Quick Verdict · who it fits
Young Chefs Academy fits first-time franchise buyers looking for an emerging child services concept.
The numbers a buyer needs first — straight from the filing.
Initial investment (Item 7)
$239K - $563K
Franchise fee (Item 5)
$50K
Royalty (Item 6)
6% + 2% ad
Item 19 median rev
$372k Full Time Dual Classroom Operators
System size (Item 20)
30 +5
Agreement term
10 yrs
Years in business
21+ yrs
Company-owned units
2
Item 3 litigation
None disclosed
Model Young Chefs Academy's costs in the investment calculator → Prefilled from this filing — startup cost, cash flow and break-even.
Buyer qualifications
✓Exclusive territory•Owner-operator required✓No bankruptcy disclosed✓No Item 3 litigation
Data extracted from the 2026 FDD filed with state regulators. Fees and terms may have changed since filing — request the current FDD from the franchisor before deciding. Not legal, financial, or investment advice. Full disclaimer.
Where units actually land — not just the headline average.
P25
$162k
Median
$372k
P75
$425k
▪ n = 9 units · Full Time Dual Classroom Operators · fiscal year 2025 · Source: 2026 FDD Item 19
Drag to your projected annual sales. Royalty 6% + ad fund 2% on gross sales.
PROJECTED ANNUAL SALES$370,000
$100k$2M
Royalty (6%)
—
Ad fund (2%)
—
Total / year
—
▪ Of-sales fees only · excludes rent, labor, COGS, and one-time costs · for illustration
Free AI summary — the first read on the filing.
30
Total units open
3
Units opened last year
5
Units closed last year
−2
Net unit growth
What our analysis flagged across the 2026 filing.
5
Risks to review
3
Strengths identified
4
Questions to ask
How Young Chefs Academy ranks against 138 Child Services & Education peers we've analyzed.
Initial investment
65th pct · of 138 peers
Franchise fee
63rd pct · of 138 peers
System size
48th pct · of 138 peers
Child Services & Education industry averages
Avg investment
$372K - $1.0M
Avg franchise fee
$46K
Avg system size
95
Franchises analyzed
138
Closest concepts by category and investment.
| Brand | Item 19 | Fee | Investment | Royalty | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Young Chefs Academy | Disclosed | $50K | $239K - $563K | 6% | 30 |
| Driving AcademySimilar price | Disclosed | $50K | $224K - $557K | 10% | 6 |
| Kumon North AmericaBiggest system | Disclosed | $2K | $102K - $234K | — | 1,705 |
| Uatp ManagementTop-rated in category | Disclosed | $100K | $2.9M - $5.4M | 7% | 202 |
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Free explainers to go deeper before you sign.
Young Chefs Academy requires a $50,000 initial franchise fee and a total initial investment range of $238,735–$563,164, per the most recent FDD on file.
Young Chefs Academy is franchised by YCA Franchising, Inc., the franchisor entity of record on its Franchise Disclosure Document. Item 1 of the FDD discloses the franchisor's corporate history, parents, and predecessors.
Yes. Young Chefs Academy discloses Item 19 financial performance representations with reported revenue around $372,155. See the financials sub-page for the full distribution.
Franchisees pay a royalty of 6% and an advertising fund contribution of 2% on gross sales as defined in Item 6 of the FDD.
As of their 2026 FDD, Young Chefs Academy has 30 total locations, with 5 new locations opened in the most recent reporting year. This information comes from Item 20 of the FDD.
Yes. Young Chefs Academy grants franchisees an exclusive territory under Item 12 of the FDD. Note that exclusive territories often carve out online sales, alternative distribution channels, and non-traditional venues — review the full Item 12 language before signing.
Per the FDD, Young Chefs Academy discloses an initial agreement term of 10 years, a renewal fee of $5,000, a transfer fee of $15,000. Review Items 10 and 17 for the full renewal and termination provisions.
This page is part of VetMyFranchise. View all pages: llms.txt · llms-full.txt