Paik’s Noodle Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
- Investment
- $349K – $475K
- Disclosed sales
- not disclosed
- SBA charge-off
- Under 10 loans (3)
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Paik's Noodle is a Korean quick-service franchise serving noodle dishes and Korean comfort food from the Paik's restaurant group. Franchisees run the restaurants, managing food prep, staffing, and counter service.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Paik’s Noodle franchise requires a total initial investment of $349K – $475K, including a $35K franchise fee and an ongoing 4.0% royalty[2]. 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 FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. FranchiseVerdict grade: A (Strongest tier), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Sources, dates and evidence
FDD issued: · Data extracted: · Last cited check: · Staleness risk: low - issued within the last 12 months
Evidence: 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 5 headline figures on this page cite a page of the filing; the rest are marked “Not cited” beside the figure.
Overview
- Investment
- $349K – $475K
- 57th pct Service Resta…
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Royalty
- 4.0%
- 3rd pct Service Resta…
- Units
- 37
- 60th pct Service Resta…
- SBA charge-off
- N/A
Quick verdict · Quick-Service Restaurants · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Quick-Service Restaurants median · 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 $349K – $475K including a $35K franchise fee, 4.0% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSThis 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 FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that.
- RISKVerdict A (Strongest tier), verdict score 73/100 (higher is better).
- GROWTHPositive: net +9 franchised outlets in the latest year (11 opened, 2 closed) (Item 20).
- GROWTHSystem growing at 85.0% CAGR over 3 years with 37 total units. Strong expansion trajectory.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Noodle J-1, Inc.
- Parent company
- The Born Korea Co., Ltd.
- FDD Item 1, page 18 of the 2026 FDD
- CEO title
- General Manager
- Yang Hwan Kim
- Incorporated in
- CA
- HQ
- 3470 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 840, Los Angeles, CA 90010
- Auditor
- Kim & Lee Accounting, Inc.
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $2.0M
- vs $1.9M prior year
- Management churn noted
- Frequent turnover
- Item 2 disclosed frequent executive changes
Affiliated brands
- The Born America
Other brands the franchisor or its parent operates (Item 1).
Overview
About
- CEO
- Yang Hwan Kim
- Headquarters
- CA
- Founded
- 2012
- FDD year
- 2026
- States available
- 14
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 15% below the typical quick-service restaurants franchise.
Source: FDD 2026 · Items 5–7
Full Item 7 breakdown12 line items
Initial investment breakdown
| Line item | Low | High | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Feenot refundable | $35K | $35K | |
| Real Property/Site Leasenot refundable | $7K | $15K | |
| Leasehold Improvementsnot refundable | $150K | $200K | |
| Equipment & Furniturenot refundable | $70K | $70K | |
| Opening Inventorynot refundable | $5K | $6K | |
| Insurancenot refundable | $7K | $10K | |
| Signage, Menu Boardnot refundable | $15K | $20K | |
| Grand Opening Promotionnot refundable | $5K | $5K | |
| Cash Registers (POS) / Other Office Equipmentnot refundable | $5K | $15K | |
| Initial Training Expensesnot refundable | $0 | $4K | |
| Security Depositnot refundable | $15K | $15K | |
| Additional Funds - 3 monthsnot refundable | $35K | $80K | |
| Total initial investment | $349K | $475K |
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
- $349K – $475K
- Middle of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $35K – $80K
- Bottom third — review vs category
- Franchise fee
- $35K – $35K
- Middle of category vs category
- Royalty
- 4.0%
- typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 0.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 5.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 4.0% of net sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 0.0% of net sales |
| Transfer fee | $18K |
| Renewal fee | $18K |
| Inventory (initial) | $5K – $6K |
| Total fee load | 5.0% of rev |
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
Paik’s Noodle makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD - a voluntary item under the FTC Franchise Rule - so no unit revenue figures are disclosed. The return models need a revenue figure to start from, and the operating costs that turn gross sales into a profit are in no FDD. Enter your own and the calculator runs on your assumptions — nothing here is modelled until you do.
Returns model · single-unit ROIC
What would one Paik’s Noodle unit return on the cash you put in?
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.
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Your modelled return on total invested capital, before any debt financing.
—
An FDD discloses gross sales, not profit. We hold no sourced figure for annual revenue, COGS, labour, rent / occupancy and other operating costs, and will not substitute an assumed one. Enter your own and the model runs on your assumptions.
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
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 FranchiseVerdict 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.
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 5.0% — below the Quick-Service Restaurants median of 7.5%.
Disclosure
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 FranchiseVerdict 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.
Operator retention
System expanding at 85.0% CAGR over 3 years across 37 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 Quick-Service Restaurants medians
How Paik’s Noodle 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.
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2026 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 37
- Opened
- 11
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 2
- Turnover rate
- 5.4%
- Company-owned
- 0
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 100%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (3-yr)
- +85.0%
- Net unit change over 3 years
- 3-yr CAGR
- +85.0%
- Compounded over last 3 years
Last fiscal year · Item 20 exits and transfers
- Signed, not yet open
- 0
- 0.00 per open outlet · Item 20 Table 5
- Projected new
- 2
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 12 · 14 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.
14
states with franchisees (per FDD Item 12)
Fast growth in a small system. Newer franchisors expanding quickly may not yet have the support infrastructure of larger systems.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA loan disclosures. This brand has only 3 7(a) loans on file; statistical reliability is limited below 10 loans.
- Total loans
- 3
- Loan volume
- $1.3M
- Median loan
- $436K
- average
- Charge-off rate
- Under 10 loans (3)
- Insufficient SBA coverage: 3 loans, rate hidden below 10
Historical SBA 7(a) lending data, not predictive of future performance. How SBA charge-off rates are calculated
- Repayment rate (PIF)
- Under 10 loans (3)
- 5-yr charge-off
- Under 10 loans (3)
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 3
- 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
Paik's Noodle presents moderate-to-caution risk: aggressive growth in an immature system with zero financial transparency and high capital requirements create ROI uncertainty and limited peer support infrastructure.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Kim & Lee Accounting, Inc.
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Total revenues consist entirely of revenues from franchised restaurants (Note A); FYE December 31, 2025 audited statements for Noodle J-1, Inc.
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: Yes
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
- Can negotiate own supplier terms: No
Score breakdown · what drove the 73 / 100 verdict
- 01MINORNo Item 19 financial disclosure (average unit volumes and profitability completely opaque)
- 02MINORHigh initial investment ($349k-$475k) with no transparent ROI benchmarks to evaluate payback period
- 03MINORRapid expansion (32.1% YoY growth) in a young, unproven system raises sustainability and support quality concerns
- 04MINORSmall unit base (37 locations) limits franchisee network for peer validation and increases system vulnerability
- 05MINOR4% royalty rate is competitive but offers minimal franchise support cushion given small scale
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 5.0% 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 | 10 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 10 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 1 |
| Territory type | Protected territory |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| Territory radius | 1 mi |
| Online sales rightsℹ | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | No |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Required |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 1 year |
| Non-compete (miles)ℹ | 3 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Termination groundsℹ | 1 |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | California (Los Angeles) |
| Jury trial waiver | No |
| Governing law | CA |
| Litigation count | 0 |
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 17 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 56 hrs
- Training location
- Franchised Restaurant
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Time to open
- 7 mo
- From signing to launch
- Site selection
- Franchisee selects; franchisor approves
- Franchisor financing
- Not offered
- Item 10
- POS system
- Clover Network
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: Clover Network
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
33 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Paik’s Noodle franchise?
The total investment to open a Paik’s Noodle franchise ranges from $349K – $475K, with an initial franchise fee of $35K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Paik’s Noodle franchise owners earn?
Paik’s Noodle makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD - a voluntary item under the FTC Franchise Rule - so no unit revenue 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 FranchiseVerdict 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 Paik’s Noodle?
Paik’s Noodle is franchised by Noodle J-1, Inc.. Its parent company is The Born Korea Co., Ltd.. Source: FDD Item 1, 2026 filing.
What is Item 19 in the Paik’s Noodle 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 Paik’s Noodle FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is Paik’s Noodle's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Paik’s Noodle (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 Paik’s Noodle franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Paik’s Noodle has 37 total units in the United States, including 37 franchised units and 0 company-owned units. 11 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is Paik’s Noodle a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Paik’s Noodle as a A-grade franchise with a verdict score of 73 out of 100 (higher is better). The grade is a deterministic score built from six weighted dimensions — financial health, unit economics, unit growth, scale, legal, and transparency — then calibrated against SBA loan charge-off rates and FDD age. Transparency is one of the six, so a filing that discloses less scores lower on that dimension than one that discloses more. 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.