Overall costs for Qdoba Mexican Grill run anywhere from $545,500 to $1,095,000. See how the costs break down and what funding options might be right for your new venture into the franchise foray.
Estimated initial costs
Our cost estimates are accurate as of 2021 from Franchise Direct and include opening fees and expenses only. The location you choose for your Qdoba Mexican Grill franchise may result in higher or lower fees.
Franchise fees
Qdoba Mexican Grill franchise fees total around $30,000, which beats out the $37,000 average for the 200 largest franchises nationwide.
| Franchise fee |
$30,000 to $30,000 |
| Estimated total |
$30,000 to $30,000 |
Equipment fees
Equipment fees total $306,000 for Qdoba Mexican Grill. This costs more than the $180,023 average for the top 200 franchises.
| Furnishings, fixtures and equipment |
$185,000 to $320,000 |
| Signage |
$5,000 to $50,000 |
| IT and other systems |
$20,000 to $32,000 |
| Estimated total |
$210,000 to $402,000 |
Real estate fees
Real estate will set you back $355,000 for Qdoba Mexican Grill, thought it's less than the average of $788,376 for the top 200 franchises.
| Development costs, including plans, legal fees and permits |
$80,000 to $50,000 |
| Leasehold improvements |
$180,000 to $400,000 |
| Real property lease and purchase costs |
Varies depending on location to |
| Estimated total |
$260,000 to $450,000 |
Inventory costs
Initial inventory for Qdoba Mexican Grill shakes out to $7,500. This is less than the nationwide average of $53,119.
| Opening inventory |
$5,000 to $10,000 |
| Estimated total |
$5,000 to $10,000 |
Marketing costs
Advertisement and marketing costs total up to $15,000 for Qdoba Mexican Grill, which is more than the nationwide average of $9,938.
| Grand opening advertising at traditional sites |
$5,000 to $25,000 |
| Local advertising |
A minimum of 1.75% of gross sales. |
| Estimated total |
$5,000 to $25,000 |
Licenses and permits costs
Qdoba Mexican Grill initial licenses and permits will set you back $1,750. This comes out to less than $18,770 — the overall nationwide average.
| Liquor license |
Varies depending on location to |
| Business licenses, health permits and similar permits |
$500 to $3,000 |
| Estimated total |
$500 to $3,000 |
Insurance costs
Initial insurance costs for Qdoba Mexican Grill run $7,500. This means you'll be paying more than the overall nationwide average of $6,311.
| Insurance, excluding several types of coverage |
$5,000 to $10,000 |
| Estimated total |
$5,000 to $10,000 |
Other expenses
Miscellaneous expenses for Qdoba Mexican Grill total $97,500 — more than the nationwide average of $69,970.
| Miscellaneous pre-opening expenses |
$5,000 to $15,000 |
| Three months' additional funds |
$25,000 to $150,000 |
| Estimated total |
$30,000 to $165,000 |
All costs were found using the 200 largest franchises nationwide using Franchise Direct's list of more than 300 franchises, and are accurate as of 2021.
How to finance
Since the estimated total for Qdoba Mexican Grill is on the more costly side, we recommend following these steps to get fully financed:
- Go to the Qdoba Mexican Grill franchising website and review its financial requirements, including cash-on-hand requirements.
- Reach out to Qdoba Mexican Grill about in-house financing for franchisees.
- If in-house financing isn't available, look for online loans, bank loans and SBA loans to help meet the $820,250 estimated opening costs.
- Compare lenders based on amounts, interest rates and what types of personal and business credit history they accept.
- Once you settle on a lender, gather all required documents, including account statements and assets.
- Apply for financing online or in person as required by the lender.
What types of financing is available?
You have several options when it comes to financing a Qdoba Mexican Grill — even if the cost is on the heavier side. What assets you have available will largely determine how much you need to borrow, and which option suits you best.
- Online loan. A number of online business lenders offer amounts up to $1 million, with some extending up to $5 million.
- Bank loan. Your personal credit will typically need to at least be good — 670 or higher — when it comes to getting a bank loan large enough to cover a significant portion of Qdoba Mexican Grill opening costs.
- SBA loan. While your personal credit score doesn't need to be as good to qualify for an SBA loan, they usually cost more than standard term loans from banks or online lenders.
Also check if Qdoba Mexican Grill franchise financing is available. You may be able to get some of the costs covered for less than you would with other traditional funding options.
Compare small business lenders
You may not need financing to cover the estimated $545,500. But if you need funds for other business ventures, select the loan amount, your time in business and revenue and your personal credit score to compare a selection of lenders.
How Qdoba Mexican Grill stacks up
Compare how Qdoba Mexican Grill holds up against two similarly sized franchises.
| Average Franchise fees |
$31,250 |
$30,000 |
$35,000 |
| Average Equipment fees |
$86,275 |
$306,000 |
$288,000 |
| Average Real estate fees |
$43,000 |
$355,000 |
$342,125 |
| Average Training fees |
$2,415 |
NA |
$7,500 |
| Average Inventory fees |
$57,750 |
$7,500 |
$20,000 |
| Average Marketing fees |
$15,000 |
$15,000 |
$10,000 |
| Average Licenses and permits fees |
NA |
$1,750 |
$2,750 |
| Average Insurance fees |
NA |
$7,500 |
$11,250 |
| Average Admin fees |
$6,225 |
NA |
NA |
| Average Personnel fees |
NA |
NA |
NA |
| Average Other fees |
$41,425 |
$97,500 |
$33,450 |
Bottom line
Qdoba Mexican Grill franchise costs run a total of $820,250. Before you decide to become a franchisee, compare the total costs against industry averages. And to learn more about financing
read our guide to franchise financing.
