Is West Coast Sourdough or Hechalou Tea cheaper to open?

West Coast Sourdough costs $297,000–$442,000 and Hechalou Tea costs $268,000–$473,500 to open (FDD Item 7). Hechalou Tea has the lower entry cost.

Which is the better franchise, West Coast Sourdough or Hechalou Tea?

FranchiseVerdict grades West Coast Sourdough B and Hechalou Tea C, from FDD Items 5–7, 19–21 and SBA loan performance. See the full side-by-side above.

West Coast Sourdough vs Hechalou Tea

Franchise Comparison 2026

Both West Coast Sourdough and Hechalou Tea are quick-service restaurants franchises. West Coast Sourdough requires an investment of $297K – $442K while Hechalou Tea requires $268K – $474K. West Coast Sourdough discloses average revenue of $741K; Hechalou Tea makes no financial performance representation in its Item 19, which is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule. FranchiseVerdict rates West Coast Sourdough B (Above average) and Hechalou Tea C (Average).

Metric	West Coast Sourdough	Hechalou Tea
Verdict Grade	BAbove average	CAverage
Investment Range	$297K – $442K	$268K – $474K
Franchise Fee	$25K	$42K
Royalty Rate	5.0%	5.0%
Average Revenue (Item 19)	$741K	N/ANo Item 19 representation
SBA Charge-Off Rate	N/A	N/A
Total Units	49	1
Unit Growth (YoY)	+14 units	+1 units
Year Began Franchising	2021	2024
FDD Year	2025	2025