2026 FDD Issued Feb 12, 2026 Minnesota Commerce (CARDS) Checked Oct 30, 2026
Wayback Burgers Franchise Cost (2026)
A Wayback Burgers franchise costs an estimated $256,000 – $859,000 to open, according to Item 7 of the 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD). That total includes the $35,000 initial franchise fee (Item 5) and covers this format: Traditional restaurant. Item 6 lists royalty: 6% of Gross Sales, subject to the conditions below.
- Total investment
- $256K – $859KItem 7 source and qualifications
- Franchise fee
- $35KItem 5 source and terms
- Royalty
- 6% of Gross SalesItem 6 conditions and fee bases apply
- Brand fund
- 2% of Gross SalesItem 6 conditions and fee bases apply
- Units (2025)
- 184Item 20 source and scope
- Franchise exit rate
- 7.1% / yrCalculated 3-year average; definition and source
What stands out about Wayback Burgers
Wayback Burgers's FDD gives no sales or earnings figures of any kind: Item 19 states that the franchisor makes no financial performance representation. That gap matters more because the royalty has a floor. Item 6 charges the greater of a percentage of weekly Gross Sales or a fixed weekly minimum, so a slower restaurant pays a larger share of its sales than the headline rate. Without Item 19, the practical test is to ask current owners, whose contacts Item 20 lists, what their weekly sales are.
All three percentage charges are paid to the franchisor. Besides the royalty and the advertising fund, Item 6 requires a local marketing payment that the franchisor collects and spends, rather than a budget the owner controls. The royalty's weekly floor means its stated percentage alone cannot estimate the charge for a slower location. Owners in a Walmart location also pay the franchisor rent under a sublease, set as a percentage of gross revenue, plus monthly insurance and common-area charges.
Most exits in Item 20 are closures rather than contract terminations. The outlet totals include restaurants outside the U.S. In 2025, every one of the 10 franchised restaurants that left the system is listed under ceased operations for other reasons, with no terminations, while openings slowed to 14 from a larger count the year before. The separately reported U.S. owner-to-owner transfers rose in 2025. A buyer can ask why the closed restaurants stopped operating and how the transferred ones were priced.
The 20-year initial term is followed by two renewal terms of five years each. Each renewal costs a share of the then-current initial fee and requires notice months before the term ends, a renovation the franchisor can specify and no default.
What are the initial franchise fees and financial requirements for Wayback Burgers?
Item 5 lists an initial franchise fee of $35,000 for Wayback Burgers. Check the cited Item 5 for payment timing, discounts and format-specific terms.
Item 5 (PDF pages 11-12) charges a $35,000 initial franchise fee in a lump sum when the Franchise Agreement for a single traditional restaurant is signed. Under a Development Agreement (at least three restaurants) the fee for the second and later restaurants is $20,000; the development fee of $35,000 plus $20,000 per additional restaurant is paid at signing and credited against those fees. You also pay the franchisor $5,000 for grand opening advertising. A Walmart location requires a $12,000 sublease security deposit and, in a newly built store, a $10,000-$150,000 subleased premises improvement charge. In 2025 the franchisor sold a small number of additional franchises to existing franchisees for $20,000. Fees are nonrefundable except the sublease deposit.
Source: Wayback Burgers 2026 FDD, Item 5, PDF p. 11.
This record lists no minimum net worth or liquid-capital requirement for Wayback Burgers, because no sourced figure has been recorded. Ask the franchisor for its current financial qualifications in writing.
How much does it cost to open a Wayback Burgers franchise? (Item 7)
Source: Wayback Burgers 2026 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 16.
Item 7 of Wayback Burgers’s 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document estimates the total cost to open one traditional restaurant at $256,000 – $859,000. This total includes the initial franchise fee.
| Expense Category | Low ($) | High ($) |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $35,000 | $35,000 |
| Leasehold Improvements | $75,000 | $350,000 |
| Initial Rent Outlays | $2,500 | $20,000 |
| Equipment | $85,000 | $264,000 |
| Outside Fixtures and Furnishings | $5,000 | $10,000 |
| Signage | $7,000 | $35,000 |
| Initial Inventory | $9,000 | $13,000 |
| Supplies | $5,000 | $35,000 |
| Travel and Living Expenses during Training | $1,000 | $10,000 |
| Utility Deposits | $0 | $5,000 |
| Prepaid Insurance Premiums | $500 | $5,000 |
| Permits and Licenses (including design fees) | $6,000 | $12,000 |
| Grand Opening Advertising | $5,000 | $5,000 |
| Additional Funds and Miscellaneous | $20,000 | $60,000 |
| Total | $256,000 | $859,000 |
Other formats
| Format | Total investment |
|---|---|
| Walmart location | $265,500 – $856,000 |
For comparison, the median high-end investment among 25 restaurants & food records without a source-review hold is $1,297,100.
Item 7 (PDF pages 16-17) prints $256,000 to $859,000 ("Approx.") for one traditional restaurant; its 14 lines add to that total. Leasehold improvements assume basic plumbing, electricity and heat or air conditioning are already on the premises and exclude buying real property (note 2); the franchisor does not estimate a site purchase. A separate chart for a Walmart location (PDF pages 19-20) prints $265,500 to $856,000, and a third chart covers a three-restaurant Development Agreement (PDF page 21).
What ongoing royalties and fees does Wayback Burgers charge? (Item 6)
Source: Wayback Burgers 2026 FDD, Item 6, PDF p. 12.
Item 6 of Wayback Burgers’s 2026 FDD lists the charges below. Recurring charges and charges triggered by a transfer, renewal or other event have different conditions. Read each fee’s basis and notes before comparing rates.
How to read an Item 6 fee table.
| Fee Type | Amount / Rate | Payment Frequency | Notes & Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royalty | 6% of Gross Sales | Every period | The greater of 6% of weekly Gross Sales or $400 per week, paid weekly on Thursday for the week ending the preceding Sunday, starting when the restaurant opens (note 1). (Item 6, PDF p. 12) |
| Local Marketing and Advertising | 2% of Gross Sales | Every period | 2% of weekly Gross Sales, paid to the franchisor with the royalty; the franchisor spends it on local marketing for your restaurant (note 2). (Item 6, PDF p. 12) |
| Advertising Fund | 2% of Gross Sales | Every period | 2% of weekly Gross Sales to the Wayback Burgers Advertising Fund, paid with the royalty (note 3). (Item 6, PDF p. 12) |
| Advisory Council Fee | Varies | When it applies | As determined by the Advisory Council, if the franchisor establishes one; you must participate and pay the fee. (Item 6, PDF p. 12) |
| Interest | 18% of overdue fees | When it applies | The lesser of 18% per year or the maximum rate permitted by law, from the due date of the fees (note 4). (Item 6, PDF p. 12) |
| Insurance | Varies | When it applies | The cost of required insurance and, if you do not obtain it, the franchisor's procurement expense; the franchisor may add a reasonable fee of up to $500 for its expenses (note 5). (Item 6, PDF p. 13) |
| Audit Fees | Varies | When it applies | The cost of an audit, payable only if it shows an understatement of at least 2%. (Item 6, PDF p. 13) |
| Training | $200 | When it applies | The then-current training fee, currently $200 per person per day, plus your expenses. Initial training is free for up to two individuals; the fee applies to additional individuals or training. The franchisor may raise it no more than once every two years by the greater of 20% or the CPI-U increase. (Item 6, PDF p. 13) |
| Site Selection | Varies | When it applies | The franchisor's expenses for on-site evaluations, including travel, lodging and meals, as incurred. (Item 6, PDF p. 13) |
| Transfer fees | Varies | When it applies | 50% of the then-current initial franchise fee per restaurant, or the franchisor's actual expenses for a transfer to an entity you form. Payable before approval of the transfer, when you sell the franchise or offer securities. (Item 6, PDF p. 13) |
| Renewal Fee | Varies | When it applies | 10% of the then-current initial franchise fee, before approval of renewal. (Item 6, PDF p. 13) |
| Indemnification | Varies | When it applies | The cost of liability, as incurred (note 6). (Item 6, PDF p. 13) |
| Fees on Default and Indemnity | Varies | When it applies | The cost of collection and attorneys' fees, as incurred (note 7). (Item 6, PDF p. 13) |
| Cost of Approval of Supplier and for Testing Samples of Items | Varies | When it applies | The actual cost of evaluation, payable to the franchisor or a third party, if you request supplier approval. (Item 6, PDF p. 13) |
| Computer, Website, Point-of-Sale and Other Equipment Maintenance, Upgrades, Updates | $2,400 – $7,500 per year | When it applies | Item 6 estimates approximately $2,400 to $7,500 per year, paid to third parties as incurred. It is an estimated maintenance and upgrade outlay, not a fixed fee charged every year by the franchisor. (Item 6, PDF p. 13) |
| Refurbishment | $500 – $10,000 per year | When it applies | Approximately $500 to $10,000 per year, as incurred, to refurbish and update the restaurant and adopt System changes (note 8). (Item 6, PDF p. 14) |
| Walmart Sublease Fees | Varies | When it applies | Only for a restaurant in a Walmart store under a sublease with the franchisor: rent of 2% to 12% of gross revenues per month, an insurance fee of $0 to $300 per month and a common area maintenance fee of $975 to $2,000 per month (note 9). (Item 6, PDF p. 14) |
| Return Fee | $50 | When it applies | $50 for each electronic funds transfer from your account that is returned. (Item 6, PDF p. 14) |
Explore annual fees and payback assumptions
This fee schedule cannot be reduced to the calculator’s simple sales-based formula. Enter your own assumptions and check them against the Item 6 terms.
Wayback Burgers startup investment and modeled fees over 10 years
Item 6 charges the greater of 6% of weekly Gross Sales or $400 per week as the royalty. A single annual sales figure cannot show which weeks trigger that floor, so this record does not produce an annual fee estimate or payback preset from a flat percentage. See the fee amounts and definitions in Item 6 above. Open the calculator with your own assumptions.
Item 20: Wayback Burgers franchised outlet history
Source: Wayback Burgers 2026 FDD, Item 20, PDF p. 60.
Item 20 Table 3 reports 183 franchised outlets at the end of 2025. The company-owned table reports a further 1 outlets. Our calculated average annual franchised exit rate is 7.1% across the 3 reported years, using the definition below.
| Year | Franchised at Start | Opened | Reported Exits | At End | Franchise Exit Rate (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 158 | 21 | 15 | 164 | 9.5% |
| 2024 | 164 | 25 | 10 | 179 | 6.1% |
| 2025 | 179 | 14 | 10 | 183 | 5.6% |
Franchised units went from 158 to 183 over 3 years (+25).
Reported exits include terminations, non-renewals, franchisor reacquisitions and other cessations. A reacquired outlet may continue operating. How we calculate the exit rate. How to read the Item 20 outlet tables. Compare Wayback Burgers’s exit rate with other brands.
15 units changed owners in 2025.
Item 20 Table 3 (PDF pages 56-60) includes U.S. states and outlets in Brunei, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Ireland, Japan, Morocco, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates. Its printed Totals on PDF page 60 are systemwide, not U.S.-only; the closure figures and rates derived from them have the same scope. Table 4 (PDF page 61) reports one company-owned restaurant at the end of each year, operated by the affiliate Viddl's. Transfers come from Table 2 (PDF pages 54-55), which lists U.S. states only; its scope differs from Table 3.
How much do Wayback Burgers franchise owners make? (Item 19)
Source: Wayback Burgers 2026 FDD, Item 19, PDF p. 53.
Wayback Burgers’s 2026 FDD has no Item 19 financial performance representation, so it gives no official sales, profit or owner-pay figures. Treat any earnings claim you hear from a salesperson with caution, and ask current owners (their contacts are listed in Item 20).
Item 19 (PDF page 53) states that the franchisor makes no representation about future or past financial performance of franchised or company-owned outlets. A buyer of an existing outlet may receive that outlet's actual records.
Payback calculator (enter your own assumptions) Check any inputs against this record’s Item 7 startup costs and Item 6 fee rules.
How long is the Wayback Burgers franchise agreement term?
Source: Wayback Burgers 2026 FDD, Item 17, PDF p. 42.
The standard Wayback Burgers franchise agreement runs 20 years, with renewal terms of 5 years.
Item 17 (PDF page 42): a 20-year term, with the right to renew for two consecutive 5-year terms if you give written notice 6 to 9 months before the term ends, renovate as required and are not in default. The renewal fee is 10% of the then-current initial franchise fee (Item 6).
How long does it take to open a Wayback Burgers franchise? (Item 11)
Source: Wayback Burgers 2026 FDD, Item 11, PDF p. 28.
Item 11 of the 2026 FDD states the time from signing the franchise agreement or the first payment for the franchise to opening: approximately 8 to 24 months.
Franchises with a similar investment range
These published records are selected by proximity to Wayback Burgers’s $256,000 low-end Item 7 investment, starting with Restaurants & Food. Formats, fees and source qualifications differ; the figures are not interchangeable budgets:
- Subway $263K – $630K Source review pending Provisional publication Restaurants & Food
- Tropical Smoothie Cafe $276K – $771K Source review pending Provisional publication Restaurants & Food
- Ben & Jerry's $280K – $631K Restaurants & Food
- Domino's $231K – $744K Restaurants & Food
- Papa Johns $281K – $890K Restaurants & Food
- Marco's Pizza $286K – $811K Restaurants & Food
Compare other restaurants & food franchises
Sources
Wayback Franchising LLC Franchise Disclosure Document, issued February 12, 2026, as filed with the Minnesota Commerce (CARDS). Read the source FDD PDF. How to get this FDD yourself.
- Item 5: cited PDF p. 11
- Item 6: cited PDF p. 12
- Item 7: cited PDF p. 16
- Item 19: cited PDF p. 53
- Item 20: cited PDF p. 60
- Agreement term (Item 17): cited PDF p. 42
Page references for Wayback Burgers use the PDF viewer's digital page count, not printed page headers. Some viewers download the document instead of opening the referenced page.
If the state document viewer does not open, use Minnesota Commerce's public filing instructions to look up the filing by franchisor name and document date.
Document & verification changelog
- October 30, 2026: Source check completed against the recorded FDD.
- October 30, 2026: Initial cost profile published from the 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document (issued February 12, 2026).
- October 30, 2026: Published after independent FDD verification and the prior release cohort reached the repository's indexing gate. The first-publication date is October 30, 2026.
- October 30, 2026: Independently checked the saved 2026 Minnesota FDD cover, Items 1, 5, 6, 7, 11, 17, 19 and 20. Corrected the weekly royalty minimum's model treatment, classified as-incurred third-party maintenance separately, and disclosed that Table 3 outlet totals include international locations while Table 2 transfers cover U.S. states. Verification evidence is in reports/batch5-progress-2026-10-29.md. The brand remains a draft pending publication checks.
- October 29, 2026: Drafted from the February 12, 2026 Clean FDD filed in Minnesota (registered April 8, 2026): cover, Item 1, Item 5, all 18 Item 6 rows, every Item 7 row and total for the traditional restaurant and the Walmart total, Item 11 opening time, Item 17 term, Item 19 and Item 20 Tables 1-4.