Young Chefs Academy Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Young Chefs Academy franchise requires a total initial investment of $239K – $563K, including a $50K franchise fee and an ongoing 6.0% royalty[2]. Per the 2026 FDD, average unit revenue was $266K[2]. 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
- $239K – $563K
- 48th pct Education
- Avg gross sales
- $266K
- 10th pct Education
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- 6th pct Education
- Units
- 30
- 43rd pct Education
- SBA charge-off
- N/A
Quick verdict · Education · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Education 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
- Total investment $239K – $563K including a $50K franchise fee, 6.0% ongoing royalty.
- Average unit revenue of $266K/year (median $223K), with an estimated 11% cash-on-cash return.
- Verdict A (Strongest tier), verdict score 63/100 (higher is better).
- System growing at 25.0% CAGR over 3 years with 30 total units. Strong expansion trajectory.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- YCA Franchising, Inc.
- Parent company
- Youth Franchise Brands, LLC
- Predecessor
- Young Chefs International LP
- Prior franchisor entity
- CEO title
- Chief Executive Officer
- Leigh Feldman
- Incorporated in
- TX
- HQ
- 10412 China Spring Rd Ste F #1157, Waco, TX 76708
- Auditor
- Kezos & Dunlavy
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $696K
- Most recent fiscal year
Overview
About
Young Chefs Academy franchisees operate a cooking school offering cooking classes and instruction for children, families, and adults, including occasional classes for special needs adults and corporate team-building events.
- CEO
- Leigh Feldman
- Headquarters
- TX
- Founded
- 2014
- FDD year
- 2026
- States available
- 13
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 35% below the typical education 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) | $24K | $36K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $165K | $477K |
| Total initial investment | $239K | $563K |
Source: Young Chefs Academy 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
- $239K – $563K
- Middle of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $24K – $36K
- Middle of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $50K
- Middle of category vs category
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- percentage · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 2.0%
- typical 3–5%
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 6.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 2.0% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $250 |
| Transfer fee | $5K |
| Renewal fee | $3K |
| Inventory (initial) | $500 – $3K |
What do units actually make?
Average unit sales run 69% below the education norm.
Source: FDD 2026 · 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
$40K
15.0% margin
Unlevered ROIC
9%
EBITDA / total invested capital
Payback
10.8 yrs
cash-on-cash, unlevered
Financial Performance
- Avg gross sales
- $266K
- Per unit, per year
- Median gross sales
- $223K
- Avg owner earnings
- $43K
- Cash-on-cash
- 10.6%
- Earnings / 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
- segmented_gross_sales_and_net_margins_by_classroom_type_and_schedule
- Sample size
- 26 units
- vs category median 14
- Range (low → high)
- $80K→$661K
- Cohort dispersion (min → max)
- Reporting year
- 2025
- Fiscal year the figures cover
Compared against 234 Education brands
Revenue is only 0.7x 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 $266K/year in gross sales. Median is $223K — top performers pull the average up, so a typical unit earns less. Revenue-to-investment ratio: 0.7x.
Fee burden
6.0% royalty + 2.0% ad fund — lower than the category average.
Operator retention
System expanding at 25.0% CAGR over 3 years across 30 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 Education averages
How Young Chefs Academy Compares
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2026 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 30
- Opened
- 5
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 0
- Terminated
- 1
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 0
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- 10.0%
- Company-owned
- 0
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 100%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (3-yr)
- +25.0%
- Net unit change over 3 years
- 3-yr CAGR
- +25.0%
- Compounded over last 3 years
3-year detail · Item 20
- Opened (3yr)
- 11
- Closed (3yr)
- 0
- Terminated (3yr)
- 3
- Non-renewed (3yr)
- 0
- Transfers (3yr)
- 10
- Reacquired (3yr)
- 1
- Franchisor bought back
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 12 · 13 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.
13
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 7 7(a) loans on file; statistical reliability is limited below 10 loans.
- Total loans
- 7
- Loan volume
- $762K
- Median loan
- $130K
- 50th percentile
- Charge-off rate
- N/A
- limited sample (7 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
- 4
- 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
Litigation (Item 3)
No litigation is required to be disclosed in this Item.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Kezos & Dunlavy
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: Yes
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 8.0% 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 | 1 |
| Territory type | protected |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| Territory radius | 5 mi |
| Territory population | 100,000 |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Required |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Non-compete (miles)ℹ | 75 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 15 days |
| Termination groundsℹ | 12 |
| Curable defaultsℹ | 1 |
| Mandatory arbitration | No |
| Arbitration location | Not applicable - dispute resolution is by mediation, not binding arbitration; choice of forum is U.S. District Court for Western District of Texas or McLennan County, Texas |
| Governing law | Texas |
| 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
- 45 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 25 hrs
- Training location
- Woodlands, TX or site of a Young Chefs franchise
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Time to open
- 6 mo
- From signing to launch
- Site selection
- franchisee
- Franchisor financing
- Not offered
- Item 10
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Young Chefs Academy franchise?
The total investment to open a Young Chefs Academy franchise ranges from $239K – $563K, 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 Young Chefs Academy franchise owners earn?
According to Item 19 of the Young Chefs Academy FDD, the average gross sales per unit is $266K. The median is $223K. Note: this is gross revenue, not profit. Actual owner earnings vary based on location, operating costs, and management.
What is Young Chefs Academy's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Young Chefs Academy (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 Young Chefs Academy franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Young Chefs Academy has 30 total units in the United States, including 30 franchised units and 0 company-owned units. 5 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is Young Chefs Academy a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Young Chefs Academy as a A-grade franchise with a verdict score of 63 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
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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.