Sandbox VR Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Sandbox VR is a recreation franchise operating premium virtual-reality experience venues where groups play immersive VR adventures. Franchisees run the venues, managing bookings, VR equipment, staffing, and events.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Sandbox VR franchise requires a total initial investment of $1.4M – $2.5M, including a $50K franchise fee. The 2026 FDD does not disclose unit-level revenue (no Item 19). FranchiseVerdict grade: A (Strongest tier), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified · figures per the 2026 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $1.4M – $2.5M
- 45th pct Recreation & …
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Incl. company outlets
- Royalty
- N/A
- Units
- 43
- 39th pct Recreation & …
- SBA charge-off
- N/A
Quick verdict · Recreation & Entertainment · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Recreation & Entertainment 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 $1.4M – $2.5M including a $50K franchise fee.
- RETURNSItem 19 discloses only Gross Sales (all revenue derived from operating the Franchised Business, including Content Revenue); no per-unit net income/profit is disclosed for franchisees. Separate rent/EBITDA financial tables are aggregate figures across all corporate & franchise US stores opened before 2025, not individually attributable and stated to have no material differences between the single franchise store and company-owned stores except royalty obligation.
- RISKVerdict A (Strongest tier), verdict score 60/100 (higher is better).
- FLAGBankruptcy history disclosed in the FDD. Review Item 4 for details before proceeding.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- GloStation Franchising USA, Inc.
- Parent company
- GloStation USA, Inc.
- Ultimate parent
- Sandbox VR Inc.
- CEO title
- Chief Executive Officer
- Steven Zhao
- Incorporated in
- Delaware
- HQ
- 4695 Chabot Drive, Suite 200, Pleasanton, California 94588
- Auditor
- Galleros Robinson, Certified Public Accountants (New York, NY)
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $12.0M
- vs $5.2M prior year
Affiliated brands
- Glo Big Boss Limited
- Glo Franchising LTD
Other brands the franchisor or its parent operates (Item 1).
Overview
About
- CEO
- Steven Zhao
- Headquarters
- California
- Founded
- 2017
- FDD year
- 2026
- States available
- 6
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 47% above the typical recreation & entertainment franchise.
Source: FDD 2026 · Items 5–7
FDD Item 7 · 2026 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $50K | $50K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $75K | $100K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $1.3M | $2.3M |
| Total initial investment | $1.4M | $2.5M |
Source: Sandbox VR 2026 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
- $1.4M – $2.5M
- Middle of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $75K – $100K
- Middle of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $50K – $50K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- Greater of 5% of Gross Sales or a Minimum Royalty of $1,0…
- Ad fund
- 1.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 6.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
- Payback period
- 5.2 yrs
- From FDD / Item 19
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Marketing / ad fund | 1.0% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $2K |
| Transfer fee | $25K |
| Renewal fee | $13K |
| Inventory (initial) | $655 – $9K |
| Total fee load | 6.0% of rev |
What do units actually make?
Source: FDD 2026 · Item 19
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
FDD-reported earnings vs. model
The FDD reports $689K as EBITDA.
Sandbox VR 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 Sandbox VR unit return on the cash you put in?
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Estimated return on your total franchise investment, before any debt financing.
6%
Below 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: 2026 FDD
Financial Performance
Item 19 discloses only Gross Sales (all revenue derived from operating the Franchised Business, including Content Revenue); no per-unit net income/profit is disclosed for franchisees. Separate rent/EBITDA financial tables are aggregate figures across all corporate & franchise US stores opened before 2025, not individually attributable and stated to have no material differences between the single franchise store and company-owned stores except royalty obligation.
Includes company-owned outlets
- Item 19 type
- gross sales
- Sample size
- 43
- vs category median 5 · large
- Transparency tier
- none
- Categorical assessment of disclosure depth
- Reporting year
- 2025
- Fiscal year the figures cover
- Source filing
- FDD 2026
- Disclosed in the 2026 filing, covering 2025
- Transparency
- 6 / 10
- vs category median 4 / 10 · above
Compared against 166 Recreation & Entertainment brands
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 6.0% — below the Recreation & Entertainment average of 8.8%.
Disclosure
Item 19 reports outlet revenue, but not in a form that yields a per-outlet average we can compare across brands.
Operator retention
System expanding at 900.0% CAGR over 3 years across 43 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 Recreation & Entertainment averages
How Sandbox VR Compares
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2026 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 43
- Opened
- 7
- 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
- 33
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 23%
- vs corporate-owned
3-year detail · Item 20
- Opened (3yr)
- 7
- Closed (3yr)
- 0
- Terminated (3yr)
- 0
- Non-renewed (3yr)
- 0
- Transfers (3yr)
- 0
- Reacquired (3yr)
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 12 · 6 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.
6
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 8 7(a) loans on file; statistical reliability is limited below 10 loans.
- Total loans
- 8
- Loan volume
- $10.1M
- Median loan
- $1.2M
- 50th percentile
- Charge-off rate
- N/A
- limited sample (8 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
- 5
- 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
Disclosed franchisor-affiliate Chapter 11: GSUSA and numerous affiliates filed voluntary Chapter 11 in Aug 2020 (plan confirmed Nov 2020) - a franchisor-level bankruptcy, not merely a predecessor. Also 2 settled litigation matters including a CAD $151.6M franchisee claim. Mostly company-owned (33 of 36 units) with low avg gross sales $143,968.
Litigation (Item 3)
Vortex Gaming Ltd./Vortex Gaming T1 Ltd. (Canadian franchisees) sued in Ontario Superior Court seeking to enjoin termination of franchise agreements and CAD $151.6M in damages; franchisor separately filed an AAA arbitration against Vortex; both matters resolved by a final settlement effective July 2, 2024.
Largest disclosed settlement: $152
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
Disclosed in last 7 years
GSUSA and nine affiliated Sandbox VR entities commenced voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Central District of California on August 13, 2020; joint Chapter 11 plan confirmed November 25, 2020, final decree February 11, 2021.
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Galleros Robinson, Certified Public Accountants (New York, NY)
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
Score breakdown · what drove the 60 / 100 verdict
- 01MINORFranchisor-affiliate Chapter 11 (GSUSA + affiliates, 2020)
- 02MINOR2 settled suits incl. CAD $151.6M franchisee damages claim
- 03MINORLow avg gross sales $143,968
- 04MINOROnly 3 of 36 units franchised
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 6.0% 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 | 5 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 2 |
| Territory type | protected |
| Protected territory | No |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| Territory population | 250,000 |
| 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 | 5 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Termination groundsℹ | 2 |
| Curable defaultsℹ | 3 |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | Pleasanton, California (within 10 miles of franchisor's then-current principal business address) |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Delaware |
| Litigation count | 2 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
Vortex Gaming Ltd./Vortex Gaming T1 Ltd. (Canadian franchisees) sued in Ontario Superior Court seeking to enjoin termination of franchise agreements and CAD $151.6M in damages; franchisor separately filed an AAA arbitration against Vortex; both matters resolved by a final settlement effective July 2, 2024.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 0 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 54 hrs
- Training location
- A Sandbox VR Business designated by the franchisor in the U.S.
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Site selection
- franchisor_approved
- Franchisor financing
- Not offered
- Item 10
- POS system
- Computer System / Reservation Operating Platform
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: Computer System / Reservation Operating Platform
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
3 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
Sandbox VR · FDD (2026) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Sandbox VR franchise?
The total investment to open a Sandbox VR franchise ranges from $1.4M – $2.5M, 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 Sandbox VR franchise owners earn?
Sandbox VR 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 Sandbox VR 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 Sandbox VR FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is Sandbox VR's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Sandbox VR (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 Sandbox VR franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Sandbox VR has 43 total units in the United States, including 10 franchised units and 33 company-owned units. 7 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is Sandbox VR a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Sandbox VR as a A-grade franchise with a verdict score of 60 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?
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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.