Waters Edge Winery & Bistro Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Waters Edge Winery & Bistro is a franchise operating urban wineries that make wine on-site and serve it with a bistro menu. Franchisees run the venues, managing winemaking, food service, and hospitality.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A WATERS EDGE WINERY & BISTRO franchise requires a total initial investment of $577K – $1.3M, including a $55K franchise fee and an ongoing 5.0% royalty[2]. Per the 2025 FDD, average unit revenue was $882K[2]. FranchiseVerdict grade: C (Average), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified · figures per the 2025 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $577K – $1.3M
- 26th pct Service Resta…
- Avg gross sales
- $882K
- 3rd pct Service Resta…
- Royalty
- 5.0%
- 7th pct Service Resta…
- Units
- 10
- 14th pct Service Resta…
- SBA charge-off
- N/A
Quick verdict · Full-Service Restaurants · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Full-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 $577K – $1.3M including a $55K franchise fee, 5.0% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSAverage unit revenue of $882K/year (median $585K).
- RISKVerdict C (Average), verdict score 43/100 (higher is better).
- TERMSNo protected territory and the franchisor reserves the right to compete in your area. Clarify territorial boundaries before signing.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Waters Edge Wineries, Inc.
- CEO title
- Chief Executive Officer
- Ken Lineberger
- Incorporated in
- Delaware
- HQ
- 8560 Vineyard Avenue, Suite 408, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730
- Auditor
- CASHUK, WISEMAN, GOLDBERG, BIRNBAUM AND SALEM, LLP
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $825K
- vs $688K prior year
Overview
About
- CEO
- Ken Lineberger
- Headquarters
- CA
- Founded
- 2012
- FDD year
- 2025
- States available
- 6
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 18% below the typical full-service restaurants franchise.
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 5–7
FDD Item 7 · 2025 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $55K | $55K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $10K | $50K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $512K | $1.2M |
| Total initial investment | $577K | $1.3M |
Source: WATERS EDGE WINERY & BISTRO 2025 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
- $577K – $1.3M
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $10K – $50K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $55K – $55K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- 5.0%
- percentage_of_gross · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 2.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 7.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 5.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 2.0% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $550 |
| Training fee | $4K |
| Transfer fee | $28K |
| Renewal fee | $5K |
| Total fee load | 7.0% of rev |
What do units actually make?
Average unit sales run 49% below the full-service restaurants norm.
Source: FDD 2025 · 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
$97K
11.0% margin
Unlevered ROIC
10%
EBITDA / total invested capital
Payback
10.2 yrs
cash-on-cash, unlevered
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
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 WATERS EDGE WINERY & BISTRO unit return on the cash you put in?
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Estimated return on your total franchise investment, before any debt financing.
10%
Below 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 WATERS EDGE WINERY & BISTRO units return on equity?
Equity IRR · 5-yr
49.9%
7.57× MOIC
Year-1 DSCR
1.88×
EBITDA ÷ debt service
Equity required
$705K
on $3.5M purchase
Total debt
$2.8M
SBA $1.8M + 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: 2025 FDD
Financial Performance
- Avg gross sales
- $882K
- Per unit, per year
- Median gross sales
- $585K
Gross sales are revenue before expenses — not profit. Actual owner earnings depend on rent, labor, royalties, marketing fees, and debt service.
- Item 19 type
- gross sales
- Sample size
- 9 outlets
- vs category median 18
- Range (low → high)
- $221K→$2.6M
- Cohort dispersion (min → max)
- Reporting year
- 2024
- Fiscal year the figures cover
- Source filing
- FDD 2025
- Disclosed in the 2025 filing, covering 2024
- Transparency
- 6 / 10
- vs category median 3 / 10 · above
Compared against 805 Full-Service Restaurants brands
Revenue is only 0.9x the investment. This means each unit may take 5+ years to recoup the initial outlay at typical margins.
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 $882K/year in gross sales. Median is $585K — top performers pull the average up, so a typical unit earns less. Revenue-to-investment ratio: 0.9x.
Fee burden
Total ongoing fee load of 7.0% (near the Full-Service Restaurants average).
Disclosure
Transparency score 6/10 — this franchisor discloses detailed breakdowns (quartiles, segments, or cohort data). Buyers can model unit economics with higher confidence.
Operator retention
System shrank 28.6% over 3 years — 2 closures. Ask existing franchisees about local market conditions.
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 Full-Service Restaurants averages
How Waters Edge Winery & Bistro Compares
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2025 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 10
- Opened
- 0
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 2
- 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
- 0
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 100%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (3-yr)
- -28.6%
- Net unit change over 3 years
- 3-yr CAGR
- -28.6%
- Compounded over last 3 years
3-year detail · Item 20
- Opened (3yr)
- 0
- Terminated (3yr)
- 0
- Non-renewed (3yr)
- 0
- Transfers (3yr)
- 0
- Reacquired (3yr)
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
- Projected new
- 4
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
- Continuity rate
- 81.7%
- Units that stayed open
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 20 · 3 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.
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
- $7.0M
- Median loan
- $873K
- average
- 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
- 8
- 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
Waters Edge Winery has three concluded litigation matters (including a franchisor suit against a former franchisee settled Sept 2023 for $300,000) on a small 10-unit system, with revenue of $825,440 and a -28.6% net unit decline. Item 19 disclosed (avg gross sales $881,555) but three suits relative to just 10 units plus contraction stack up. No bankruptcy or going-concern.
Litigation (Item 3)
Waters Edge Wineries, Inc. filed federal complaint against franchisee Wine Vibes, LLC and principals (Sherifat Lawal, Tamesha Hampton, Phelicia Colvin) on October 26, 2022 for breach of contract, trademark infringement, false designation of origin, misappropriation of trade secrets (DTSA/CUTSA), and unfair competition. Defendants countersued. Settled September 26, 2023 with $300,000 payment (reducible to $200,000 in installments if compliant). Also concluded: California Commissioner of Financial Protection and Innovation v. Waters Edge Wineries (Consent Order, November 10, 2021) for violation of undertaking regarding promissory note payment during registration period.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · CASHUK, WISEMAN, GOLDBERG, BIRNBAUM AND SALEM, LLP
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Score breakdown · what drove the 43 / 100 verdict
- 01HIGH3 concluded litigation matters on a small 10-unit system
- 02MEDNet unit decline -28.6%
- 03HIGHFranchisor litigation settled $300,000
- 04MEDItem 19 disclosed, avg gross sales $881,555, no bankruptcy/going-concern
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 7.0% of sales (royalty + ad fund), before rent and labor.
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 10 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 10 years |
| Territory type | Designated Area |
| Protected territory | No |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| Territory population | 100,000 |
| Online sales rights | Granted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Required |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | No |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | California |
| Litigation count | 2 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
Waters Edge Wineries, Inc. filed federal complaint against franchisee Wine Vibes, LLC and principals (Sherifat Lawal, Tamesha Hampton, Phelicia Colvin) on October 26, 2022 for breach of contract, trademark infringement, false designation of origin, misappropriation of trade secrets (DTSA/CUTSA), and unfair competition. Defendants countersued. Settled September 26, 2023 with $300,000 payment (reducible to $200,000 in installments if compliant). Also concluded: California Commissioner of Financial Protection and Innovation v. Waters Edge Wineries (Consent Order, November 10, 2021) for violation of undertaking regarding promissory note payment during registration period.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 10 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 30 hrs
- Training location
- On-site and corporate
- Ongoing training
- Required
- POS system
- Orderport
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: Orderport
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
6 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
WATERS EDGE WINERY & BISTRO · FDD (2025) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a WATERS EDGE WINERY & BISTRO franchise?
The total investment to open a WATERS EDGE WINERY & BISTRO franchise ranges from $577K – $1.3M, with an initial franchise fee of $55K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do WATERS EDGE WINERY & BISTRO franchise owners earn?
According to Item 19 of the WATERS EDGE WINERY & BISTRO FDD, the average gross sales per unit is $882K. The median is $585K. Note: this is gross revenue, not profit. Actual owner earnings vary based on location, operating costs, and management.
What is Item 19 in the WATERS EDGE WINERY & BISTRO 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 WATERS EDGE WINERY & BISTRO FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is WATERS EDGE WINERY & BISTRO's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for WATERS EDGE WINERY & BISTRO (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 WATERS EDGE WINERY & BISTRO franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, WATERS EDGE WINERY & BISTRO has 10 total units in the United States, including 10 franchised units and 0 company-owned units.
Is WATERS EDGE WINERY & BISTRO a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates WATERS EDGE WINERY & BISTRO as a C-grade franchise with a verdict score of 43 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 WATERS EDGE WINERY & BISTRO, 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.