Franchisor Stories
Franchise Opportunity Deep Dive: Keke’s Breakfast Cafe® is a well-established breakfast and lunch brand serving high-quality, fresh meals in a warm, family-friendly environment.
Keke’s Breakfast Cafe is a burgeoning breakfast and lunch franchise that offers fresh, made-to-order meals in a welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere. With 70 locations and plans for rapid expansion, Keke’s aims to be a leading name in the breakfast and brunch industry.
Founded in 2006, Keke’s Breakfast Cafe was created by two brothers who wanted to bring a modern twist to the classic American breakfast. After relocating to Florida and struggling to find breakfast spots that reminded them of their hometown favorites in Philadelphia, they set out to create something better. This vision led to the birth of Keke’s — a breakfast and lunch cafe built around fresh ingredients, generous portions, a spotless environment and warm, efficient service. Since its inception, Keke’s has grown rapidly, with more than 80 locations across the United States and plans for continued expansion.
Mission: Keke’s Breakfast Cafe aims to serve delicious, made-to-order meals in a family-friendly environment, offering a high-quality dining experience for every customer. The brand is committed to bringing the best breakfast and lunch options to each community it serves, ensuring guests leave happy and satisfied.
Vision: Keke’s vision is to become a household name in the breakfast and brunch industry by expanding across the U.S. while serving 40 million fresh starts annually by 2030. The brand strives to maintain its high standards of quality, service and community engagement as it continues its growth journey.
Keke’s is continuing its expansion across various regions in the U.S. Specific available territories can be explored by contacting the franchise development team. For more details, visit the Keke's franchise website.
Initial Costs: The total estimated initial investment to open a Keke’s Breakfast Cafe franchise ranges from $638,425 - $1,938,813, depending on location and other factors. According to the 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), these costs break down as follows:
| Item | Min | Max |
| Initial Franchise Fee | $30,000 | $30,000 |
| Location Assistance Fee | $0 | $500 |
| Rent (3 Months) | $28,125 | $56,813 |
| Security Deposits | $2,500 | $25,000 |
| Leasehold Improvements | $195,000 | $975,000 |
| Equipment, Furniture & Fixtures | $260,000 | $325,000 |
| POS Computer System | $25,000 | $40,000 |
| Insurance (3 Months) | $15,000 | $50,000 |
| Alcohol License | $1,000 | $40,000 |
| Permits & Licenses | $500 | $2,500 |
| Initial Inventory | $13,000 | $26,000 |
| Signage | $7,700 | $19,500 |
| Grand Opening Advertising | $7,500 | $7,500 |
| Blueprints | $0 | $32,500 |
| New Restaurant Opening Fee | $20,000 | $20,000 |
| Training Expenses | $0 | $25,000 |
| Professional Fees | $2,500 | $7,500 |
| Construction Impact Fees | $0 | $154,500 |
| Additional Funds | $30,600 | $101,500 |
Initial Franchise Fee: The initial franchise fee is $30,000, due upon signing the franchise agreement.
Ongoing Fees: According to the 2026 FDD, Keke’s franchisees are responsible for the following ongoing costs and fees:
| Type of Fee | Amount |
| Royalty Fee | 5% - 5.5% of gross sales/week |
| Brand Building Fund | 2% - 3% of gross sales/week |
| Technology Support Fee | $60/week |
ROI Potential: Based on data in the 2026 FDD, 27 franchised restaurants utilizing iLumen Reporting Software* posted the following average operating results for FY 2025:
| Franchises Reporting | Net Sales | EBITDA |
| Top 50% | $2,423,089 | $637,964 |
| Bottom 50% | $1,611,895 | $310,347 |
| Average | $2,002,470 | $468,088 |
Keke’s franchise process begins with engagement through an application form that collects key ownership information, including capital, net worth and restaurant experience. Leadership on the franchising team, including directors of franchise development and franchise relations, are positioned to guide new partners through early steps toward opening.
Keke’s provides a 10-day comprehensive training program covering all aspects of restaurant management, food preparation, customer service and marketing. The program is designed to prepare franchisees and their leadership teams to execute the brand’s standards from day one while building confidence in both front- and back-of-house operations.
Franchisees have ongoing access to corporate leadership, with named directors for franchise relations and supply chain and product innovation listed on the brand’s leadership roster. The organization’s expansion strategy and involvement from experienced restaurant executives support systemwide operational consistency and growth.
Keke’s equips franchisees with point-of-sale systems, inventory management software and marketing tools designed to streamline daily operations and strengthen customer engagement. These systems support order accuracy, cost control and local marketing execution while helping operators maintain consistency across the brand’s high-volume, single-shift model.
Prior restaurant or hospitality experience is preferred but not required.
Franchisees should plan for a full-time, hands-on role, managing day-to-day operations. The business model is generally not suited for semi-absentee ownership.
Keke’s does not provide direct financing but encourages prospective franchisees to seek third-party lending options or other financial institutions for assistance.
“Being a Keke’s franchisee is about more than just serving breakfast—we’re creating fresh starts in our communities every day. The single-shift model lets us run a high-volume business while our teams can still have dinner with their families."
- John Ehrhard, Multi-Unit Franchisee — Florida
Visit the Keke’s franchise website for more franchisee testimonials and success stories.
The U.S. breakfast and brunch restaurant market is valued at nearly $16 billion and continues to grow. The market for quick-service and sit-down breakfast franchises is expected to see steady growth due to consumer demand for higher-quality breakfast foods.
While IHOP, First Watch and Waffle House lead the breakfast segment, Keke’s stands out by offering a premium breakfast experience with made-to-order meals and exceptional service. The brand's focus on fresh ingredients and modern dining environments provides a competitive edge in the breakfast category.
*Keke’s had 27 franchise restaurants report their full year information for FY 2025 through iLumen Reporting Software.
Want to learn more about franchise opportunities on 1851 Franchise? Be sure to visit our Power Rankings to read more on brands making moves.
Every great franchisee had help buying a franchise. Want to learn more about how 1851 helps franchisees find the right franchise opportunity? Visit www.1851growthclub.com and start your journey.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only. You should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. Nothing contained on this site constitutes a solicitation, recommendation, endorsement, or offer to buy or sell any franchises, securities, or other financial instruments in this or in any other jurisdiction in which such solicitation or offer would be unlawful under the franchise and/or securities laws of such jurisdiction.
All content in this article is information of a general nature and does not address the detailed circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Nothing in the article constitutes professional and/or financial advice, nor does any information in the email constitute a comprehensive or complete statement of the matters discussed or the law relating thereto. You alone assume the sole responsibility of evaluating the merits and risks associated with the use of any information or other content in this article before making any decisions based on such information or other content.
Sign up for the 1851 Franchise newsletter to get our biggest stories before everyone else
By signing up, you agree to our user agreement (including class action waiver and arbitration provisions), and acknowledge our privacy policy.
