
Bar Louie
Food & Beverage · Full-Service Restaurants
- Active units
- 18
- Avg unit volume
- $3.1M
- Royalty
- 5.0%
Franchised, year-end 2023
of weekly Net Sales
About Bar Louie
Bar Louie is a popular chain of bar and restaurant headquartered in Addison, Texas, United States. The company was founded in 1991 by Roger Greenfield and Ted Kasemir, initially as a local neighborhood bar in Chicago. Bar Louie offers a casual dining experience with a focus on hand-crafted cocktails, extensive beer selection, and a diverse menu of American cuisine. Their menu includes a range of appetizers, burgers, sandwiches, salads, and entrees, catering to a variety of tastes and dietary preferences. With its lively atmosphere and urban decor, Bar Louie aims to create a fun and inviting environment for its customers. While Bar Louie primarily operates in the United States, it has expanded its footprint over the years. As of now, there are more than 100 Bar Louie locations across the country. The company does not have any noteworthy international subsidiaries, joint ventures, or partnerships. In terms of market position, Bar Louie has established itself as a leading chain in the bar and restaurant industry, attracting a diverse customer base. It faces competition from other casual dining chains such as Buffalo Wild Wings, TGI Fridays, and Applebee's. However, Bar Louie differentiates itself with its unique ambiance and focus on craft cocktails. Over the years, Bar Louie has undergone some changes to fuel its growth. In 2010, the company was acquired by Sun Capital Partners, a private equity firm. This acquisition brought new investment and resources to Bar Louie, allowing it to expand and open new locations in various states. Additionally, the company has periodically refreshed its menu to introduce new dishes and flavors, staying relevant to evolving customer preferences. As of the latest updates available, Bar Louie is currently operating as a privately held company. It continues to offer its distinctive combination of drinks, food, and entertainment, with a strong commitment to customer satisfaction and dining experience.
Key terms
- Franchise fee
$50k
- Development Fee credit
25000 credit toward each $50,000 initial franchise fee for units under a Development Agreement
- Brand fund
1.5% of Net Sales
- Local advertising
3.0% of Net Sales
- Footprint
6,000 – 8,000 sq ft
- Development Agreement
$25k
- Veteran discount
Not offered
Brand Percentile Rankings
Rankings compare brands in the same operating year. Fee and investment figures come from the FDD (2024 filing).
Growth
- Total locations18
Franchised units open at year-end
- New openings0
Gross new units opened during the calendar year
- 1-year unit growth rate-10.0%
Net unit growth versus prior year
- 3-year unit CAGR-7.4%
Compound annual growth rate of unit count over the trailing 3 years
- Unit growth ratio0.0×
Cumulative opens / closures through year-end
Unit economics
- Annual unit volume (Median)$3.1M
Mean annual gross sales for franchised units not located in a hotel for 2023.
- Annual unit volume (25th percentile)—
Per FDD Item 19 disclosure
- Annual unit volume (75th percentile)—
Per FDD Item 19 disclosure
- 1-year Median AUV growth rate—
Year-over-year change in median AUV
- Store-level EBITDA Margin—
Median unit-level EBITDA / AUV
Investment profile
- Estimated initial investment$2.5M
Midpoint of estimated initial investment range
↓ Lower is better - Time to open6 months
Midpoint of average time from agreement to opening
↓ Lower is better - Royalty rate5.0%
Percent of net sales paid to the franchisor
↓ Lower is better - Sales-to-investment ratio1.2×
Median AUV / estimated initial investment midpoint
- Cash-on-cash returns—
Median unit-level EBITDA / estimated initial investment midpoint. Steady-state estimate; year 1 returns will be lower as the unit ramps to median volumes.
Franchisee healthLocked
- Unit closure ratio
- Transfer vs. closure ratio
- Percent multi-unit franchisees
- Litigation rate
- EBITDA multiple on sales & transfers
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Sources
Financial and operating figures are sourced from the brand's Franchise Disclosure Documents. Brand percentile rankings are based on comparisons to other brands that include the same metrics in their Franchise Disclosure Documents.