About Chop Stop

If you’re interested in a healthier fast food restaurant franchise, you’ve come to the right place. Chop Stop is the fast-growing, low-cost, chopped salad concept with nine years of sales history and tremendous regional brand recognition throughout Southern California. When you chop a salad so fine you can eat it with a spoon, you get a flavor explosion in every bite — and a legion of customers addicted to your food! A Chop Stop salad franchise can be your ticket to both business ownership and a healthier lifestyle. Capitalize on the growing consumer desire for convenient, health-oriented restaurant options. By offering a unique menu of customizable chopped salads and other fresh items, your customers will enjoy creating a different delicious meal every day. And you’ll enjoy a healthy business model, heightened by Chop Stop’s broad consumer appeal and lightning fast service times.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much cash do I need to have in the bank? You will need a minimum $175K in cash to procure an SBA loan. Property and other collateral assets do not count as cash. We will introduce you to our preferred SBA lenders who are familiar with Chop Stop and can expedite the process.

How much will it cost to open? The total investment necessary to begin operation of a Chop Stop salad restaurant is estimated to be from $315K to $599K. That includes everything from the franchise fee to hiring a staff to extra working capital during your first months of operation. For further details, visit our Costs page.

Do I need restaurant experience? Not at all. If you watch the video on this page, you’ll see that our first franchisee was a stay-at-home mom for 18 years before opening her first location. And now, three years later, she has three stores open!

Where can I open a Chop Stop? Having the proper regional infrastructure to support franchisees is crucial. That is why our current efforts are limited to seven states in the west: California, Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, Washington, Colorado and Utah. (However, if you are a multi-unit operator in another state looking to open 10+ locations within a four-year period we are open to talk.) The Locations page on our consumer site shows where we currently have restaurants open. Once we reach the 100-restaurant milestone, we will expand into other states. What kind of training and support will I receive? We pride ourselves on our extraordinary franchisee support. We hold your hand through every step of the process, from real estate negotiation to your grand opening and beyond. Our salad franchise training course is six weeks long for four people. For more details, see our Franchise Process and Training pages.

What does the food look like? Great question! Check out our delicious online Menu. But beware… you may be overcome by a craving for a chopped salad that cannot easily be satisfied if you don’t have a Chop Stop near you!

What are your fees? The initial franchise fee is $30K. The royalty fee is 5% of your weekly net sales as defined in our franchise agreement, and the advertising fee is up to 2.5% of your weekly net sales.

Are you a member of VetFran? Yes! Honorably discharged, full-time veterans can receive up to a $10,000 discount off the initial franchise fee.

Why Chop Stop?

Competitive Advantages:

As our trademarked slogan indicates, our signature product is “More than a salad.” What exactly does that mean? First and foremost, our proprietary chopping techniques enhance both the flavor and texture of our chops. There’s “more” flavor than a traditional salad, because you get a piece of every topping in every bite – a true fusion of freshness! And every spoonful has a delightfully crisp, crunchy texture. We also give customers “more” for their money. Each of our chops weighs over a pound on average, with over 40 fresh toppings to choose from. And because they really are chopped so fine you can eat them with a spoon, they are “more” fun to eat than everyday salads. In fact, our customers often describe their glee at being able to “shovel it in” as they’re consumed by the sheer joy of eating! Additional competitive advantages you will enjoy as a Chop Stop operator include:

Lightning fast speed of service for the lunchtime market. Our average time from start of order to receiving food is just over 3 minutes.

Proprietary dressings that are deliciously addictive. Chopping preparation is difficult to replicate at home. Easy to transport, deliver, and eat on the go Healthy eating is now the fastest growing segment of the restaurant industry.

Streamlined Design: Our build-outs are faster, easier, and less expensive than most other restaurants. First, our locations are compact (1100-1500 sq ft), saving money on both rent and construction costs. We don’t require a hood, any cooking equipment, or a grease interceptor (subject to local regulations). And often, an easier “retail takeout food” designation will work instead of a full restaurant permit. Designed for speed, our production line is located in the back of the house, out of view of the customer. This efficiency enables us to get our salads out faster during those busy lunchtime rushes. It also promotes a certain “mystique” about the process when the customer is magically presented with a perfectly chopped salad! Our dining room features bamboo floors, green counters and dark wood furniture, creating an atmosphere that is both modern yet also warm and inviting. Chop Stop restaurants can operate efficiently in any number of locations, from malls and airports to regional power centers and freestanding drive-thru’s.

Our Training Program - We Have Your Back: Are you hesitant to embark on a Chop Stop franchise because you have no restaurant experience? Don’t be! Our training program provides you with all the information and tools you need to succeed. Look no further than our first franchisee as an example. She was a stay-at-home mom for 17 years before she chose Chop Stop to start a new chapter of her life. What we did for her, we can do for you! Our six-week training program starts with five weeks at our Glendale Training Center Restaurant. The final week of training takes place in your own restaurant, just before it opens. Over the course of those six weeks, we will transform you from a “greenhorn” to a true expert on greens – a Chop Stop operator!