WahlburgersFranchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Wahlburgers franchise requires a total initial investment of $1.1M – $2.8M, including a $60K franchise fee and an ongoing 8.0% royalty[2]. The 2025 FDD does not disclose unit-level revenue (no Item 19). Verdict grade: F. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified June 18, 2026 · figures per the 2025 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $1.1M – $2.8M
- 44th pct Service Resta…
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- 28th pct Service Resta…
- Royalty
- 8.0%
- 44th pct Service Resta…
- Units
- 25
- 30th pct Service Resta…
- SBA default
- N/A
Quick verdict · Full-Service Restaurants · color = vs category peers
Green = >15% above Full-Service Restaurants avg · No shading = within ±15% · Red = >15% below avg · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
The system contracted 77% year-over-year. Investigate why units are closing.
The franchisor's auditor raised doubt about continued operations. This is a serious risk signal.
Bottom line
- Total investment $1.1M – $2.8M including a $60K franchise fee, 8.0% ongoing royalty.
- No Item 19 financial performance data disclosed. The franchisor chose not to publish revenue figures.
- Verdict F (Bottom Quintile) with a risk score of 100/100.
- Auditor disclosed a going-concern note, which flagged doubt about the franchisor's ability to continue operations. Verify against the latest FDD.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
- Legal entity
- NativeWahl LLC
- Parent company
- Native Source Restaurant Group, LLC
- Ultimate parent
- Little River Band of the Ottawa Indians
- Incorporated in
- MI
- HQ
- 2608 Government Center Drive, Manistee, MI 49660
- Auditor
- Midwest Professionals, P.L.L.C.
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $5.7M
- vs $5.1M prior year
- ⚠ Going-concern note
- Disclosed in FDD 2025
- Auditor flagged doubt about continued operations. Verify against the latest FDD before deciding.
Affiliated brands
- Wahlburgers Franchising International
Other brands the franchisor or its parent operates (Item 1).
Overview
About
Franchisees operate casual-dining burger restaurants under the Wahlburgers brand, managing full-service dining with branded menu items (inspired by celebrity chef Mark Wahlberg), overseeing staff, inventory, P&L, and customer service across 20-year terms in protected territories.
- CEO
- Josh LeClair
- Headquarters
- MI
- Founded
- 2021
- FDD year
- 2025
- States available
- 12
FDD Item 7 · 2025 filing · 30 line items
Initial investment breakdown
| Line item | Low | High | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee (Full-Service)not refundable | $60K | $60K | |
| Grand Opening Advertising (Full-Service) | $0 | $15K | |
| Real Estate (Full-Service) | — | — | |
| Architectural Design Services (Full-Service) | $25K | $55K | |
| Construction/Leasehold Improvements (Full-Service) | $900K | $1.8M | |
| Travel and Living Expenses While Training (Full-Service) | $25K | $80K | |
| Furnishing, Fixtures, Equipment (Full-Service) | $350K | $450K | |
| Signage (Full-Service) | $25K | $35K | |
| Smallwares (Full-Service) | $20K | $50K | |
| Initial Inventory (Full-Service) | $10K | $20K | |
| Liquor Licenses (Full-Service) | — | — | |
| Business Licenses and Permits (Full-Service) | $3K | $4K | |
| Miscellaneous Opening Costs (Full-Service) | $30K | $60K | |
| Register or Point of Sale System (Full-Service) | $30K | $70K | |
| Additional Funds - 3 months (Full-Service) | $50K | $100K | |
| Initial Franchise Fee (Fast Casual)not refundable | $40K | $40K | |
| Grand Opening Advertising (Fast Casual) | $0 | $15K | |
| Real Estate (Fast Casual) | — | — | |
| Architectural Design Services (Fast Casual) | $25K | $55K | |
| Construction/Leasehold Improvements (Fast Casual) | $600K | $1.2M | |
| Total initial investment | $2.6M | $4.8M |
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
- $1.1M – $2.8M
- Near category avg vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $50K – $100K
- Better than avg vs category
- Franchise fee
- $40K – $60K
- Near category avg vs category
- Royalty
- 8.0%
- Gross Sales · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 0.5%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 8.5%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 8.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 0.5% of gross sales |
| Transfer fee | $5K |
| Renewal fee | $20K |
| Inventory (initial) | $10K – $20K |
| Total fee load | 8.5% of rev |
Financial Performance
This franchisor did not disclose financial performance representations in Item 19, or our extractor could not parse them.
vs Full-Service Restaurants averages
How Wahlburgers Compares
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 25
- Opened
- 2
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 87
- Terminated
- 2
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 0
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Company-owned
- 4
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 84%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (yr3)
- -77.3%
- Net unit change last year
- 3-yr CAGR
- -77.2%
- Compounded over last 3 years
3-year detail · Item 20
- Closed (3yr)
- 2
- Terminated (3yr)
- 0
- Non-renewed (3yr)
- 0
- Transfers (3yr)
- 0
- Reacquired (3yr)
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
- Projected new
- 7
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
- Continuity rate
- 19.6%
- Units that stayed open
- Termination rate
- 50.0%
- Franchisor-initiated terminations
Last reporting year only, multi-year history not disclosed in this brand's FDD.
Item 20 · 22 states with active franchisees
The Territory Map
Derived from franchisee contact records. Shows states with at least one current operator. Not where the franchisor is registered to sell new units (that data is re-extracting in a future refresh).
States derived from franchisee contact records (FDD Item 20). Shows states with at least one current operator on file. Full state registration data (Item 12) will appear on a future FDD refresh.
Available to sell in · Item 12
- California
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Washington
States where the franchisor is registered to sell new franchises (FDD registration filings).
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.
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 5, 6, 12, 17
Risk & Legal
Wahlburgers presents extreme risk due to 80% unit collapse, undisclosed financials, prior litigation, and going concern status—indicating a franchisee population exodus and potential franchisor instability.
Litigation (Item 3)
1 case reference(s): 0 pending, 1 settled.
Largest disclosed settlement: $900,000
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Midwest Professionals, P.L.L.C.⚠ Going-concern note flagged
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 100 / 100 rating
- 01MEDCatastrophic unit decline of 80.2% YoY (25 units remaining) signals systemic franchise failure or major restructuring
- 02MEDNo disclosed average revenue or net income prevents ROI validation; 8% royalty on unknown sales is impossible to model
- 03HIGHLitigation history (2017 fiduciary duty breach, $900K settlement) indicates governance issues and potential franchisor credibility problems
- 04HIGHGoing concern status suggests financial distress at corporate level, threatening operational support and brand viability
- 05MINORHigh total investment ($1.08M–$2.8M) combined with declining system creates disproportionate risk exposure
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
FDD Items 5, 6, 12, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 20 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 10 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 1 |
| Territory type | Radius |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Territory radius | 2 mi |
| 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 | 2 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| RoFR response window | 30 days |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Termination groundsℹ | 3 |
| Curable defaultsℹ | 6 |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Michigan |
| Litigation count | 1 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
1 case reference(s): 0 pending, 1 settled.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 5 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 79 hrs
- Training location
- On-site and off-site
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Site selection
- franchisor
- POS system
- NCR Aloha
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: NCR Aloha
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
94 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
Wahlburgers · FDD (2025) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Wahlburgers franchise?
The total investment to open a Wahlburgers franchise ranges from $1.1M – $2.8M, with an initial franchise fee of $60K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Wahlburgers franchise owners earn?
Wahlburgers 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 Wahlburgers's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Wahlburgers (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 Wahlburgers franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Wahlburgers has 25 total units in the United States. 2 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is Wahlburgers a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Wahlburgers as a F-grade franchise with a risk score of 100 out of 100, 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.
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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.