SemSem Mediterranean franchise
2026 filing · May 1, 2026
SemSem Mediterranean at a glance
A Mediterranean restaurant serving falafel, hummus, grilled chicken, shawarma and salads. At the end of 2025 there were 3 SemSem Mediterranean locations in the US, all company-owned.
The business
- Franchisor
- SemSem Franchising, LLC
- The company that sells the franchises
What you pay
- Cost to open
- $232K–$447K
- Fee, build-out and opening working capital
- Franchise fee
- $35,000
- Paid once, when you sign
- Royalty
- 4%
- 4% of gross revenues, paid monthly, plus 1% on local advertising
- Brand fund
- None now
- No brand fund
- Renewal fee
- $5,000
- When the agreement ends and you sign again
- Agreement length
- 10 years
Where it is
- US locations, 2025
- 3
- Franchised and company-owned
- Franchised
- 0
- Company-owned
- 3
- Change in 3 years
- 0
- Franchised locations, 2023–2025
From SemSem Franchising, LLC’s 2026 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
Where it ranks
SemSem Mediterranean among all franchises with the same figure.
| Figure | SemSem Mediterranean | Among all franchises |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, midpointHalfway between the low and high estimate | $339,250 | Costs less than 52% of franchises |
| Franchise feePaid once, when you sign | $35,000 | Lower than 61% of franchises |
| RoyaltyShare of sales paid to the franchisor | 4% | Lower than 93% of brands with a set rate |
| US locationsFranchised and company-owned | 3 | Fewer than 78% of franchises |
How much a SemSem Mediterranean franchise costs
Opening one SemSem Mediterranean costs an estimated $232,000 to $446,500. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
The biggest costs are kitchen equipment ($75,000 to $150,000) and leasehold improvements ($40,000 to $100,000). Here is every line of the estimate as filed:
| What it pays for | Range | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $35,000 | ||
| Travel and Living Expenses While Training | $3,000 | $6,000 | |
| Rent, Prepaids and Security Deposit (3 mos) | $9,000 | $12,000 | |
| Leasehold Improvements | $40,000 | $100,000 | |
| Kitchen Equipment | $75,000 | $150,000 | |
| Furniture, Fixtures, and Décor | $10,000 | $30,000 | |
| Initial Inventory | $7,500 | $14,000 | |
| Signage | $4,000 | $12,000 | |
| Business Licenses and Permits | $1,500 | $3,000 | |
| Professional Fees | $2,500 | $3,500 | |
| Equipment, Internet, Phones, Cameras, TVs and Computers | $3,000 | $6,000 | |
| Insurance (3 mos.) | $1,500 | $2,000 | |
| Grand Opening Advertising | $2,500 | $5,000 | |
| Additional Funds-3 Months | $37,500 | $68,000 | |
| Total | $232,000 | $446,500 | |
Source: SemSem Franchising, LLC, 2026 filing, page 15
SemSem Mediterranean franchise fee
The franchise fee is $35,000. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: SemSem Franchising, LLC, 2026 filing, page 11
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | 4% of gross revenues, paid monthly, plus 1% on local advertising. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | No brand fund |
| POS and Software Fees | Approximately $500 per month |
| Transfer Fee | $10,000. |
| Renewal Fee | $5,000 |
| Additional Training | $500 per person, per day. |
| Local Advertising | 1% of Gross Revenues |
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: SemSem Franchising, LLC, 2026 filing, pages 12 and 25
Other fees as filed, from pages 12–13. The filing lists every fee, including late fees and audit costs.
Sales and earnings
No figures SemSem Mediterranean does not share sales or profit figures for its locations. Talking to current and former franchise owners is the usual way to learn what a location earns.
Source: SemSem Franchising, LLC, 2026 filing, page 39
- Estimate Estimated yearly sales per location
- $740K–$1.3M
Estimated from the sales that 292 comparable franchises file, matched on industry, format, cost to open, fees and size.
How SemSem Mediterranean compares
Of the 813 restaurant franchises on this site, SemSem Mediterranean is the 148th cheapest to open and the 632nd largest by number of locations.
| Figure | SemSem Mediterranean | Typical restaurant brand | Typical franchise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $232K | $408K | $222K |
| Cost to open, high end | $447K | $866K | $477K |
| Franchise fee | $35K | $35K | $40K |
| Royalty | 4% | 5% | 6% |
| US locations | 3 | 14 | 21 |
| Shares earnings figures | No | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 0 (0) | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 (0) | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 (0) | 3 | 0 | 0 |
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: SemSem Franchising, LLC, 2026 filing, page 39
Who owns SemSem Mediterranean?
SemSem Mediterranean franchises are sold by SemSem Franchising, LLC.
From SemSem Franchising, LLC’s 2026 filing.
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: SemSem Franchising, LLC, 2026 filing, litigation on page 10, bankruptcy on page 11
SemSem Mediterranean filings
The figures on this page come from SemSem Franchising, LLC’s 2026 filing, issued May 1, 2026, on record with the NASAA Electronic Filing Depository.
| Filing | Issued | Registry | On this page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 filing | May 1, 2026 | NASAA depository | Costs, fees and locations, 2023–2025 |
Each link opens the filing as a PDF. See the newest filings across all brands.
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