How much does a Smashburger franchise cost?
Opening a Smashburger franchise takes a total initial investment of $1,239,500 to $2,255,500, according to the brand's 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document. That FDD makes no Item 19 financial performance representation, so it discloses no earnings figures at all.
The Franchise System offers Smashburger Restaurants. Category: Food & Beverage.
Item 7
What it costs to open a Smashburger franchise
The franchisor's own estimated initial investment, as disclosed in its 2026 FDD. The total is $1,239,500 to $2,255,500. Each line below carries the FDD page it was read from.
Where the money goes
The largest costs are Leasehold Improvements ($710,000 to $1,257,000), Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment ($264,000 to $458,000), and Training Expenses ($35,000 to $101,000). Together they make up about 81% of the high-end estimate.
Our arithmetic from the Item 7 table below.
| Expenditure | Low | High | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Fees2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 | $40,000 | $40,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 |
| Leasehold Improvements2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 | $710,000 | $1,257,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 |
| Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 | $264,000 | $458,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 |
| Signage2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 | $25,000 | $60,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 |
| Technology Systems2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 | $40,000 | $50,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 |
| Three Month’s Rent2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 | $28,000 | $38,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 |
| Security Deposit and Business Licenses2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 | $0 | $26,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 |
| Opening Inventory and Supplies2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 | $20,000 | $28,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 |
| Grand Opening Advertising2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 | $10,000 | $15,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 |
| Training Expenses2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 | $35,000 | $101,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 |
| Grand Opening Training2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 | $0 | $30,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 |
| Miscellaneous Opening Costs2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $1,000 | $5,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Professional Fees2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $5,000 | $15,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Architecture and Building Design Fees2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $20,000 | $50,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Insurance Premiums – 3 Months2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $20,000 | $40,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Liquor Licensing2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $10,000 | $21,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Lease Review Fee2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $1,500 | $1,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Additional Funds - 3 months2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $10,000 | $20,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Total estimated initial investment2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12-13 | $1,239,500 | $2,255,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12-13 |
Source Smashburger, 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12-13, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Item 19
What Smashburger franchisees actually report earning
This brand's FDD publishes no Item 19.
We do not make any representations about a franchisee’s future financial performance or the past financial performance of company-owned or franchised outlets. We also do not authorize our employees or representatives to make any such representations either orally or in writing. If you are purchasing an existing outlet, however, we may provide you with the actual records of that outlet.
Source Smashburger, 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 42, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Item 20
How many Smashburger outlets there are, and how many closed
Smashburger ended 2025 with 53 franchised outlets and 119 company-owned outlets. In that year 2 franchised outlets opened and 14 left the system.
Three years at a glance
From 2023 through 2025, Smashburger opened 10 franchised outlets and 39 outlets left the system. That is a net loss of 29, from 82 to 53 franchised outlets. Of the outlets that left, 8 were bought back by the franchisor and 31 closed for other reasons.
On average, about 17% of franchised outlets left the system each year, roughly 1 in 6.
Our arithmetic from the FDD's Item 20 table below. "Left the system" counts every outlet the franchisor reports as terminated, not renewed, bought back, or closed for other reasons.
| Year | Start | Opened | Terminated | Non-renewed | Reacquired | Ceased, other | End | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 65 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 53 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 46 |
| 2024 | 78 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 14 | 65 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 46 |
| 2023 | 82 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 78 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 46 |
Source Smashburger, 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 46-47, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Compare
How Smashburger compares with other Food & Beverage franchises
Measured against the 256 Food & Beverage franchises on this site, using each brand's own FDD.
- Cost to open. The middle of Smashburger's estimated range is $1,747,500. It costs more to open than 87% of Food & Beverage franchises here.
- Outlets leaving each year. 17% for Smashburger. That is higher than 92% of the 165 Food & Beverage franchises with at least 10 outlets.
- Three-year growth. Smashburger's franchised system shrank 35%. The typical Food & Beverage franchise here grew 5.0%.
- Earnings disclosure. 152 of the 256 Food & Beverage franchises here publish earnings figures in Item 19. Smashburger is not one of them.
Our arithmetic from each brand's Item 7 and Item 20. Growth and departure comparisons leave out brands with fewer than 10 outlets, where one opening or closure distorts the figures. See every Food & Beverage franchise side by side.
Alert me when Smashburger files a new FDD
Franchisors reissue their FDD at least once a year, and the Item 7 and Item 19 figures move. Leave an email and we will send you Smashburger's updated numbers when the next document is published, plus the brand-comparison worksheet.
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