- Franchise 500 Rank
-
N/R Not ranked last year
- Initial investment
-
$747K - $1.4M
- Units as of 2023
-
461 1.5% over 3 years
Noodles & Company is a fast-casual American restaurant that serves international and American noodle dishes, as well as soups and salads. Noodles & Company also sells baguettes, desserts, and customizable kids' meals. Many meals also come with gluten-free and vegan options.
Noodles & Company was founded in 1995 by Aaron Kennedy in Broomfield, Colorado. After noticing a lack of restaurants that served noodles, Kennedy started developing recipes out of his mother-in-law's kitchen.
Since beginning to franchise in 2003, Noodles & Company has since grown to include more than 400 locations throughout the United States.
Why You May Want To Start a Noodles & Company Franchise
If you enjoy good food and want to continue the long history of families gathering around a plate of noodles while introducing new flavors to your community, opening a Noodles & Company could be an excellent opportunity for you. Franchisees should have a good work ethic, determination, and a love of new opportunities. Having restaurant experience is not necessary, but some business experience can be highly beneficial.
Each Noodles & Company franchise is expected to feature a unique concept and family-friendly flavors. Noodles & Company brings together flavors from all over the world and develops bold new ones.
What Might Make a Noodles & Company Franchise a Good Choice?
Noodles & Company is looking for multi-unit franchisees interested in growing with a unique fast-casual concept. They strive to be a value-driven brand with a reputation for inclusivity and collaboration. The Noodles & Company leadership may consist of franchising veterans with a proven track record of growing national and international brands.
Noodles & Company believes in using technology and the right tools to make your life easier. With advanced scheduling technology, you may reduce labor, boost sales with the app, track metrics with an integrated POS, and eliminate paper trails with iPads.
To be part of the Noodles & Company team, you should make sure you're financially ready for an initial investment made up of a franchise fee and other startup costs. In addition, you should prepare yourself for ongoing fees that will include advertising, royalty, and potential renewal fees. Franchisees will also need to meet the company's set net worth and liquid capital requirements.
How To Open a Noodles & Company Franchise
If awarded a franchise, franchisees receive a great deal of support from the Noodles & Company brand throughout the franchising process. In addition to pre-opening training, Noodles & Company franchisees receive support through brand awareness, marketing, research, and construction. Franchisees may also receive hands-on training and continued support after their franchise location has opened.
Your general manager will undergo multiple weeks of training at a Noodles & Company restaurant to ensure they're ready to lead your team. Noodles & Company will send experienced trainers to the first two locations each franchisee opens to help onboard their new hires for several weeks.
Before making any financial commitment or signing an agreement with Noodles & Company, you must perform your due diligence and establish if this is the right opportunity for you. As part of your due diligence, you may want to speak to existing Noodles & Company franchisees and ask the franchising team questions.
Company Overview
About Noodles & Company
| Industry | Food |
|---|---|
| Related Categories | Miscellaneous Quick-Service Restaurants, Asian Food, Italian Food |
| Founded | 1995 |
| Leadership | John Ramsay, VP Franchise Sales |
| Corporate Address |
520 Zang St., #D Broomfield, CO 80021 |
| Social | Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok |
Business Overview
| Franchising Since | 2003 (21 years) |
|---|---|
| # of employees at HQ | 150 |
| Where seeking |
This company is offering new franchises in the following US states: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming |
| # of Units | 461 (as of 2023) |
|
|
|
Information for Franchisees
Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Noodles & Company franchise.
Financial Requirements & Ongoing Fees
Here's what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.
|
Initial Franchise Fee
|
$35,000 |
|---|---|
|
Initial Investment
|
$747,000 - $1,423,000 |
|
Royalty Fee
|
5% |
|
Ad Royalty Fee
|
1.25% |
|
Term of Agreement
|
20 years |
| Is franchise term renewable? | Yes |
Training & Support Offered
Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.
| On-The-Job Training | 300-450 hours |
|---|---|
| Classroom Training | 32-48 hours |
| Ongoing Support |
Purchasing Co-ops
Newsletter
Meetings & Conventions
Toll-Free Line
Grand Opening
Online Support
Security & Safety Procedures
Lease Negotiation
Field Operations
Site Selection
Proprietary Software
Franchisee Intranet Platform
|
| Marketing Support |
Co-op Advertising
Ad Templates
National Media
Regional Advertising
Social Media
SEO
Website Development
Email Marketing
Loyalty Program/App
|
Operations
Additional details about running this franchise.
| Is absentee ownership allowed? | Yes |
|---|---|
|
Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit?
|
No |
|
Can this franchise be run part time?
|
No |
| # of employees required to run | 20 |
|
Are exclusive territories available?
|
No |
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