MOOYAH Franchising LLC MOOYAH

The fast-casual dining segment has produced some of the most compelling franchise investment stories of the past two decades, and the "better burger" subcategory sits at the very heart of that revolution. Consumers increasingly reject the tradeoff between convenience and quality, demanding fresh ingredients, customizable orders, and a premium experience at a price point that doesn't require a white tablecloth reservation. MOOYAH Franchising LLC MOOYAH was built precisely to serve that demand. Founded in 2007 by Rich Hicks and Todd Istre in Plano, Texas, MOOYAH entered the market with a focused value proposition: 100% Certified Angus Beef burgers made from never-frozen beef, buns baked in-house daily, hand-cut French fries prepared through a proprietary 24-hour, six-step process, and seven flavors of real ice cream shakes. The brand scaled quickly, reaching its 50th location with the opening of a Dubai, United Arab Emirates restaurant in 2013 — its first international unit — and crossing the 100-location milestone in 2016 with an opening in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. That 100-unit achievement spanned 20 U.S. states and nine countries, including Canada, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and Bahrain, demonstrating early that the MOOYAH concept translated across consumer cultures. In May 2017, private equity firms Gala Capital Partners LLC and Balmoral Funds LLC acquired MOOYAH for an undisclosed sum, installing Anand Gala, founder and managing partner of Gala Capital Partners, as Chairman and CEO. The subsequent years included a deliberate strategic pruning, with as many as two dozen underperforming units shuttered to sharpen the system's health. As of early 2025, MOOYAH operated nearly 90 units with approximately 69 to 76 U.S. franchise locations across 21 states. The corporate headquarters remain at 5412 W. Plano Pkwy., Suite 100, Plano, TX 75093. This analysis is produced independently by PeerSense and is not sponsored by or affiliated with MOOYAH Franchising LLC MOOYAH or any of its representatives.

The fast-casual restaurant segment represents one of the most structurally attractive categories in American franchising. Fast-casual's defining characteristic — higher food quality than quick-service combined with faster throughput than casual dining — has driven it to outpace both adjacent segments for over a decade. The burger and sandwich subcategory of the quick-service and fast-casual restaurant industry, while mature, commands enormous consumer spending volume, and the premium or "better burger" tier continues to attract consumers trading up from legacy quick-service chains. However, the macro environment in 2024 and into 2025 introduced real headwinds: Technomic revised its 2024 restaurant industry sales forecast downward from an expected 5.3% growth to 3.8%, citing consumer pushback against elevated menu prices and persistently weak traffic. The burger and sandwich segment specifically was projected to grow less than half a percent in 2025, following sales growth of just 1% in 2024. These are not trivial challenges — consumer price sensitivity has squeezed many chains that cannot credibly justify their price premium with a quality story. Against that backdrop, MOOYAH Franchising LLC MOOYAH's 5.4% system-wide sales increase and 2.3% guest traffic increase in 2024 represent meaningful outperformance relative to the broader category. The tailwinds that benefit MOOYAH specifically include growing consumer preference for customizable menus and clean-label ingredients, the continued expansion of the Certified Angus Beef brand's consumer recognition, and the structural shift toward tech-enabled ordering — self-order kiosks, digital menu boards, and integrated loyalty platforms — that can simultaneously improve throughput and average check. Real estate has introduced its own friction, with retail vacancy falling to 5.3% in Q2 2024, the lowest level in two decades, pushing rents higher across the restaurant industry. MOOYAH has responded by shrinking build-out costs by 22% over the past two years, a demonstrable operational discipline that directly protects franchisee margins in a compressed real estate environment. The fast-casual segment continues to attract franchise investment because of its combination of brand-driven pricing power, scalable operations, and a consumer base that returns with above-average frequency when the quality covenant is consistently met.

Understanding the full cost structure of the MOOYAH Franchising LLC MOOYAH franchise investment is essential before any capital commitment. The initial franchise fee is $40,000, a figure that has grown from the $30,000 fee reported as recently as 2015, reflecting the brand's maturation and the increased value of its system, training infrastructure, and territorial rights. The total initial investment range according to the 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document spans $372,525 to $1,186,124 — a wide band that reflects the diversity of format types, lease structures, geographic markets, and build-out conditions a prospective franchisee might encounter. The primary variable driving the upper end of that range is leasehold improvements, which can run from $100,000 to $626,997 depending on the condition and configuration of the space. Furniture, fixtures, equipment, and signage represent another major line item at $132,509 to $331,049, followed by initial training costs of $17,000 to $27,954, computer hardware and software at $8,000 to $15,000, and initial inventory and supplies ranging from $13,880 to $19,830. A New Restaurant Marketing Program Fee of $12,000 is also required at opening. Franchisees should plan for an additional funds reserve of $40,000 to $80,000 to cover the initial three-month operating period, along with insurance ($617 to $3,000), licenses and permits ($700 to $6,000), uniforms ($1,600 to $2,500), and professional services ($1,000 to $5,500). The MOOYAH Franchising LLC MOOYAH franchise cost structure also carries ongoing obligations: a royalty fee of 6% of gross sales and a national brand fund contribution of 3% of gross sales, bringing total ongoing fees to 9% of revenue. Prospective franchisees must demonstrate minimum liquidity of $250,000 and a minimum net worth of $1 million to qualify. For franchisees pursuing multi-unit development agreements, MOOYAH offers reduced development fees and royalties, with potential savings of up to $310,000 in development fees and reduced royalties for three years per restaurant opened — a meaningful economic incentive that makes multi-unit commitments financially attractive for qualified operators. This positions MOOYAH as a mid-to-premium tier franchise investment relative to the fast-casual burger category overall.

The day-to-day operating model of a MOOYAH Franchising LLC MOOYAH unit centers on fresh preparation, customizable service, and community engagement. Each location prepares buns in-house daily and processes hand-cut French fries through a 24-hour, six-step protocol, meaning labor and prep discipline are non-negotiable operational requirements from day one. The menu spans 100% Certified Angus Beef burgers, all-natural turkey burgers, plant-based black bean veggie burgers, all-beef hot dogs, and seven flavors of 100% real ice cream shakes, with 17 free sauces and toppings enabling the high degree of customization that drives repeat visits. Training for new franchisees spans two weeks at MOOYAH headquarters in Plano, Texas, combining virtual instruction with hands-on restaurant experience, followed by best-practices application onsite in the franchisee's own market. The corporate support apparatus operates under the "MOO Crew" banner, providing ongoing assistance across operations, marketing, and menu execution. Next-generation MOOYAH prototypes incorporate self-order kiosks, dynamic digital menu boards, and drive-thru capability, with the brand also actively exploring non-traditional venues such as universities, airports, and travel centers — format diversification that expands the addressable development pipeline. Technology investment is ongoing: 2024 saw innovations that measurably reduced franchisees' food costs, and a retooled loyalty program produced a 56% increase in new app sign-ups year-over-year. MOOYAH also supports franchisees in community fundraising events that return 15% to 25% of net sales to local organizations, a model that builds brand affinity and repeat traffic simultaneously. Multi-unit franchisees describe corporate support as "ever improving," "goal-oriented," and "profit-focused," with franchisees explicitly noting they are "never alone in this journey" — language that signals genuine system cohesion rather than transactional franchisor-franchisee dynamics. Owner-operators with hands-on hospitality instincts and strong local community ties consistently report the best outcomes within the MOOYAH system.

Item 19 financial performance data is not disclosed in the current Franchise Disclosure Document available in this database profile. However, multiple publicly available sources provide substantive unit economics context for the MOOYAH Franchising LLC MOOYAH franchise revenue picture. The average unit volume reported across the system is approximately $1,009,000 to $1,011,974, with a separately cited yearly gross sales figure of $1,056,153. Top-performing locations have reached an AUV of $1.6 million, while the 2020 system-wide average net sales figure was $828,139, with the highest-performing location that year recording $1,547,788. Estimated owner-operator earnings based on publicly available data range from $126,739 to $158,423 on gross sales of approximately $1,056,153, implying operating margin performance in the 12% to 15% range — which is consistent with well-run fast-casual burger concepts operating at or above the $1 million AUV threshold. The franchise payback period is estimated at 6.0 to 8.0 years, a range that reflects the wide variance in total initial investment depending on build-out costs and market conditions. The brand's 2024 performance is particularly instructive: MOOYAH posted a 5.4% system-wide sales increase and a 2.3% guest traffic increase in a year when the broader burger segment grew just 1%, one location broke the brand's all-time system-wide annual sales record, and year-to-date through November 2024 saw sales up 4% and traffic up 3%. Franchisee Barry Lattuca in Boston, Massachusetts, reported two locations surpassing $1 million in annual revenue every year since 2018, and franchisee Julio Gonzalez increased sales by 19% year-over-year at his McKinney, Texas location. These individual data points, while not statistically representative of the full system, illustrate that the top quartile of MOOYAH operators are achieving performance metrics that justify the franchise investment at the mid-range of the total initial investment band. Investors conducting full due diligence should request the complete FDD directly from MOOYAH Franchising LLC MOOYAH and consult an independent franchise attorney before drawing conclusions from any single data source.

The MOOYAH Franchising LLC MOOYAH growth trajectory since the 2017 private equity acquisition tells a deliberate story of quality over quantity. After reaching 100-plus locations in 2016, the brand strategically closed as many as two dozen underperforming units, accepting a temporary unit count reduction in exchange for a healthier system. As of early 2025, the brand operates nearly 90 units, with 2025 designated as the brand's largest expansion year yet, with 15 new locations planned across the United States. Six new U.S. stores opened in the first part of 2025 in Cypress and Livermore, California; O'Fallon, Missouri; Monona, Wisconsin; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Ocala, Florida — with a South Jordan, Utah location and the first Michigan unit in Flint also in the pipeline. The 2025 expansion is supported by next-generation prototypes featuring drive-thrus, self-order kiosks, and cutting-edge kitchen technologies, reducing build-out costs by 22% over the past two years to improve new unit economics. In August 2025, Michael Meche was appointed President with an explicit focus on franchisee success and operational efficiency, joining Chairman and CEO Anand Gala in a leadership structure built around franchise owner profitability. MOOYAH's competitive moat rests on several pillars: the Certified Angus Beef brand partnership, which carries strong consumer quality associations; the in-house daily bun-baking protocol, which most competitors cannot operationally replicate at scale; the 24-hour hand-cut fry process; and a loyalty platform that generated a 56% year-over-year increase in app sign-ups in 2024. The brand has been ranked on Fast Casual's Top Movers and Shakers list for eight consecutive years since 2009, ranked 38th in 2020, named to Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 in 2017, and honored with the 2025 Fast Casual Top 100 Movers and Shakers designation. The 2025 geographic expansion targets the West Coast, Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, New England, Southeast, and Texas — a deliberately broad footprint strategy that signals the corporate team's confidence in the concept's cross-market transferability.

The ideal candidate for a MOOYAH Franchising LLC MOOYAH franchise opportunity combines restaurant management experience or proven multi-unit operational capability with what the brand describes as a "hospitality gene" — an authentic orientation toward guest experience and community building that cannot be taught in a two-week training program. The brand explicitly values current franchise owners, multi-unit operators, individuals with strong business acumen, leadership skills, and a genuine growth mindset. The minimum liquidity requirement of $250,000 and net worth requirement of $1 million establish a qualified investor floor that screens for financial seriousness. Multi-unit development is both encouraged and economically incentivized, with reduced development fees and royalties saving qualifying operators up to $310,000 across a multi-unit agreement. The 2025 geographic priority markets include the West Coast, Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, New England, Southeast, and Texas — and within Texas specifically, Austin, Houston, San Antonio, and Waco have been identified as high-priority development corridors, with a 2021 plan calling for 15 locations in Austin and 15 in Houston alone. International operations span the United States, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Bahrain, offering brand validation across diverse consumer markets. The timeline from franchise agreement signing to opening depends heavily on real estate, construction, and permitting variables, though the new smaller-format, tech-forward prototypes are designed to reduce build-out timelines alongside capital costs. Prospective franchisees should also assess the catering, online ordering, delivery, and rewards program revenue streams that MOOYAH has built into the operating model, as these ancillary channels can meaningfully expand total unit revenue beyond in-store dining.

The investment thesis for MOOYAH Franchising LLC MOOYAH rests on three converging factors: a demonstrably differentiated product in a crowded category, a corporate team with private equity operational discipline, and a 2025 expansion strategy that combines geographic diversification with next-generation unit economics. The brand's 5.4% same-store sales increase in 2024 — outperforming a category that grew just 1% — combined with a 2.3% guest traffic increase in an industry environment characterized by widespread traffic declines, suggests genuine consumer preference rather than inflationary pricing noise. The average unit volume of approximately $1,009,000, with top performers exceeding $1.6 million, and estimated owner-operator earnings of $126,739 to $158,423 on those volumes, provide a credible return framework for investors willing to engage the full due diligence process. The MOOYAH Franchising LLC MOOYAH franchise cost structure, anchored by a $40,000 franchise fee and total initial investment of $372,525 to $1,186,124, positions the brand as accessible to qualified investors across a range of capital situations, particularly given the 22% reduction in build-out costs achieved over the past two years. The ongoing fee structure of 6% royalty plus 3% national brand fund, totaling 9%, is consistent with fast-casual category norms. Investors should weigh these data points against the industry headwinds of rising real estate costs, consumer price sensitivity, and the competitive density of the better-burger segment before making any commitment. PeerSense provides exclusive due diligence data including SBA lending history, FPI score, location maps with Google ratings, FDD financial data, and side-by-side comparison tools to support that decision with independent, verifiable intelligence. Explore the complete MOOYAH Franchising LLC MOOYAH franchise profile on PeerSense to access the full suite of independent franchise intelligence data.