How much does a Thai Express franchise cost?
Opening a Thai Express franchise takes a total initial investment of $494,050 to $814,200, 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.
Thai Express franchises restaurant standard locations and restaurant food court locations. Category: Food & Beverage.
Item 7
What it costs to open a Thai Express franchise
The franchisor's own estimated initial investment, as disclosed in its 2026 FDD. The total is $494,050 to $814,200. Each line below carries the FDD page it was read from.
Where the money goes
The largest costs are Store Construction, Leaseholds and Fixtures ($200,000 to $345,000), Equipment Package ($85,000 to $100,000), and Exhaust Ecology Unit ($25,000 to $65,000). Together they make up about 63% of the high-end estimate.
The initial franchise fee is $24,000 to $30,000, about 4.9% of the low-end total.
Our arithmetic from the Item 7 table below.
| Expenditure | Low | High | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 | $24,000 | $30,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 |
| Electricity, Water, Gas, Telephone and Landlord’s Deposits2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 | $7,000 | $10,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 |
| Lease Deposit plus three months’ rent2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 | $17,500 | $52,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 |
| Permits2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 | $1,000 | $3,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 |
| Landlord Capital Contribution / | $0 | $0 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 |
| Store Construction, Leaseholds and Fixtures2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 | $200,000 | $345,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 |
| Exhaust2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 | $35,000 | $45,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 |
| Exhaust Ecology Unit2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 | $25,000 | $65,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 |
| Equipment Package2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 | $85,000 | $100,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 |
| Furniture2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 34 | $5,000 | $15,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 34 |
| Store Design and Architectural Fees2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 34 | $7,500 | $10,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 34 |
| Engineering Fees (Mechanical, Electrical)2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 34 | $6,500 | $8,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 34 |
| Engineering Fees (Structural)2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 34 | $2,500 | $5,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 34 |
| Construction Management Fee2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 34 | $15,000 | $15,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 34 |
| Signs2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 34 | $7,500 | $14,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 34 |
| Menu Box2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 34 | $7,500 | $12,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 34 |
| Opening Uniform Package2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 34 | $700 | $1,200 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 34 |
| Small Wares2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 35 | $6,500 | $9,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 35 |
| Opening Promotion and Advertising2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 35 | $750 | $5,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 35 |
| Grand Opening Marketing fee2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 35 | $10,000 | $10,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 35 |
| Security system (does not include monitoring cost)2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 35 | $0 | $3,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 35 |
| Training Attendance2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 35 | $500 | $2,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 35 |
| Insurance2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 35 | $850 | $3,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 35 |
| POS System2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 35 | $3,500 | $14,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 35 |
| Additional Funds – First 3 months2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 35 | $25,250 | $35,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 35 |
| Total estimated initial investment2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 35 | $494,050 | $814,200 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 35 |
Source Thai Express, 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 35, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-27. Read from a scanned copy of this FDD; figures and page citations were transcribed from the page images.
Item 19
What Thai Express 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. If you receive any other financial performance information or projections of your future income, you should report it to franchisor’s management by contacting John Wuycheck at (480) 362-4800, 9311 East Via de Ventura, Scottsdale, Arizona, 85258, the Federal Trade Commission, and the appropriate state regulatory agencies.
Source Thai Express, 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 74, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-27. Read from a scanned copy of this FDD; figures and page citations were transcribed from the page images.
Item 20
How many Thai Express outlets there are, and how many closed
Thai Express ended 2025 with 4 franchised outlets and 1 company-owned outlet. In that year no franchised outlets opened and 1 left the system.
Three years at a glance
From 2023 through 2025, Thai Express opened 0 franchised outlets and 4 outlets left the system. That is a net loss of 4, from 8 to 4 franchised outlets. Of the outlets that left, 4 closed for other reasons.
With fewer than 10 outlets, one closure moves the numbers a lot, so we do not calculate a yearly rate.
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 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 77 |
| 2024 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 77 |
| 2023 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 77 |
Source Thai Express, 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 77, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-27. Read from a scanned copy of this FDD; figures and page citations were transcribed from the page images.
Compare
How Thai Express 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 Thai Express' estimated range is $654,125. It costs more to open than 56% of Food & Beverage franchises here.
- Earnings disclosure. 152 of the 256 Food & Beverage franchises here publish earnings figures in Item 19. Thai Express 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 Thai Express files a new FDD
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