Genghis Grill franchise
2023 filing · July 25, 2023Fewer locationsShares sales figures
Genghis Grill at a glance
A build-your-own stir-fry restaurant where guests pick meats, vegetables and sauces that are cooked on a large round grill. At the end of 2022 there were 49 Genghis Grill locations in the US, 20 franchised and 29 company-owned, so most are run by the company itself.
The business
- Franchisor
- Genghis Grill Franchise LLC
- The company that sells the franchises
- Franchising since
- 2005
- 18 years of selling franchises
- Franchisor based in
- South Elgin, Illinois
- Typical size
- 2,100–3,000 sq ft
What you pay
- Cost to open
- $400K–$1.18M
- Fee, build-out and opening working capital
- Franchise fee
- $30,000
- Paid once, when you sign
- Royalty
- 6% + minimum
- The greater of 6% of gross sales or $500 a week, paid weekly, plus 2.5% to the brand development fund
- Brand fund
- 2.5%
- 2.5% of gross sales, paid with the royalty
- Renewal fee
- $5,000
- When the agreement ends and you sign again
- Agreement length
- 10 years
- Territory
- Limited
- Limited protection
- Franchisor financing
- None offered
Where it is
- US locations, 2022
- 49
- Franchised and company-owned
- Franchised
- 20
- Company-owned
- 29
- Change in 3 years
- −4
- Franchised locations, 2020–2022
- States
- 13
- Most in Texas, Tennessee and New Mexico
Support and records
From Genghis Grill Franchise LLC’s 2023 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
Where it ranks
Genghis Grill among all franchises with the same figure.
| Figure | Genghis Grill | Among all franchises |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, midpointHalfway between the low and high estimate | $790,250 | Costs more than 79% of franchises |
| Franchise feePaid once, when you sign | $30,000 | Lower than 72% of franchises |
| RoyaltyShare of sales paid to the franchisor | 6% | Higher than 35% of brands with a set rate |
| US locationsFranchised and company-owned | 49 | More than 64% of franchises |
| Sales per locationYearly, as the brand reports it | $1,159,349 | Higher than 70% of brands that share sales figures |
| Sales against cost to openYearly sales over the cost midpoint | 1.5× | Lower than 55% of brands that share sales figures |
How much a Genghis Grill franchise costs
Opening one Genghis Grill costs an estimated $400,000 to $1,180,500. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
The biggest costs are leasehold improvements ($150,000 to $400,000) and equipment ($80,000 to $250,000). Here is every line of the estimate as filed:
| What it pays for | Range | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $30,000 | ||
| Architect/Engineering Fees | $10,000 | $20,000 | |
| Business Licenses & Permits | $1,000 | $10,000 | |
| Liquor License | $0 | $50,000 | |
| Rent - First 3 Months | $12,000 | $60,000 | |
| Leasehold Improvements | $150,000 | $400,000 | |
| Furniture, Fixtures & Décor | $20,000 | $50,000 | |
| Equipment | $80,000 | $250,000 | |
| Smallwares | $14,000 | $25,000 | |
| Insurance | $3,000 | $12,500 | |
| Miscellaneous Opening Costs | $5,000 | $20,000 | |
| Training Costs: Travel and Living Expenses While Training | $10,000 | $30,000 | |
| Opening Inventory | $15,000 | ||
| Signage | $5,000 | $50,000 | |
| Professional Fees | $3,000 | $15,000 | |
| Uniforms | $2,000 | $8,000 | |
| Computer, Point of Sale System and Annual Maintenance Contract, and Office Equipment and Supplies | $15,000 | $30,000 | |
| Grand Opening Advertising | $10,000 | $15,000 | |
| Additional Funds – First 3 Months | $15,000 | $90,000 | |
| Total | $400,000 | $1,180,500 | |
Source: Genghis Grill Franchise LLC, 2023 filing, page 17
Genghis Grill franchise fee
The franchise fee is $30,000. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: Genghis Grill Franchise LLC, 2023 filing, page 12
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | The greater of 6% of gross sales or $500 a week, paid weekly, plus 2.5% to the brand development fund. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | 2.5% of gross sales, paid with the royalty. |
| Technology Fee | Currently $750 per month |
| Renewal Fee | $5,000 |
| Additional Initial Training Program | Currently $2,500 per attendee, plus our costs and expenses |
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: Genghis Grill Franchise LLC, 2023 filing, page 13
Other fees as filed, from pages 14–15. The filing lists every fee, including late fees and audit costs.
Sales and earnings
Shares figures Genghis Grill publishes sales or earnings figures for its locations. The full tables, with notes on which locations are counted, are in its filing.
- Average sales
- $1,159,349
Yearly figures for 2022, covering franchised restaurants open all of 2022 (19 locations). The filing gives an average for each third rather than one overall figure; this is the overall average worked out from those and each one's number of locations. The average is about 1.5 times the midpoint of the cost to open.
Sales are what a location takes in before rent, payroll, royalties and other costs, not what its owner keeps.
Source: Genghis Grill Franchise LLC, 2023 filing, pages 41–42
SBA loans to Genghis Grill franchisees
Lenders approved 17 SBA-backed loans for Genghis Grill franchisees from 2002 to 2017, $10.8M in all: 14 7(a) loans and 3 504 loans. Of the 16 that have ended, 12 were paid in full and 4 were charged off. The other one hasn’t ended yet.
A charged-off loan is one written off as uncollectible. See SBA franchise loans for how 7(a) and 504 loans work.
Source: SBA 7(a) and 504 loan data, as of September 30, 2026
Growth and closures
Share of franchised locations, 2022 / 2020–2022. Typical means the median: half of brands are above it, half below.
| Measure | Genghis Grill | Typical restaurant brand | Typical franchise |
|---|---|---|---|
| GrowthNet change in franchised locations | −4.8% / −17% | 0% / +3% | +1.2% / +10% |
| ClosuresTerminated, not renewed or stopped operating | 9.5% / 21% | 2.5% / 13% | 3.9% / 16% |
| Bought backLocations the franchisor took back | 0% / 0% | 0% / 0% | 0% / 0% |
Typical restaurant brand is the median of the 301 brands in restaurant franchises with three years of counts.
How Genghis Grill compares
Of the 813 restaurant franchises on this site, Genghis Grill is the 393rd cheapest to open and the 216th largest by number of locations.
| Figure | Genghis Grill | Typical restaurant brand | Typical franchise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $400K | $408K | $222K |
| Cost to open, high end | $1.18M | $866K | $477K |
| Franchise fee | $30K | $35K | $40K |
| Royalty | 6% | 5% | 6% |
| Brand fund | 2.5% | 2% | 2% |
| Sales per location | $1.16M | $1.3M | $794K |
| US locations | 49 | 14 | 21 |
| Shares earnings figures | Yes | 474 of 813 | 2,147 of 3,352 |
Typical is the median across the 813 brands in restaurant franchises; typical franchise, across every brand here.
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Opened | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 21 (−3) | 30 | 0 | −3 |
| 2021 | 21 (0) | 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 20 (−1) | 29 | +1 | −2 |
Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating.
See which brands grew most in the fastest-growing franchises rankings.
More in the guides: franchise failure rates.
Source: Genghis Grill Franchise LLC, 2023 filing, page 43
Where Genghis Grill locations are
At the end of 2022, Genghis Grill had locations in 13 states. The most are in Texas, Tennessee and New Mexico.
- Texas23
- Tennessee5
- New Mexico3
- North Carolina3
- Arizona2
- Colorado2
| State | Franchised | Company-owned | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 10 | 13 | 23 |
| Tennessee | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| New Mexico | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| North Carolina | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Arizona | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Colorado | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Georgia | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Nevada | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Oklahoma | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Virginia | 0 | 2 | 2 |
All 13 states
| Arkansas | 1 |
|---|---|
| Illinois | 1 |
| South Carolina | 1 |
Source: Genghis Grill Franchise LLC, 2023 filing, page 44
Who owns Genghis Grill?
Genghis Grill franchises are sold by Genghis Grill Franchise LLC. It is a subsidiary of Craveworthy LLC.
From Genghis Grill Franchise LLC’s 2023 filing, page 8.
Lawsuits and bankruptcy
| Lawsuits and regulatory actions | None. The filing says no litigation has to be disclosed. |
|---|---|
| Bankruptcy | None. The filing says no bankruptcy has to be disclosed. |
Franchisors must disclose lawsuits and bankruptcies involving the company, its parents and affiliates, and its executives. Many cases are routine disputes with franchisees over fees or contracts; read the descriptions in the filing and ask current owners about anything that worries you.
Source: Genghis Grill Franchise LLC, 2023 filing, litigation on page 12, bankruptcy on page 12
Genghis Grill filings
The figures on this page come from Genghis Grill Franchise LLC’s 2023 filing, issued July 25, 2023, on record with the NASAA Electronic Filing Depository.
| Filing | Issued | Registry | On this page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 filing | July 25, 2023 | NASAA depository | Costs, fees and locations, 2020–2022 |
Each link opens the filing as a PDF. See the newest filings across all brands.
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