Roni's Mac Bar Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Roni's Mac Bar is a fast-casual franchise serving build-your-own macaroni and cheese and comfort food. Franchisees run the restaurants, managing food prep, staffing, and counter service.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Roni's Mac Bar franchise requires a total initial investment of $135K – $226K, including a $49K franchise fee and an ongoing 5.9% royalty[2]. Per the 2024 FDD, average unit revenue was $769K[2]. 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
- $135K – $226K
- 10th pct Service Resta…
- Avg gross sales
- $769K
- Company-owned onlyn=110th pct Service Resta…
- Royalty
- 5.9%
- 46th pct Service Resta…
- Units
- 5
- 24th 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 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 $135K – $226K including a $49K franchise fee, 5.9% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSAverage unit revenue of $769K/year (company-owned outlets only - not franchisee performance), with an estimated 36% cash-on-cash return.
- RISKVerdict B (Above average), verdict score 49/100 (higher is better).
- FLAGRevenue data based on only 1 reporting unit. Treat as directional, not definitive. Ask franchisees directly for current unit economics.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Roni's Mac Bar Franchising, LLC
- CEO title
- Chief Executive Officer
- Frank Senese
- Incorporated in
- Texas
- HQ
- 720 Franklin Avenue, Waco, TX 76701
- Auditor
- Muhammad Zubairy, CPA PC
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $4K
- vs $85K prior year
Independent franchisee associations
- Franchise Advisory Council (FAC)
Franchisee-led councils or alliances disclosed in Item 20. Indicates operator voice.
Overview
About
- CEO
- Frank Senese
- Headquarters
- TX
- Founded
- 2023
- FDD year
- 2024
- States available
- 2
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 73% below the typical quick-service restaurants franchise.
Source: FDD 2024 · Items 5–7
FDD Item 7 · 2024 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $49K | $49K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $25K | $30K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $61K | $147K |
| Total initial investment | $135K | $226K |
Source: Roni's Mac Bar 2024 FDD, Items 5 and 7[2]. “Equipment, build-out, other” is computed as total minus disclosed line items above.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $135K – $226K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $25K – $30K
- Middle of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $49K – $49K
- Bottom third — review vs category
- Royalty
- 5.9%
- percentage · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 0.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 5.9%
- vs 9–13% typical
- Payback period
- 2.8 yrs
- From FDD / Item 19
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 5.9% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 0.0% of gross sales |
| Transfer fee | $20K |
| Renewal fee | $20K |
| Inventory (initial) | $5K – $7K |
| Total fee load | 5.9% of rev |
A 5.9% total fee load is unusually lean. More of each revenue dollar stays with the franchisee.
What do units actually make?
Average unit sales run 36% below the quick-service restaurants norm.
Company-owned outlets only - not franchisee performance
Based on a single reporting unit - not a system average
Source: FDD 2024 · Item 19
Single-unit · estimated
Returns at a glance
Indicative numbers using FDD Item 7 / Item 19 inputs and category-benchmarked cost ratios. Full single-unit, 25-unit portfolio, and LBO models (with every input editable to stress-test your own scenario) live on the financials page.
Store EBITDA · annual
$124K
16.1% margin
Unlevered ROIC
59%
EBITDA / total invested capital
Payback
20 mo
cash-on-cash, unlevered
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
FDD-reported earnings vs. model
The FDD reports $118K as NET INCOME. Our model estimates $124K SLEBITDA from the same revenue using category-average cost assumptions. These numbers differ because NET INCOME deducts different expense categories than our model.
What one unit earns on your invested capital
Model A · Single-Unit Return
Computes unlevered return on invested capital (ROIC) for a single franchise unit. The target band for an attractive franchise is 30–60% ROIC. Below that and a passive index fund likely outperforms; above that and the franchisor has pricing power you're subsidizing.
Note: Item 19 revenue is what the franchisor discloses. It's the top line only. Operating costs below are category estimates. Override them to match your real lease quote, labor market, and build-out budget.
Returns model · single-unit ROIC
What would one Roni's Mac Bar unit return on the cash you put in?
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Estimated return on your total franchise investment, before any debt financing.
59%
Within the 30–60% "attractive franchise" band
What 25 units return when you use SBA financing
Model B · Return on Equity: Debt-Financed Acquisition
Models a 25-unit portfolio acquisition financed with an SBA 7(a) loan. Shows equity IRR (your return on cash invested), DSCR (how safely the cash flow covers debt service), and the capital stack (SBA + seller + equity breakdown).
This is the “search fund” or “entrepreneurship through acquisition” scenario: you buy an existing multi-unit operator, use leverage to amplify returns, and either operate or hire management. The 25-unit size is the typical minimum for an SBA-backed franchise portfolio acquisition to pencil as a full-time income.
What “return on equity” means here: if you put in $500K of your own cash and the business generates enough EBITDA to pay down debt and grow, your equity IRR is the annual return on that $500K, including the value created when you eventually sell. Target IRR for a search fund is typically 25–35%.
Levered LBO scenario · Yale Crease Capital framing
What would 25 Roni's Mac Bar units return on equity?
Equity IRR · 5-yr
49.9%
7.57× MOIC
Year-1 DSCR
1.88×
EBITDA ÷ debt service
Equity required
$1.4M
on $7.0M purchase
Total debt
$5.6M
SBA $3.5M + senior + seller note
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
Company-owned outlets only - not franchisee performance
Based on a single reporting unit - not a system average
- Avg gross sales
- $769K
- Per unit, per year
- Avg net income
- $118K
- Reported as NET INCOME in FDD Item 19
- Cash-on-cash
- 36.1%
- Based on NET INCOME / investment midpoint
Gross sales are revenue before expenses — not profit. Actual owner earnings depend on rent, labor, royalties, marketing fees, and debt service.
- Item 19 type
- historical actual single outlet
- Sample size
- 1
- vs category median 20 · small
- Reported figure
- $769K
- A single outlet — not a range
- Transparency tier
- revenue_only
- Categorical assessment of disclosure depth
- Reporting year
- 2024
- Fiscal year the figures cover
- Source filing
- FDD 2024
- The FDD edition these figures were read from
- Transparency
- 8 / 10
- vs category median 4 / 10 · above
Compared against 782 Quick-Service Restaurants brands
Revenue is 4.3x the investment midpoint. At typical franchise margins, this suggests a payback under 3 years.
Operator outlook
What the numbers say
Data-driven interpretation of this brand's financial disclosures, fee structure, and system trajectory.
Unit economics
Average unit generates $769K/year in gross sales. Revenue-to-investment ratio: 4.3x. Company-owned outlets only - not franchisee performance.
Fee burden
Total ongoing fee load of 5.9% — below the Quick-Service Restaurants average of 7.9%.
Disclosure
Transparency score 8/10 — this franchisor discloses detailed breakdowns (quartiles, segments, or cohort data). Buyers can model unit economics with higher confidence. Sample size of 1 unit — treat as directional only.
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 averages
How Roni's Mac Bar Compares
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2024 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 5
- 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
- 0.0%
- Company-owned
- 1
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 80%
- vs corporate-owned
3-year detail · Item 20
- Opened (3yr)
- 4
- Closed (3yr)
- 0
- Terminated (3yr)
- 0
- Non-renewed (3yr)
- 0
- Transfers (3yr)
- 0
- Reacquired (3yr)
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
No multi-year history disclosed and no opening/closing activity in the last reporting year.
Item 12 · 2 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.
2
states with franchisees (per FDD Item 12)
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
Auditor raised going-concern doubt, but this is an early-stage franchisor (began 2023, 1 unit, $4,038 revenue) so it is treated as minor. Negative net worth of -$181,654 and net loss of -$34,550 reflect startup status, not a failing established system. No litigation or bankruptcy.
Litigation (Item 3)
No litigation disclosed in Item 3.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Muhammad Zubairy, CPA PC
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
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: Yes
Score breakdown · what drove the 49 / 100 verdict
- 01MINORGoing-concern note flagged but distress_is_early_stage=true
- 02MINORNegative net worth -$181,654, net loss -$34,550
- 03MINOROnly 1 unit, $4,038 revenue - early stage
- 04MINORNo litigation, no bankruptcy
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 5.9% of sales (royalty + ad fund), before rent and labor.
Source: FDD 2024 · 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 |
| Protected territory | No |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| Territory population | 100,000 |
| Online sales rightsℹ | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Optional |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Non-compete (miles)ℹ | 10 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Termination groundsℹ | 1 |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | Fairfield County, Texas |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Texas |
| Litigation count | 0 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
No litigation disclosed in Item 3.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 3 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 52 hrs
- Training location
- Waco, Texas (and virtually)
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Time to open
- 7 mo
- From signing to launch
- Site selection
- franchisor_approves
- Franchisor financing
- Not offered
- Item 10
- POS system
- Toast
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: Toast
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
5 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
Roni's Mac Bar · FDD (2024) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Roni's Mac Bar franchise?
The total investment to open a Roni's Mac Bar franchise ranges from $135K – $226K, with an initial franchise fee of $49K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Roni's Mac Bar franchise owners earn?
According to Item 19 of the Roni's Mac Bar FDD, the average gross sales per unit is $769K. Important context: Company-owned outlets only - not franchisee performance; Based on a single reporting unit - not a system average. Note: this is gross revenue, not profit. Actual owner earnings vary based on location, operating costs, and management.
What is Item 19 in the Roni's Mac Bar 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 Roni's Mac Bar FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is Roni's Mac Bar's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Roni's Mac Bar (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 Roni's Mac Bar franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Roni's Mac Bar has 5 total units in the United States, including 4 franchised units and 1 company-owned units.
Is Roni's Mac Bar a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Roni's Mac Bar as a B-grade franchise with a verdict score of 49 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
Are you the franchisor?
If you represent Roni's Mac Bar, you can request corrections or provide updated information.
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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.