Wayback Burgers Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Wayback Burgers is a fast-casual franchise serving cooked-to-order Angus burgers, hand-dipped shakes, and fries. Franchisees run restaurants managing food prep, counter and drive-thru service, and staffing.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Wayback Burgers franchise requires a total initial investment of $256K – $850K, including a $35K franchise fee and an ongoing 5.0% royalty[2]. The 2025 FDD does not disclose unit-level revenue (no Item 19). SBA 7(a) loans show a 21.1% charge-off rate across 108 loans[1]. 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
- $256K – $850K
- 39th pct Service Resta…
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Royalty
- 5.0%
- 11th pct Service Resta…
- Units
- 180
- 83rd pct Service Resta…
- SBA charge-off
- 21.1%
- % of SBA 7(a) loans not repaid · median varies by category
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 $256K – $850K including a $35K franchise fee, 5.0% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSNo Item 19 financial performance data disclosed. The franchisor chose not to publish revenue figures.
- RISKVerdict C (Average), verdict score 40/100 (higher is better). SBA loan charge-off rate of 21.1% across 108 loans (well above the 16% franchise average, based on all SBA 7(a) franchise lending, 2010–2025).
- GROWTHSystem growing at 22.6% CAGR over 3 years with 180 total units. Strong expansion trajectory.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Wayback Franchising LLC (formerly Jake's Franchising, LLC)
- Predecessor
- Jake's Franchising LLC (formerly Jake's Hamburgers)
- Prior franchisor entity
- CEO title
- Chief Executive Officer
- John Eucalitto
- CEO experience
- 16 yrs
- Years in role or industry
- Incorporated in
- Delaware
- HQ
- 716 South Main Street, Cheshire, CT 06410
- Auditor
- UHY LLP
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $8.0M
- vs $9.4M prior year
Overview
About
- CEO
- John Eucalitto
- Headquarters
- CT
- Founded
- 2002
- FDD year
- 2025
- States available
- 33
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 16% below the typical quick-service restaurants franchise.
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 5–7
FDD Item 7 · 2025 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $35K | $35K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $20K | $60K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $201K | $755K |
| Total initial investment | $256K | $850K |
Source: Wayback Burgers 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
- $256K – $850K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $20K – $60K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $35K – $35K
- Middle of category vs category
- Royalty
- 5.0%
- Percentage of gross sales · 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 |
| Training fee | $200 |
| Transfer fee | $18K |
| Renewal fee | $4K |
| Total fee load | 7.0% of rev |
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
Wayback Burgers 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 Wayback Burgers unit return on the cash you put in?
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Estimated return on your total franchise investment, before any debt financing.
19%
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: 2025 FDD
Financial Performance
This franchisor did not disclose financial performance representations in Item 19, or our extractor could not parse them.
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 7.0% (near the Quick-Service Restaurants average).
Disclosure
Franchisor chose not to disclose financial performance representations. You will need to gather unit economics directly from existing franchisees.
Operator retention
System expanding at 22.6% CAGR over 3 years across 180 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 Quick-Service Restaurants averages
How Wayback Burgers Compares
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2025 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 180
- Opened
- 25
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 4
- Terminated
- 5
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 1
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- 5.6%
- Company-owned
- 1
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 99%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (3-yr)
- +22.6%
- Net unit change over 3 years
- 3-yr CAGR
- +22.6%
- Compounded over last 3 years
3-year detail · Item 20
- Opened (3yr)
- 25
- Closed (3yr)
- 4
- Terminated (3yr)
- 5
- Non-renewed (3yr)
- 1
- Transfers (3yr)
- 6
- Reacquired (3yr)
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
- Transfer rate
- 3.3%
- Owners selling to other franchisees
- Continuity rate
- 94.7%
- Units that stayed open
- Termination rate
- 3.3%
- Franchisor-initiated terminations
- Ceased ops
- 2.2%
- Units that stopped operating
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 20 · 33 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 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
- Total loans
- 108
- Loan volume
- $30.4M
- Median loan
- $320K
- 50th percentile
- Charge-off rate
- 21.1%
- rates vary by category · see methodology
Historical SBA 7(a) lending data, not predictive of future performance. How SBA charge-off rates are calculated
- Repayment rate (PIF)
- 78.9%
- 5-yr charge-off
- 20.0%
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 37
- Defaults
- 12
- Typical loan rate
- 8.8%
- avg rate to borrowers
- Franchised industry avg
- 10.8%
- brand above franchise avg ↑
- Jobs supported
- 734
- 5.0 per loan
- Lender concentration
- 18%
- top lender's share
Borrower mix: 80% went to startups / new businesses, 20% to established operators
Franchise vs independent — in limited-service restaurants, franchised businesses charge off at 10.8% vs 10.0% for independents — franchising is associated with 8% higher SBA default risk in this category.
Top lenders financing Wayback Burgers franchisees
Showing 3 of 37 lenders. The full breakdown — every lender, state distribution, interest rates & risk ratings — is in the SBA Lending Report below.
Explore lender portfolios on Bank Reports or regional data on State Reports.
Premium insight
SBA Lending Report
Deep-dive into Wayback Burgers's SBA lending history: lender network, geographic footprint, interest rates, and more.
SBA Lending Report
- Principal loss rate and NAICS industry benchmark
- 10 lenders with concentration factor
- Per-state charge-off rates across 15 states
- Startup risk premium and job creation velocity
- 8-year lending trend
Instant access. No subscription.
A 21.1% charge-off rate means roughly 1 in 5 franchisees failed to repay their SBA loan. Investigate what changed.
What could kill this investment?
SBA loans charge off at 21.1% — 32% above the 16.0% national norm, i.e. higher lender-observed risk.
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 4, 8, 16, 21
Risk & Legal
No litigation or bankruptcy, but financial_distress flagged with a net loss of -$171,309 and razor-thin net worth of $90,361 on $8.04M revenue. No Item 19 disclosure. Two concerns stack: weak/negative financials plus no earnings disclosure.
Litigation (Item 3)
No litigation is required to be disclosed in this Item.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · UHY LLP
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: No
- Kickbacks from required suppliers: No
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
- Can negotiate own supplier terms: No
Score breakdown · what drove the 40 / 100 verdict
- 01MINORNet loss: -$171,309
- 02MINORVery thin net worth: $90,361
- 03MINORNo Item 19 earnings disclosure
- 04MINOR180 units, 22.6% growth is a mitigant
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 | 20 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 5 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 2 |
| Protected territory | No |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| 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 | 25 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | county of our principal place of business |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Connecticut |
| Litigation count | 0 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
No litigation is required to be disclosed in this Item.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 40 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 100 hrs
- Training location
- On-site and corporate
- Time to open
- 16 mo
- From signing to launch
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
148 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
Wayback Burgers · FDD (2025) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Wayback Burgers franchise?
The total investment to open a Wayback Burgers franchise ranges from $256K – $850K, with an initial franchise fee of $35K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Wayback Burgers franchise owners earn?
Wayback Burgers 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 Wayback Burgers 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 Wayback Burgers FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is Wayback Burgers's franchise failure rate?
Based on SBA 7(a) loan data, Wayback Burgers has a charge-off rate of 21.1% across 108 loans, meaning 21.1% of franchise loans were charged off. Charge-off rates are one proxy for franchise risk, though they do not capture all closures. This data comes from FOIA-sourced SBA lending records.
How many Wayback Burgers franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Wayback Burgers has 180 total units in the United States, including 179 franchised units and 1 company-owned units. 25 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is Wayback Burgers a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Wayback Burgers as a C-grade franchise with a verdict score of 40 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.