Start a Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ Restaurant Franchise in 2025

2025 Franchise 500 Rank: #247 Ranked #188 last year

Initial investment: $1.2M - $2.6M

Units as of 2024: 741 9% over 3 years

Gyu-Kaku, which is Japanese for "horn of the bull," is an international yakiniku restaurant. Founded in 1996 and franchising since 1997, Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ Restaurant’s mission is to empower customers through the freedom of cooking their food using convenient, self-venting in-table roasters. Reins International USA improved and reshaped the restaurant's concept once it hit the U.S. to fit the local market.

The Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ Restaurant system has more than 750 locations globally, built on an initial decade of franchising experience in Japan. In the U.S., Reins International operates several units and boasts many years of modified operating experience. The franchisor wants to expand to more U.S. states and regions in the coming years.

Why You May Want to Start a Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ Restaurant Franchise

The Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ Restaurant system runs efficiently through limited daily food preparation and cooking staff requirements. After all, most of the menu items are served raw, so the kitchen staff's role is to assemble the orders before delivering them to the tables. With a Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ Restaurant franchise, you get to watch as your staff gives customers helpful tips as they cook their dinners.

Whether the customers like the autonomy of cooking their meals or the idea of grilling and draining fat off their food, the smoke-free, self-grill formula at Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ Restaurants franchises are working to pull in customers. The company's reputation for providing extensive and dedicated training and support to its franchisees may be one of the best.

What Might Make a Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ Franchise a Good Choice?

Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ Restaurants has been ranked on Entrepreneur Magazine's Franchise 500 list many times in the past decade. This ranking is based on an evaluation of more than 150 data points in the areas of costs and fees, size and growth, franchisee support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability.

If you're interested in opening a Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ franchise, you should make sure you're financially ready for an initial investment made up of a franchise fee and other startup costs. You should also prepare yourself for ongoing fees that will include royalty fees and advertising fees. There is also a minimum net worth requirement and a liquid capital requirement that franchisees must meet. The initial franchise term typically lasts for ten years, but you may renew it anytime after the period as long as you meet certain conditions.

How To Open a Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ Restaurants Franchise

To begin your Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ Restaurants franchise, simply submit a franchise request form. If you are seen as a good fit, Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ Restaurants may reach out to you via a franchise representative with more information about the company and opportunity.

Potential franchisees may also receive a more in-depth Franchise Disclosure Document, which is where you will find the numbers that reflect the brand's performance as an investment. The company will also give you a chance to verify this document by speaking with existing Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ Restaurants franchisees.

From here, they may invite you to the company's headquarters in Torrance, California to meet the executive team. If both parties agree, you may soon sign the franchise agreement, pay the necessary fees, and begin setting up your location with the franchise team's help.

Company Overview

About Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ Restaurant

Industry	Food
Related Categories	Miscellaneous Full-Service Restaurants
Founded	1996
Parent Company	Reins USA Franchise Co.
Leadership	Ryo Tozu, CEO
Corporate Address	20000 Mariner Ave., #500 Torrance, CA 90503
Social	Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok

Business Overview

Franchising Since	1997 (28 years)
# of employees at HQ	49
Where seeking	This company is offering new franchises in the following US states: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming This company is offering new franchises in the following international regions: Asia, Canada, Mexico
# of Units	741 (as of 2024)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ Restaurant franchise.

Financial Requirements & Ongoing Fees

Here's what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.

Initial Franchise Fee Definition: The initial fee paid to a franchisor to join their system What you need to know: Found in Item 5 of the FDD, this may be a flat fee, or may vary based on territory size, experience, or other factors.The franchise fee is an up-front (one-time) cost that a new franchisee pays to the franchisor. This fee is usually due at the signing of the franchise agreement and covers the right to use the franchisor's trademarks, name, and related business systems.	$50,000
Initial Investment Definition: The total amount necessary to begin operation of the franchise What you need to know: The initial investment includes the franchise fee, along with other startup expenses such as real estate, equipment, supplies, business licenses, and working capital. This is outlined in a chart in Item 7 of the FDD, showing a range of possible costs from low to high.	$1,215,444 - $2,606,540
Net Worth Requirement Definition: The minimum net worth you must have in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company What you need to know: Net worth is the value of a person's assets minus liabilities. Assets include cash, stocks, retirement accounts, and real estate. Liabilities include items like mortgages, car payments, and credit card debt.	$1,500,000 - $2,000,000
Cash Requirement Definition: The minimum liquid capital you must have available in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company.	$500,000
Royalty Fee Definition: A ongoing fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis. What you need to know: Most franchisors require franchisees to pay an ongoing royalty fee, which is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD. This fee is typically a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales, but may also be a flat weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	4%-5%
Ad Royalty Fee Definition: An going fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis to support advertising or marketing efforts. What you need to know: This may also be called advertising fee, marketing fee, brand fund fee, and more, but the basic purpose is the same-- to support promotion of the brand systemwide. As with the royalty fee, it is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD, and can be a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales or a weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	1.5%
Term of Agreement Definition: The length of time your franchise agreement will last. What you need to know: Franchise terms are typically anywhere from 5 to 20 years in length, but are sometimes instead dependent on factors such as the term of your lease. Once your term is up, you may have the option to renew your agreement, typically for a smaller fee than the original franchise fee.	10 years
Is franchise term renewable?	Yes

Training & Support Offered

Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.

On-The-Job Training	304 hours
Classroom Training	46 hours
Ongoing Support	Newsletter Meetings & Conventions Grand Opening Online Support Security & Safety Procedures Lease Negotiation Field Operations Site Selection
Marketing Support	Co-op Advertising Ad Templates Regional Advertising Social Media SEO Website Development Email Marketing Loyalty Program/App

Operations

Additional details about running this franchise.

Is absentee ownership allowed?	No
Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit? Definition: The business can be run from your home and/or a vehicle, and it is not necessary to have a retail facility, office space, or warehouse.	No
Can this franchise be run part time? Definition: This business can be run by the owner on a part-time basis (less than 40 hours per week) and/or as a side business; it is not necessary for the business to be open/run full-time.	No
# of employees required to run	35
Are exclusive territories available? Definition: An exclusive territory is a fixed area in which you are given the right to operate and in which no other units of the same franchise may be opened. What you need to know: Territory size may be based on factors such as radius, population size, zip codes, and more. Details can be found in Item 12 of the FDD.	No