cost.
Litigation (Item 3)
No litigation required to be disclosed.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Deloitte & Touche LLP
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
ⓘ These are the parent company's consolidated financials (the parent guarantees the franchisor), not this brand's standalone results — the figure reflects the whole corporate group, not this brand alone.
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: Yes
- 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 53 / 100 verdict
- 01MINORSystem declining 8.6% YoY with 752 units suggesting market saturation or franchisee dissatisfaction
- 02MINORNo financial disclosure (Item 19) — average revenue and net income not provided, making ROI assessment impossible
- 03MINORZero franchise fee with no royalties is unusual and may indicate weak franchisor support model or inability to enforce standards
- 04MINORNo protected territory combined with declining unit count creates oversaturation risk and direct franchisee competition
- 05MINOR5-year term is shorter than industry standard (10 years), limiting franchisee ability to recoup $63K-$173K investment
- 06HIGHGoing Concern status is FALSE — ambiguous language suggesting potential financial instability of franchisor
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Source: FDD 2024 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 5 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 5 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 1 |
| Territory type | none |
| Protected territory | No |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| Online sales rightsℹ | Granted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Optional |
| Right of first refusalℹ | No |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Curable defaultsℹ | 1 |
| Mandatory arbitration | No |
| Jury trial waiver | No |
| Governing law | SD |
| Litigation count | 0 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
No litigation required to be disclosed.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 9 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 30 hrs
- Training location
- At franchisee's Unit site
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Field support
- 4 hrs/yr
- On-site visits per year
- Time to open
- 2 mo
- From signing to launch
- Site selection
- Franchisee with OLM approval/site survey
- Franchisor financing
- Offered
- Item 10
- POS system
- RightBytes System
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: RightBytes System
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
674 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
Hot Stuff Pizza / Hot Stuff Kitchen · FDD (2024) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Hot Stuff Pizza / Hot Stuff Kitchen franchise?
The total investment to open a Hot Stuff Pizza / Hot Stuff Kitchen franchise ranges from $63K – $173K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Hot Stuff Pizza / Hot Stuff Kitchen franchise owners earn?
Hot Stuff Pizza / Hot Stuff Kitchen 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 Hot Stuff Pizza / Hot Stuff Kitchen 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 Hot Stuff Pizza / Hot Stuff Kitchen FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is Hot Stuff Pizza / Hot Stuff Kitchen's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Hot Stuff Pizza / Hot Stuff Kitchen (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 Hot Stuff Pizza / Hot Stuff Kitchen franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Hot Stuff Pizza / Hot Stuff Kitchen has 752 total units in the United States, including 752 franchised units and 0 company-owned units. 24 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is Hot Stuff Pizza / Hot Stuff Kitchen a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Hot Stuff Pizza / Hot Stuff Kitchen as a B-grade franchise with a verdict score of 53 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
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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.