The estimated Kitchen Guard franchise cost is $210,486 to $285,883, including a $49,000 initial franchise fee and three months of additional funds. The 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document also identifies equipment, supply, working-capital, and vehicle needs that may arise later in the first year.
About this article. Kitchen Guard is a member of the Franchise Brokers Association. FBA publishes reviews of member brands as part of its membership program, and FBA and its brokers may receive a commission from the franchisor if a candidate FBA works with goes on to purchase a franchise. This article was researched and written by FBA from the brand’s current Franchise Disclosure Document and FBA’s own franchise database. The brand did not write, review, or approve it before publication.
Nothing in this article should be considered legal, financial, or tax advice. Prospective franchisees should always review the most recent Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) with qualified advisors before making an investment decision.
Kitchen Guard is a business-to-business franchise serving restaurants and other commercial kitchens. Its services include kitchen exhaust cleaning, filter exchange, maintenance, inspection, repair, and other approved work.
For prospective owners, evaluating this opportunity means looking beyond the opening cost. Candidates also need to understand sales responsibilities, staffing requirements, ongoing fees, territory terms, and the capital needed to develop the business.
This guide explains those commitments and presents selected historical gross-sales information from the 2026 FDD. Gross sales are not profit, owner income, or a forecast for a new franchise.
What does a Kitchen Guard franchise do?
Kitchen Guard operates a business-to-business commercial-kitchen cleaning and maintenance system. Franchisees develop commercial accounts and perform services at customer locations rather than relying on walk-in retail traffic.
Item 1 identifies Kitchen Guard’s enumerated services as:
- Kitchen exhaust cleaning
- Filter exchange
- Floor and surface pressure washing
- Filter chemical sales
- Fan repair and maintenance
- Vapor cleaning
- Other services required or approved by the franchisor
The FDD cover description also identifies air-duct cleaning, grease containment, inspection, maintenance, and restoration as services offered by the Kitchen Guard business. Candidates should review the current FDD, Franchise Agreement, and Operations Manual to confirm the services authorized or required for their franchise.
Franchisees may not provide services to residential customers without the franchisor’s prior written consent. Kitchen Guard should therefore be evaluated as a commercial-service operation rather than a residential cleaning franchise.
Kitchen Guard Franchising, Inc. was formed in June 2023 and began offering franchises in August 2023. Its parent is EverSmith Brands, a business-services franchise platform controlled by investment funds managed by The Riverside Company.
The FDD identifies the franchisor’s short operating history as an investment risk. Candidates should distinguish the history of Kitchen Guard Franchising, Inc. from the mature San Diego service business described in Item 19, which has operated for more than 15 years.
As of December 31, 2025, the FDD reported 38 franchised territories operating in the United States. The system had six franchised outlets at the start of 2025 and reported 32 openings during the year.
The filing also listed 14 franchise agreements signed but not yet opened and projected 41 new franchised outlets during the next fiscal year. These are franchisor projections, not guaranteed openings.
Terms such as “territories awarded,” “agreements signed,” “outlets opened,” and “operating territories” represent different stages of franchise development. They should not be treated as interchangeable system-growth measures.
Why do commercial kitchens need this service?
Commercial kitchens may be subject to fire-safety, inspection, insurance, workplace-safety, and maintenance requirements involving their exhaust systems. Applicable requirements and service frequencies can vary according to jurisdiction, equipment, cooking volume, insurance policies, and other circumstances.
Kitchen Guard describes its services as being consistent with NFPA 96, the National Fire Protection Association standard addressing ventilation control and fire protection in commercial cooking operations.
Compliance-related demand does not guarantee customers, service contracts, recurring work, or financial results for a franchisee. Owners must still prospect for accounts, compete with independent contractors and other service companies, meet applicable requirements, perform reliable work, and maintain customer relationships.
Kitchen Guard costs and fees at a glance
| Topic | Disclosed information |
| Business model | B2B commercial-kitchen cleaning and maintenance |
| Estimated initial investment | $210,486–$285,883 |
| Standard initial franchise fee | $49,000 |
| Additional funds included in Item 7 | Three months |
| Ordinary royalty schedule | 8%–10% of Gross Billings |
| Promotional Fund contribution | 2% of Gross Billings |
| Technology Fee | Currently $499 per month |
| Local marketing | At least $1,000 per month during the required period |
| Territory structure | Geographic and non-exclusive |
| Ownership requirement | Active management, with an approved-manager option |
| Sales staffing | At least one dedicated, full-time, trained salesperson beginning on opening day |
For the most accurate and current information, review the latest Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) for Kitchen Guard. The financial figures presented here are historical results from franchised businesses as disclosed in Item 7 and Item 19 of the 2026 FDD.
The investment estimates, fees, and contractual requirements in this table come from Kitchen Guard’s 2026 FDD, issued April 1, 2026. Terms can change, and state-specific addenda may modify certain provisions.
How much does a Kitchen Guard franchise cost?
Kitchen Guard’s 2026 FDD estimates a total initial investment of $210,486 to $285,883. This includes the $49,000 initial franchise fee, disclosed startup expenses, and three months of additional funds.
The estimate is not a complete first-year budget or a prediction of financial performance.
What does the startup estimate include?
| Startup expense | Low estimate | High estimate |
| Initial franchise fee | $49,000 | $49,000 |
| Training travel, food, and lodging for two people | $1,386 | $4,598 |
| Equipment, inventory, supplies, and marketing supplies | $55,125 | $85,085 |
| Rent for three months | $4,125 | $19,800 |
| Tenant improvements | $1,000 | $7,000 |
| Vehicle expenses | $3,500 | $7,000 |
| Computer equipment, phones, and technology fees | $3,300 | $5,500 |
| Miscellaneous costs, including insurance, licenses, deposits, and utilities | $6,050 | $9,900 |
| Local marketing | $6,000 | $6,000 |
| Additional funds for three months | $81,000 | $92,000 |
| Total estimated initial investment | $210,486 | $285,883 |
For the most accurate and current information, review the latest Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) for Kitchen Guard. The financial figures presented here are historical results from franchised businesses as disclosed in Item 7 and Item 19 of the 2026 FDD.
Important context: These figures reflect startup and early operating needs only. They do not indicate financial performance or outcomes.
These figures come from Item 7 of Kitchen Guard’s 2026 FDD and represent estimated startup and early-operating expenses, not sales, earnings, profit, owner income, or financial-performance results. Review the complete Item 7 table and its footnotes.
Actual costs may vary based on rent, staffing, insurance, equipment choices, financing, taxes, tariffs, shipping, inflation, supply-chain conditions, and local market factors.
The vehicle estimate includes the first three months of estimated lease payments based on a five-year lease. Purchasing a vehicle rather than leasing one may change the required capital.
Kitchen Guard also requires a warehouse and office. The FDD describes a typical startup location as approximately 1,500 to 3,000 square feet and estimates rent at $11 to $25 per square foot. Local lease rates and terms may differ.
How much capital might you need after opening?
The Item 7 estimate covers startup costs and an initial three-month period. Separate Item 7 footnotes identify additional needs that may arise during months four through 12:
- $60,000–$80,000 for additional equipment and supplies
- $40,000–$60,000 in additional working capital
- A second service vehicle before the end of the first year, without a separate price estimate
Adding the initial-investment range to the separately disclosed equipment, supply and working-capital estimates produces $310,486–$425,883. This is FBA’s calculation, not a total first-year investment range stated by the franchisor.
The calculation does not include a separately estimated cost for the anticipated second service vehicle, and the additional working-capital estimate excludes owner salary or draw.
Candidates should develop a budget that separates:
- Startup expenses
- Later equipment and supply purchases
- Vehicle costs
- Operating reserves
- Debt payments
- Owner compensation
- Personal living expenses
FBA’s franchise financial calculator can help organize an initial discussion with an accountant or qualified financial advisor.
Does Kitchen Guard offer discounts or financing?
The standard initial franchise fee is $49,000. The FDD describes a $9,000 discount for each additional Franchise Agreement purchased at the same time as the first.
An existing franchisee approved to purchase an additional Kitchen Guard franchise after at least two years of operating experience may receive a 50% discount on the then-current initial franchise fee. Eligibility is subject to the franchisor’s then-current expansion requirements, and the franchisor reserves the right to discontinue the offer.
Eligible U.S. military veterans and qualified first responders may qualify for a $10,000 reduction on the first franchise awarded. To qualify for either incentive, the eligible veteran or first responder must own at least 51% of the franchised business. Verification, service, and other eligibility requirements apply.
The FDD also permits discretionary initial-fee reductions for certain rural or secondary markets and conversions of qualifying existing businesses. Candidates should confirm availability, eligibility, and whether incentives may be combined directly with the franchisor.
Kitchen Guard states that it does not offer direct or indirect financing and does not guarantee franchisee notes, leases, or other obligations. Financing approval does not establish that an investment is affordable or adequately capitalized.
What ongoing fees does Kitchen Guard charge?
Kitchen Guard’s initial investment is only one part of the financial commitment. Franchisees may also incur payroll, rent, supplies, insurance, vehicle, tax, financing, licensing, and other operating expenses.
| Ongoing obligation | Disclosed amount | Important qualification |
| Ordinary royalty | 8%–10% of Gross Billings | Annual billing tiers and calculation provisions apply |
| Minimum monthly royalty | $750–$2,000 per territory | Commencement provisions apply |
| Promotional Fund | 2% of Gross Billings | The franchisor controls fund use under the agreement |
| Technology Fee | Currently $499 per month | Increases and additional license charges may apply |
| Grand Opening Advertising | At least $1,000 per month | Begins two months before opening and ends no earlier than 12 months after opening |
| Annual conference | Currently $975 plus travel | Disclosed ceiling is $2,000 annually, plus travel |
| Regional Account Management Fee | Currently 1%–10% of fees paid by the account | Deducted from amounts owed for Regional Account work |
For the most accurate and current information, review the latest Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) for Kitchen Guard. The financial figures presented here are historical results from franchised businesses as disclosed in Item 7 and Item 19 of the 2026 FDD.
These amounts describe contractual fees and spending obligations, not sales, earnings, profitability, owner income, or expected financial results. Review Item 6, its notes, the franchise agreement, and applicable state addenda before investing.
How are Kitchen Guard royalties calculated?
Kitchen Guard uses the following ordinary royalty schedule:
- 10% on annual Gross Billings up to $1,499,999
- 9% on annual Gross Billings from $1,500,000 through $2,999,999
- 8% on annual Gross Billings of $3 million and above
Candidates should ask Kitchen Guard to explain how the tiers are applied, calculated, and reconciled during the year.
Gross Billings generally means the amounts billed during a calendar month for approved services and related goods and services, whether or not the customer has paid. The definition excludes sales taxes collected and paid to the proper authorities and certain proceeds from separately identified businesses. Royalty obligations may therefore arise before the corresponding customer payment is collected.
The franchise agreement also provides for an 11% royalty rate during a period of default. Candidates should review the calculation base, conditions, and related provisions in the agreement.
Item 6 states that the minimum monthly royalty begins on the 12-month anniversary of the franchisee’s completion of the Kitchen Guard Academy Initial Training Program. The disclosed schedule is:
- Months 12–18: $750 per month
- Months 19–24: $1,000 per month
- Month 25 onward: $2,000 per month
Candidates should confirm how this commencement provision applies when a General Manager completes training or when additional territories are purchased, and how minimum payments interact with percentage royalties.
Are Kitchen Guard territories exclusive?
Kitchen Guard grants a geographic, non-exclusive territory intended to contain between 1,000 and 2,000 retail food-service locations.
The FDD generally states that Kitchen Guard will not operate or grant another Kitchen Guard franchised business within the territory, subject to specified rights and exceptions.
These include situations involving:
- Regional Accounts
- Centrally Managed Accounts
- Customers the franchisee cannot or will not adequately serve
- Multi-location customers
- Other distribution channels
- Direct and online marketing
- Lead allocation
- Potentially competing brands controlled or acquired by the franchisor or related parties
Kitchen Guard retains the right to solicit Regional Accounts wherever they are located. A franchisee may receive the first opportunity to submit a bid for qualifying locations inside the territory, but the franchisor may reject the bid or arrange for another provider to perform the services under specified circumstances.
The franchisor also retains discretion over the allocation of customer leads. Receiving a lead does not give the franchisee rights to the corresponding customer, location, or geographic area beyond the agreement’s terms.
Franchisees do not receive an automatic option or right of first refusal to acquire additional territories.
Before accepting a territory, candidates should understand:
- When another provider may serve customers inside the territory
- How Regional Accounts are assigned and managed
- How Centrally Managed Accounts operate
- How leads are allocated
- What restrictions apply outside the territory
- How multi-location customers are handled
- What criteria apply to additional territories
What sales level is required by year four?
Beginning in the fourth year of operation, franchisees must generate at least $40,000 in monthly Gross Billings within the territory to maintain their territory rights.
This is a contractual performance requirement, not a representation that a territory will reach that billing level.
Failure to satisfy the requirement may affect territory rights or lead to termination under the agreement and applicable law. Candidates should review the complete provision with franchise counsel and ask what notice, support, cure rights, or other procedures may apply.
What do Kitchen Guard franchisees actually earn?
Kitchen Guard’s 2026 FDD does not disclose franchisee profit, owner salary, net income, cash flow, break-even results, or return on investment.
Item 19 provides selected historical, unaudited Gross Sales information for specified franchised territories.
Gross Sales are not profit or take-home pay. Franchisees must still pay labor, rent, equipment, vehicles, supplies, insurance, marketing, technology, royalties, taxes, financing costs, and other expenses.
Which territories does the data cover?
Item 19 defines Gross Sales broadly as revenue and income derived from territory operations, including credit transactions whether or not payment has been received, less documented good-faith customer refunds and sales taxes.
The filing separates the historical results into three groups:
- Three mature San Diego County territories operated as one business
- Five franchised territories that opened in 2024 and operated throughout 2025
- Thirty franchised territories that opened during 2025 and had fewer than 12 months of operations at year-end
These groups differ in operating history, sample size, and reporting period. Their results should not be combined into a system-wide average or treated as a forecast for a new territory.
The information came from unaudited franchisee reports. Neither Kitchen Guard nor its independent accountants audited or verified the reported Gross Sales information. Franchisees were not required to use generally accepted accounting principles when reporting the figures.
All franchised territories operating during the 2025 accounting period were asked to submit financial-performance data. Written substantiation for the Item 19 disclosure is available from the franchisor upon reasonable request.
The filing includes this required qualifier:
“Some outlets have earned this amount. Your individual results may differ. There is no assurance that you’ll earn as much.”
Some older third-party reviews may cite financial information from an earlier Kitchen Guard FDD. The current 2026 FDD supersedes that filing and does not disclose franchisee operating income, net income, or profitability.
Candidates should rely on the latest effective FDD and information the franchisor is legally permitted to provide.
How much did the mature San Diego territories bill?
Item 19 reports 2025 Gross Sales for a mature San Diego County business covering three territories. The business operates from Escondido, California, and has been in continuous operation for more than 15 years.
An affiliate operated the business through April 2025. It was then sold to an independent owner and subsequently operated as three franchised territories.
| Measure | Disclosed 2025 result |
| Combined Gross Sales for the three-territory business | $4,588,849 |
| Gross Sales per territory, calculated by the franchisor | $1,529,616 |
| Revenue from kitchen exhaust cleaning | 68.1% |
| Revenue from filter exchange | 15.6% |
| Revenue from repair services | 11.6% |
| Revenue from Green Steam and other sources | 4.7% |
For the most accurate and current information, review the latest Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) for Kitchen Guard. The financial figures presented here are historical results from franchised businesses as disclosed in Item 7 and Item 19 of the 2026 FDD.
These figures come from Item 19, Table A, and represent historical, unaudited Gross Sales for the specified business. They are not profit, owner income, cash flow, return on investment, or a forecast for another territory. The per-territory figure was calculated by dividing the combined Gross Sales by three.
The per-territory figure is not a separately measured result for each territory.
The percentages describe the combined business’s revenue mix, not its profit margins. The full-year results also include the period when the business was operated by an affiliate.
Because the business has operated for more than 15 years, Item 19 cautions that its results may not represent newer territories.
What did territories bill in their first full year?
Item 19 separately reports 2025 Gross Sales for five franchised territories that opened in 2024 and operated continuously throughout 2025.
This was their first full calendar year of operation, which was not necessarily each territory’s first 12 months in business.
| Measure | Disclosed 2025 result |
| Average Gross Sales | $209,719 |
| Highest Gross Sales | $312,866 |
| Median Gross Sales | $166,591 |
| Lowest Gross Sales | $155,295 |
| At or above average | 2 territories, 40% |
| Below average | 3 territories, 60% |
| At or above median | 3 territories, 60% |
| Below median | 2 territories, 40% |
For the most accurate and current information, review the latest Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) for Kitchen Guard. The financial figures presented here are historical results from franchised businesses as disclosed in Item 7 and Item 19 of the 2026 FDD.
These figures come from Item 19, Table B, and represent historical, unaudited Gross Sales for five qualifying territories. They do not represent profit, owner income, cash flow, return on investment, or expected results for a new franchise.
These results do not represent the entire system. Item 19 describes the territories as being in the early stages of development and cautions that their results may differ from those of more established territories.
How fast do new Kitchen Guard territories ramp up?
Item 19 reports monthly Gross Sales for 30 franchised territories that opened during 2025 and were operating as of December 31, 2025.
“Month 1” means the first month in which a territory reported revenue to the franchisor. It does not mean the month in which the franchise agreement was signed.
Because the territories opened at different times, the number represented decreases in the later months.
| Month of operation | Territories operating at least this many months | Average Gross Sales | Median Gross Sales | High | Low |
| 1 | 30 | $5,552 | $2,359 | $34,240 | $299 |
| 2 | 27 | $8,866 | $5,733 | $33,836 | $0 |
| 3 | 26 | $7,645 | $6,027 | $30,982 | $1,206 |
| 4 | 23 | $11,538 | $8,701 | $36,331 | $3,730 |
| 5 | 18 | $12,974 | $9,801 | $29,284 | $545 |
| 6 | 12 | $14,970 | $12,879 | $44,968 | $2,955 |
| 7 | 9 | $18,451 | $15,824 | $49,042 | $8,518 |
| 8 | 5 | $29,109 | $16,884 | $80,389 | $14,035 |
| 9 | 3 | $55,352 | $58,089 | $82,739 | $25,228 |
| 10 | 3 | $55,837 | $57,340 | $93,470 | $16,702 |
| 11 | 1 | $20,012 | $20,012 | $20,012 | $20,012 |
For the most accurate and current information, review the latest Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) for Kitchen Guard. The financial figures presented here are historical results from franchised businesses as disclosed in Item 7 and Item 19 of the 2026 FDD.
These figures come from Item 19, Table C, and represent historical, unaudited monthly Gross Sales. Each row uses the applicable reporting group, which becomes smaller in later months. The table does not represent a typical or guaranteed development path, profit, owner income, cash flow, break-even point, or return on investment.
The following measures complete the distribution information disclosed in Table C. Percentages are reproduced as reported in the FDD.
| Month | At or above average | Below average | At or above median | Below median |
| 1 | 8, 27% | 22, 73% | 15, 50% | 15, 50% |
| 2 | 10, 37% | 17, 63% | 14, 52% | 13, 48% |
| 3 | 11, 42% | 15, 58% | 13, 50% | 13, 50% |
| 4 | 8, 35% | 15, 65% | 12, 52% | 11, 48% |
| 5 | 7, 39% | 11, 61% | 9, 50% | 9, 50% |
| 6 | 5, 42% | 7, 58% | 6, 50% | 6, 50% |
| 7 | 3, 33% | 6, 67% | 5, 56% | 4, 44% |
| 8 | 1, 20% | 4, 80% | 3, 60% | 2, 40% |
| 9 | 2, 67% | 1, 33% | 2, 67% | 1, 33% |
| 10 | 2, 67% | 1, 33% | 2, 67% | 1, 33% |
| 11 | 1, 100% | 0, 0% | 1, 100% | 0, 0% |
For the most accurate and current information, review the latest Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) for Kitchen Guard. The financial figures presented here are historical results from franchised businesses as disclosed in Item 7 and Item 19 of the 2026 FDD.
These figures are the continuation of Item 19, Table C. Counts and percentages refer to each month’s reporting group, not to all 30 territories in every month.
The second column in the first Table C presentation is important. Later months represent progressively smaller groups of earlier-opening territories. Month 11 represents only one territory.
Differences between rows do not establish how an individual territory will develop. The table also does not show when a business may break even, produce positive cash flow, or compensate its owner.
Across these 30 territories, the average time from signing the franchise agreement to reporting the first month of revenue was approximately 177 days. This historical figure is not a guaranteed opening or revenue timeline.
Item 19 states that all 30 territories remained operational as of the FDD’s issuance date. That is a dated statement and does not confirm their current status.
What is Kitchen Guard’s average revenue per service?
Item 19 reports an Average Service Value of $702.27 for services performed by franchised territories during 2025.
Kitchen Guard calculated this amount by dividing total reported Gross Sales by the total number of services performed during the same period.
Average Service Value is not revenue per territory, profit per service, owner income, or necessarily cash collected. Service type, customer mix, frequency, and geographic conditions may affect the amount.
Did any Kitchen Guard territories close in 2025?
Item 19 states that one additional franchised territory closed during 2025 after operating for fewer than 12 months. That territory was excluded from the Item 19 financial-performance tables.
Item 20 Table 3 reports no terminations, non-renewals, reacquisitions, or franchised outlets ceasing operations for other reasons during 2025. It reports six franchised outlets at the start of the year, 32 openings, and 38 at year-end.
These disclosures do not reconcile on their face. This article does not calculate a closure rate or propose a reason for the difference.
Candidates should ask Kitchen Guard to explain how the territory referenced in Item 19 was classified in Item 20.
What are the Kitchen Guard owner requirements?
Kitchen Guard requires active involvement in managing a commercial-service business. Candidates should be prepared to oversee sales development, staffing, customer relationships, service quality, equipment, billing, collections, and financial performance.
The model may suit candidates prepared to:
- Prospect for commercial customers
- Develop and manage commercial accounts
- Recruit, train, and supervise employees
- Coordinate schedules, equipment, supplies, and vehicles
- Monitor billing, collections, expenses, and cash flow
- Follow approved service, supplier, technology, and marketing requirements
- Maintain reserves beyond the initial Item 7 estimate
It may be a poor fit for someone seeking guaranteed income, immediate owner compensation, or a hands-off investment.
Can a Kitchen Guard owner hire a manager?
A sole-proprietor franchisee or an entity’s Principal Operator must devote full time and best efforts to managing the business and personally supervising daily operations.
With prior written approval, day-to-day management may be delegated to a Designated Manager who completes the required training. The franchisee and Principal Operator remain responsible for the business.
Candidates should not assume that the Designated Manager provision makes Kitchen Guard a passive or part-time investment. Any proposed management arrangement should be confirmed with the franchisor in writing.
The franchised business must also have at least one dedicated, full-time salesperson trained to the franchisor’s satisfaction. This requirement begins on opening day and continues throughout operation.
The FDD separately requires active management and at least one dedicated, full-time salesperson, but it does not state that the owner must personally fill the salesperson position.
Candidates should nevertheless include the role in their staffing plan and ask about:
- Recruiting requirements
- Compensation structure
- Required training
- Sales-activity expectations
- Account-development responsibilities
- The personnel needed to deliver contracted services
FBA’s business owner-fit assessment can help organize a discussion about experience, available time, sales preferences, and management responsibilities.
What training is provided, and how long does opening take?
The Kitchen Guard Academy Initial Training Program combines online and in-person instruction.
The disclosed owner-training schedule includes online instruction and an eight-day component. Some technical and sales components are identified as optional, so candidates should confirm the required curriculum, participants, locations, and duration directly with Kitchen Guard.
The General Manager must complete the entire Kitchen Guard Academy Initial Training Program to the franchisor’s satisfaction.
Training subjects include:
- Kitchen exhaust cleaning
- Safety and cleaning techniques
- Sales and objection handling
- Business operations
- Accounting and financial management
- Logistics and scheduling
- Employee management
- Equipment and chemical use
- Marketing
- Customer relationship management
- Required technology and software
The FDD states that a company representative will visit the franchisee’s location within 60 days after opening.
Candidates should verify:
- Which components are mandatory
- Who must attend each component
- Where training will occur
- Which courses are optional
- What travel and lodging expenses apply
- Whether additional training fees may be charged
The FDD says franchisees typically open within 180 days after signing and must open no later than 270 days, subject to the agreement’s conditions.
Facilities, leases, financing, equipment, zoning, permits, staffing, training, weather, shortages, and delivery delays may affect the timeline.
Candidates should ask what must happen between signing, securing an approved location, completing training, hiring employees, obtaining required approvals, and beginning service.
How should candidates evaluate a Kitchen Guard franchise?
Candidates should evaluate several contractual, operational, and financial risks before investing.
These include:
- The franchisor’s short operating history
- Mandatory minimum payments
- Required sales-performance levels
- Signed franchises that have not yet opened
- Non-exclusive territory provisions
- Required suppliers and operating standards
- Additional capital needs after the initial three-month period
- Royalties calculated on amounts billed, whether or not collected
- Active management and full-time sales-staffing requirements
Candidates should also investigate applicable contractor, workplace-safety, insurance, licensing, environmental, and health requirements. These obligations and their costs may vary by market.
Are there legal or bankruptcy disclosures to review?
Item 3 states that no litigation is required to be disclosed.
Item 4 contains a personal Chapter 7 bankruptcy disclosure involving Senior Vice President of Brand Development John Dobelbower, who was then doing business as Green Option Recycling.
The petition was filed January 6, 2020, and a discharge was entered April 9, 2020.
This is not a disclosure that Kitchen Guard, its parent, or a Kitchen Guard franchisee filed for bankruptcy. Candidates should review the complete disclosure with counsel and consider it in its proper context.
Questions to ask Kitchen Guard before signing
Candidates should use the FDD and its financial disclosures to develop questions rather than to estimate personal income from Gross Sales alone.
Questions to ask Kitchen Guard include:
- What capital have recent franchisees required beyond the Item 7 estimate?
- What equipment and supply purchases are normally required during months four through 12?
- What is the anticipated cost of the second service vehicle?
- Which Item 19 reporting group is most comparable to the proposed territory?
- What expenses did the territories represented in Item 19 incur?
- How do billing and collection periods affect working-capital needs?
- How are Gross Billings and royalty tiers calculated and reconciled?
- How are uncollected customer billings treated for royalty purposes?
- How do Regional Accounts and Centrally Managed Accounts work?
- How are customer leads allocated?
- What support is available to territories approaching the year-four performance requirement?
- What commonly causes delays between signing and opening?
- How was the territory that closed during 2025 classified in Item 20?
- Can the franchisor provide the written substantiation supporting Item 19?
- Which current and former franchisees can candidates contact?
Candidates should speak directly with current and former franchisees about account acquisition, customer concentration, collections, staffing, employee turnover, equipment spending, service delivery, working capital, and franchisor support.
The FTC’s Consumer’s Guide to Buying a Franchise explains why sales figures alone do not establish profitability and why candidates should investigate expenses, contractual obligations, and owner qualifications.
FBA’s free franchise education webinar and FranPath Live sessions provide additional education on reviewing a franchise opportunity.
Kitchen Guard franchise FAQs
How much does a Kitchen Guard franchise cost?
Kitchen Guard’s 2026 FDD estimates an initial investment of $210,486–$285,883, including a $49,000 initial franchise fee and three months of additional funds.
Item 7 separately identifies $60,000–$80,000 in additional equipment and supply needs and $40,000–$60,000 in additional working capital during months four through 12. It also anticipates a second service vehicle before the end of the first year without providing a separate price estimate.
Is Kitchen Guard a residential cleaning franchise?
No. Kitchen Guard focuses on commercial kitchens. Franchisees may not provide services to residential customers without the franchisor’s prior written consent.
Does Kitchen Guard disclose franchisee profitability?
No. Item 19 provides selected historical, unaudited Gross Sales information for specified territory groups.
It does not disclose franchisee expenses, operating income, net income, owner salary, cash flow, break-even results, or return on investment.
What is the difference between Gross Sales and Gross Billings?
Gross Sales is the defined measure used in Item 19’s historical financial-performance information.
Gross Billings is the defined measure used to calculate royalties, Promotional Fund contributions, and the year-four performance requirement.
Both measures may include amounts that have not yet been collected, but their definitions and uses are not identical.
How long does it take to report initial revenue?
Across the 30 territories that opened during 2025, the average time from signing the franchise agreement to reporting the first month of revenue was approximately 177 days.
This is a historical average, not a guaranteed opening, revenue, break-even, or profitability timeline.
Can Kitchen Guard be a passive investment?
Candidates should not treat Kitchen Guard as a passive investment.
The franchise documents require active, full-time management and supervision. An approved and trained Designated Manager may assume day-to-day responsibilities, but the franchisee and Principal Operator remain responsible for the business.
Does Kitchen Guard require a full-time salesperson?
Yes. Each franchised business must have at least one dedicated, full-time salesperson trained to the franchisor’s satisfaction beginning on opening day.
Does Kitchen Guard provide an exclusive territory?
No. Kitchen Guard grants a geographic but non-exclusive territory.
The franchisor retains specified rights involving Regional Accounts, Centrally Managed Accounts, other distribution channels, lead allocation, multi-location customers, and other exceptions.
What monthly sales level applies beginning in year four?
Beginning in the fourth year of operation, the franchise agreement requires at least $40,000 in monthly Gross Billings within the territory to maintain territory rights.
This is a contractual performance requirement, not a prediction that a franchisee will reach that billing level.
How can candidates explore Kitchen Guard franchise opportunities?
Candidates can begin by evaluating their available capital, management experience, sales preferences, desired ownership role, and willingness to build commercial accounts.
They should then request the latest effective FDD and review the opportunity with qualified legal, financial, and tax advisors.
For help discussing ownership requirements and investment parameters, candidates can request franchise guidance at no cost through FBA’s franchise consulting service.
Ready to take the next step?
The Franchise Brokers Association connects aspiring owners with the guidance, tools, and franchise options they need to make a confident, informed decision. Whether you are still exploring or ready to move forward, explore franchise opportunities with the support of an experienced FBA consultant.
