What was the median Employee Benefits expense for Buona restaurants during the period of 1/1/24 - 12/29/24?
Buona Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
| 1/1/24 - 12/29/24 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BUONA Drive Thru | High | Low Average | Median | ||
| BUONA Restaurant Sales (1) | 3,604,343 | 94.0% | 2,365,094 | 90.7% 3,052,745 91.6% | 3,042,604 90.8% |
| BUONA Catering Sales (2) | 228,438 | 6.0% | 242,959 | 9.3% 279,389 8.4% | 289,658 8.6% |
| Total Gross Sales | 3,832,781 | 100.0% | 2,608,053 | 100.0% 3,332,134 100.0% | 3,351,553 100.0% |
| Food Cost (3) | 1,089,652 | 28.4% | 769,233 | 29.5% 979,500 29.4% | 989,442 29.5% |
| Packaging Cost (4) | 115,050 | 3.0% | 77,485 | 3.0% 100,454 3.0% | 100,397 3.0% |
| Gross Profit (5) | 2,628,079 | 68.6% | 1,761,335 | 67.5% 2,252,181 67.6% | 2,261,714 67.5% |
| Salaries & Wages (6) | 900,477 | 23.5% | 672,648 | 25.8% 795,936 23.9% | 793,357 23.7% |
| Employee Benefits (7) | 146,070 | 3.8% | 113,221 | 4.3% 132,596 4.0% | 137,055 4.1% |
| Direct Operating Expenses (8) | 26,795 | 0.7% | 31,029 | 1.2% 28,697 0.9% | 28,034 0.8% |
| Supplies & Chemicals (9) | 33,097 | 0.9% | 30,138 | 1.2% 34,973 1.0% | 35,062 1.0% |
| Utilities (10) | 61,621 | 1.6% | 57,294 | 2.2% 62,205 1.9% | 59,043 1.8% |
| General & Administrative (11) | 113,676 | 3.0% | 109,592 | 4.2% 116,216 3.5% | 113,436 3.4% |
| Repairs & Maintenance (12) | 49,684 | 1.3% | 37,275 | 1.4% 57,192 1.7% | 59,487 1.8% |
| Sales Incentives (13) | 278,738 | 7.3% | 172,529 | 6.6% 218,056 6.5% | 208,184 6.2% |
| Tech Fee (14) | 5,200 | 0.1% | 5,200 | 0.2% 5,200 0.2% | 5,200 0.2% |
| Local Advertising (15) | 38,328 | 1.0% | 26,081 | 1.0% 33,321 1.0% | 33,516 1.0% |
| Brand Marketing Fund (16) | 95,820 | 2.5% | 65,201 | 2.5% 83,303 2.5% | 83,789 2.5% |
| Royalty (17) | 153,311 | 4.0% | 104,322 | 4.0% 133,285 4.0% | 134,062 4.0% |
| Income (18) | 725,262 | 18.9% | 336,805 | 12.9% 551,199 16.5% | 543,066 16.2% |
Source: Item 19 — FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE REPRESENTATIONS (FDD pages 60–75)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Buona's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the median Employee Benefits expense for Buona restaurants during the period of January 1, 2024 to December 29, 2024, was $137,055, representing 4.1% of total gross sales. This figure is based on the performance of Buona Drive Thru restaurants. Employee Benefits are defined as including payroll taxes, workers compensation contributions, health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, and POS discounts given to store staff.
It's important to note that this median value is derived from a specific subset of Buona restaurants (those with drive-thrus) and may not be representative of all franchise locations, such as those in inline locations or dual-brand concepts. The FDD provides additional financial performance data for these other types of locations, which may have different cost structures and revenue streams.
A prospective franchisee should carefully consider the components included in Employee Benefits, as these costs can vary based on factors such as staffing levels, insurance plan choices, and local regulations. Understanding these variables and how they might impact the profitability of a Buona franchise is crucial for making an informed investment decision.
Comparing this median Employee Benefits expense to industry benchmarks can provide further context. While the 4.1% figure offers a snapshot of Buona's performance, franchisees should also research typical employee benefit costs in the restaurant industry and their specific geographic area to assess the competitiveness and potential profitability of a Buona franchise.