Is Buona or Culver's cheaper to open?

Buona costs $2,916,867–$5,256,675 and Culver's costs $2,811,500–$6,867,000 to open (FDD Item 7). Culver's has the lower entry cost.

Which earns more, Buona or Culver's?

Buona reports $3,332,134 average annual unit revenue vs $3,488,853 for Culver's (FDD Item 19). Culver's is higher. For Buona: Company-owned outlets only - not franchisee performance.

Which is the better franchise, Buona or Culver's?

FranchiseVerdict grades Buona B and Culver's A, from FDD Items 5–7, 19–21 and SBA loan performance. See the full side-by-side above.

Buona vs Culver's

Franchise Comparison 2026

Both Buona and Culver's are quick-service restaurants franchises. Buona requires an investment of $2.9M – $5.3M while Culver's requires $2.8M – $6.9M. In terms of revenue, Culver's reports higher average unit revenue at $3.5M. Culver's has SBA lending data on file with a 0.0% charge-off rate. FranchiseVerdict rates Buona B (Above average) and Culver's A (Strongest tier).

Metric	Buona	Culver's
Verdict Grade	BAbove average	AStrongest tier
Investment Range	$2.9M – $5.3M	$2.8M – $6.9M
Franchise Fee	$40K	$55K
Royalty Rate	4.0%	4.0%
Average Revenue (Item 19)	$3.3MCompany-owned only	$3.5M
SBA Charge-Off Rate	N/A	0.0% (114 loans)
Total Units	31	944
Unit Growth (YoY)	+0 units	+51 units
Year Began Franchising	2021	1990
FDD Year	2025	2024