Is Thai Express or The Red Bird cheaper to open?

Thai Express costs $486,050–$949,700 and The Red Bird costs $289,500–$1,157,875 to open (FDD Item 7). The Red Bird has the lower entry cost.

Which is the better franchise, Thai Express or The Red Bird?

FranchiseVerdict grades Thai Express D and The Red Bird C, from FDD Items 5–7, 19–21 and SBA loan performance. See the full side-by-side above.

Thai Express vs The Red Bird

Franchise Comparison 2026

Both Thai Express and The Red Bird are quick-service restaurants franchises. Thai Express requires an investment of $486K – $950K while The Red Bird requires $290K – $1.2M. Neither Thai Express nor The Red Bird makes a financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD — a voluntary item under the FTC Franchise Rule — so the two cannot be compared on disclosed unit revenue. FranchiseVerdict rates Thai Express D (Below average) and The Red Bird C (Average).

Metric	Thai Express	The Red Bird
Verdict Grade	DBelow average	CAverage
Investment Range	$486K – $950K	$290K – $1.2M
Franchise Fee	$30K	$65K
Royalty Rate	6.0%	7.0%
Average Revenue (Item 19)	N/ANo Item 19 representation	N/ANo Item 19 representation
SBA Charge-Off Rate	Limited data	N/A
Total Units	6	3
Unit Growth (YoY)	-2 units	+0 units
Year Began Franchising	2015	2025
FDD Year	2025	2025