Palgong Tea Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
- Investment
- $148K – $186K
- Disclosed sales
- not disclosed
- SBA charge-off
- Not SBA-matched
Data from FDD filing
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Palgong Tea is a bubble tea franchise serving Korean-style milk teas, fruit teas, and boba drinks. Franchisees run the shops, managing drink prep, inventory, and counter service.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A PALGONG TEA franchise requires a total initial investment of $148K – $186K, including a $20K franchise fee and an ongoing 5.0% 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: D (Below average), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Sources, dates and evidence
FDD issued: · Data extracted: · Last cited check: · Staleness risk: high - issued more than two years ago
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 scored5 of 5 headline figures on this page cite a page of the filing.
Overview
- Investment
- $148K – $186K
- 11th pct Service Resta…
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- 1 outlet
- Royalty
- 5.0%
- 12th pct Service Resta…
- Units
- 1
- 3rd 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 $148K – $186K including a $20K franchise fee, 5.0% 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 D (Below average), verdict score 34/100 (higher is better).
- GROWTHFlat: no net change in franchised outlets in the latest year (0 opened, 0 closed) (Item 20).
- DATAThis 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.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- PalgongTea Franchising LLC
- Parent company
- PalgongTea USA, Inc.
- FDD Item 1, page 7 of the 2021 FDD
- CEO title
- President
- John Park
- Incorporated in
- IL
- HQ
- 1625 North Milwaukee Avenue, Glenview, Illinois 60025
- Auditor
- B. H. Whang and Associates, Ltd.
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $22K
- Most recent fiscal year
Overview
About
- CEO
- John Park
- Headquarters
- IL
- Founded
- 2020
- FDD year
- 2021
- States available
- 1
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 66% below the typical quick-service restaurants franchise.
Source: FDD 2021 · Items 5–7
Full Item 7 breakdown14 line items
Initial investment breakdown
| Line item | Low | High | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $20K | $20K | |
| Rent, Security Deposit, and Other Real Estate Services and Costs | — | — | |
| Leasehold Improvements | $50K | $70K | |
| Signage | $5K | $5K | |
| Furniture and Fixtures | $10K | $15K | |
| Equipment | $15K | $20K | |
| Point-of-Sale Hardware and Software | $5K | $5K | |
| Business Licenses and Permits | $1K | $1K | |
| Professional Fees | $5K | $5K | |
| Initial Inventory | $8K | $10K | |
| Insurance | $2K | $3K | |
| Training Expenses | $5K | $5K | |
| Grand Opening Advertising | $2K | $2K | |
| Additional Funds - 3 Months | $20K | $25K | |
| Total initial investment | $148K | $186K |
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
- $148K – $186K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $20K – $25K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $20K – $20K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- 5.0%
- typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 3.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 8.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 5.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 3.0% of gross sales |
| Transfer fee | $15K |
| Renewal fee | $0 |
| Inventory (initial) | $8K – $10K |
| Total fee load | 8.0% of rev |
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
PALGONG TEA 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 PALGONG TEA 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: 2021 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 8.0% (near the Quick-Service Restaurants median).
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.
Multi-unit rate
Only 9% of franchisees own multiple units. Could indicate challenging economics or a young system where operators haven't had time to expand.
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 Palgong Tea 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 2021 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 1
- Opened
- 0
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 0
- Terminated
- 0
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 0
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- N/A
- Company-owned
- 1
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 0%
- vs corporate-owned
- Multi-unit owners
- 9.1%
Last fiscal year · Item 20 exits and transfers
- Terminated
- 0
- Not renewed
- 0
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 12 · 1 state 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.
1
states with franchisees (per FDD Item 12)
Where the owners are · Item 20 owner list
1 current owner across 1 state.
- IL 1
Counts only, from the list the franchisor prints in Item 20. Names and phone numbers are for your own due diligence and are not shown here.
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
Single-unit, pre-revenue-disclosure franchise with corporate going concern issues and unproven business model poses extreme validation and profitability risk.
Litigation (Item 3)
Subject: officers or affiliates. The franchisor is not a named party in these cases.
No litigation information required to be disclosed in Item 3
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · B. H. Whang and Associates, Ltd.
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Entity: PALGONGTEA FRANCHISING LLC (Illinois LLC formed Oct 29, 2020; subsidiary of Palgong Tea USA, Inc.), a startup franchisor presenting a Balance Sheet as of June 1, 2021 with Independent Auditor's Report. The provided image set contains only the cover page, the index, and a notes page (Notes 1-3: organization, accounting policies, contingencies). The actual Balance Sheet page and the Independent Auditor's Report page are NOT included in these images, so no numeric figures (assets, liabilities, equity, revenue, net income) and no auditor name are available. Note 1 mentions $150,000 capital contribution and an April 16, 2021 funding, but no balance-sheet line items are shown. As a newly formed startup franchisor there is likely no revenue/income statement.
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: Yes
Score breakdown · what drove the 34 / 100 verdict
- 01MINOROnly 1 existing unit—system shows no growth trajectory or scalability proof
- 02MINORNo Item 19 financial disclosure (avg revenue/net income)—impossible to validate ROI on $147,500-$185,700 investment
- 03MED5-year term is shorter than industry standard (10 years), suggesting limited franchisor commitment or high turnover
- 04MEDExtremely limited track record with single unit makes franchisee comparison and validation impossible
- 05MEDNo disclosed litigation history doesn't mitigate systemic weakness—early-stage brand with minimal exposure
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 8.0% of sales (royalty + ad fund), before rent and labor.
Source: FDD 2021 · 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 | 2 |
| Territory type | Protected territory |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| Territory radius | 5 mi |
| Territory population | 125,000 |
| Online sales rightsℹ | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Not allowed |
| Owner-operator | Required |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Non-compete (miles)ℹ | 10 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| RoFR response window | 30 days |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | Glenview, Illinois |
| Jury trial waiver | No |
| Governing law | IL |
| Litigation count | 0 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
No litigation information required to be disclosed in Item 3
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 12 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 24 hrs
- Training location
- Corporate Palgong Tea Shop in Glenview, Illinois or other location designated by franchisor
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Field support
- 10 hrs/yr
- On-site visits per year
- Time to open
- 6 mo
- From signing to launch
- Site selection
- Franchisee with franchisor approval
- Franchisor financing
- Not offered
- Item 10
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
1 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 PALGONG TEA franchise?
The total investment to open a PALGONG TEA franchise ranges from $148K – $186K, with an initial franchise fee of $20K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do PALGONG TEA franchise owners earn?
PALGONG TEA 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 PALGONG TEA?
PALGONG TEA is franchised by PalgongTea Franchising LLC. Its parent company is PalgongTea USA, Inc.. Source: FDD Item 1, 2021 filing.
What is Item 19 in the PALGONG TEA 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 PALGONG TEA FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is PALGONG TEA's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for PALGONG TEA (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 PALGONG TEA franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, PALGONG TEA has 1 total units in the United States.
Is PALGONG TEA a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates PALGONG TEA as a D-grade franchise with a verdict score of 34 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
Are you the franchisor?
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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.