The Salad House

The Salad House is a New Jersey born, health focused fast casual brand founded in 2011 by Joey Cioffi, who remains Founder and CEO. Its first location opened in Millburn, NJ, followed by a second site in Morristown in 2013. The company began franchising in 2017, after six years of operating experience. As of April 2025, it operated 20 locations and had 12 additional units in development, for 32 signed territories. Expansion covers New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. Corporate headquarters are in New Jersey, with Westfield, NJ, as an operational hub. Leadership includes Jerry Eicke, Director of Franchise Development, Tim Banos, partner in Salad House Franchising, Jarrod Bravo, Director of Operations, and Phil Kaiser, Culinary Director. The brand serves a health focused dining market and has fewer than 50 locations, a stage that can carry greater execution risk than larger franchise systems. Roughly 60% of independent restaurants fail within their first year.

The U.S. fast casual restaurant industry generated approximately $209 billion in revenue in 2023 and is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 10.6% through 2028. That compares with a broader U.S. restaurant market worth $997 billion. Health focused and customizable meal concepts are benefiting from rising health awareness, demand for clean label ingredients, and continued preference for quick service without full service dining times. A 2023 Technomic survey found that 68% of restaurant consumers actively seek healthier menu choices than they did five years earlier. Among fast casual diners under 45, customization ranked as the leading driver of repeat visits. The Salad House uses a build your own format featuring salads, grain bowls, wraps, and other customizable meals. Its focus on frequent, everyday dining differs from dessert focused and indulgent concepts. Wellness spending and food sourcing habits formed during the COVID 19 pandemic also support demand.

The initial franchise fee is $40,000, compared with a fast casual category average of $35,000 to $50,000. Qualifying military veterans receive a 25% discount, reducing the fee to $30,000. One source reports total initial investment of approximately $269,200 to $454,500. Other disclosures cite $279,400 to $650,500 and $303,700 to $750,500, depending on format, geography, and buildout complexity. A database range of $110,480 to $647,200 covers the full set of investment scenarios. Differences reflect real estate, leasehold improvements, equipment, opening inventory, licensing, and working capital. Applicants must show liquid capital of $85,000 to $100,000 and net worth of at least $125,000 to $175,000. No explicit advertising fund percentage was published in the available disclosures. The investment falls in the accessible to mid tier range for fast casual franchises and may be considered for SBA financing. Buyers should review financing options early and confirm current requirements during due diligence.

The Salad House uses a fast casual model with counter ordering, freshly assembled meals, and a high throughput kitchen for lunch and dinner peaks. Franchisees generally operate in inline retail spaces, suburban strip centers, and mixed use developments across the Northeast. Training covers food preparation, kitchen management, hiring, scheduling, and financial reporting. Continuing support includes field consultants, operational guidance from Jarrod Bravo, and access to experience from more than 20 locations. Franchise agreements include territorial exclusivity. The company is seeking multi unit franchisees willing to develop two or more locations within a defined area. Phil Kaiser oversees menu consistency and innovation, Chelsea Saggio provides executive support and operational continuity, and Jerry Eicke manages franchise development. The model is intended for active owner operators, especially during the first 12 to 24 months, rather than absentee investors.

Public information provides additional context. The reported $2.5 million and $1.8 million figures therefore exceed the category median. Buyers should obtain the full FDD and consult an independent franchise attorney and CPA before modeling a specific location.

The company began franchising in 2017, when its third location in Westfield, NJ, became its first franchised unit. Jerry Eicke, then a frequent customer, entered a development agreement in 2016. By December 2022, the system had nine New Jersey locations and commitments from 12 additional franchise members. In October 2024, Joey Cioffi described the brand as having 19 locations with more in development. By April 2025, it had 20 open locations and 12 more under development. Confirmed openings for 2025 and early 2026 include Wall, Metuchen, and Marlboro, NJ, with Wayne and East Brunswick also in development. Brandywine, Waldorf, and Annapolis, Maryland, are targeted to open by the end of 2025. Jersey City, Westchester County, and Staten Island are also planned. Pipeline agreements cover Virginia and Long Island. The company’s advantages include a fresh customizable menu, suburban locations that can reduce occupancy costs compared with urban sites, founder led management, and regional concentration that supports field operations and supply chain logistics.

The intended franchisee is an active owner operator with people management ability and an interest in the brand’s health focused mission. Restaurant experience is not required, as shown by the $2.5 million location operated by someone without a food service background. The company is recruiting multi unit operators prepared to develop two or more locations in a defined territory, with priority consideration and potentially more favorable development terms. Current development activity centers on New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. The Salad House is registered to franchise in Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. Health conscious, dual income suburban households are a target customer base, consistent with locations in Millburn, Morristown, Westfield, and nearby communities. The expected period from a signed agreement to opening is generally six to twelve months, depending on real estate and permitting. Territorial exclusivity is included, while resale and transfer terms appear in the FDD and should be reviewed with legal counsel. PeerSense assigns the brand a Loan Activity Score of 65 in the Strong category, based on operational stability, franchisee support, and growth relative to brands at a similar stage. PeerSense offers independent due diligence information, including SBA lending history, Loan Activity Score analysis, location maps with Google ratings, FDD financial data, and comparison tools.