BUONA
Chicago’s Original Italian Beef Franchising LLC offers franchises for Buona restaurants featuring Italian beef sandwiches along with other sandwiches, pasta, burgers, hot dogs, salads, and desserts, served at the premises, via delivery, or through catering services. The business model centers on franchising single-brand or dual-brand (with The Original Rainbow Cone) fast-casual locations in free-standing buildings or inline shopping centers, supported by standardized systems for operations, training, and marketing. It targets consumers in competitive fast-casual dining markets influenced by eating habits, economic conditions, and local traffic patterns.
Disclaimer: This information was extracted using AI from public Franchise Disclosure Documents and should be independently verified. This is not financial or legal advice. Always review official FDD filings before making investment decisions.
Overview
Financial Requirements
4% royalty + 1.5% ad fund (up to 2.5%) + $100/wk technology fee
Franchise Stats
Financial Performance
Item 19 Financial Performance
Data Based On: 10 affiliate-owned single brand free standing restaurants with drive through windows open for full 52 operating weeks from January 1, 2024 through December 29, 2024.
* All financial performance data extracted pertains to affiliate-owned (company-owned) units, as the document explicitly states no data from franchised businesses is available. The primary metrics (average gross revenue, median gross revenue, average gross profit, average net profit) are derived from the 'Average' and 'Median' columns of the table summarizing 10 affiliate-owned single brand free standing restaurants with drive-thru, covering the period 1/1/24 - 12/29/24. 'Average Net Profit' corresponds to 'Income (18)', which is defined as sales less listed expenses, before deductions for rent, real estate taxes, personal property taxes, interest costs, depreciation and amortization or income tax, local advertising, other employee benefits, and certain other expenses. Best guess profit range (low/high) is set to null because sufficient information for all unlisted expenses to calculate a reliable range was not provided.
Extracted Item 19 Section
How BUONA Compares to Other Fast Food Franchises
Key Insights
- Higher investment than 99% of Fast Food franchises
| Franchise | Investment Range | Franchise Fee | Royalty | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
BUONA Current | $2.9M - $5.3M | $40K | 4.0% | 0 |
| Burger King | $2.1M - $4.7M | $50K | 4.5% | 19,732 |
| MCDONALD'S | $1.5M - $2.6M | $45K | N/A | 12,772 |
| AFC | $45K - $151K | $6K | 9.5% | 3,572 |
| SONIC DRIVE-IN | $1.7M - $3.1M | $15K | 5.0% | 3,441 |
| JIMMY JOHN'S | $366K - $728K | $35K | 6.0% | 2,647 |
Fast Food Average 127 franchises | $605K - $1.5M | $35K | 6.1% | - |
* Comparison based on latest FDD filings. Investment ranges from Item 7, fees from Item 5. Showing top 5 of 127 Fast Food franchises by location count.
Locations & Growth
Outlet Growth Over Time
Total outlets at end of each year
Geographic Distribution (2024)
Outlets by state across the United States
Franchisee Contacts
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Due Diligence
Litigation (Item 3)
No litigation involving franchisees reported in the FDD.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
No bankruptcy history reported in the FDD.
System Health (Item 20)
Franchise system changes reported in the most recent fiscal year
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a BUONA franchise?
The total initial investment to open a BUONA franchise ranges from $2,916,867 to $5,256,675. This includes a franchise fee of $40,000. Ongoing royalty fees are 4.0% of gross sales.
How much revenue does a BUONA franchise make?
According to the 2025 FDD, the average gross revenue for a BUONA franchise is $3,332,134. The median revenue is $3,351,553.
Is BUONA a good franchise to buy?
BUONA shows several positive indicators: transparent financial performance data (Item 19). However, franchise success depends on many factors including location, local market conditions, and owner involvement. We recommend speaking with existing franchisees and consulting with a franchise attorney before making a decision.
Interested in BUONA?
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