Are Mexican restaurant franchises profitable?
No franchise can promise profit. Here is exactly what Café Mexicali discloses, and what it does not.
Café Mexicali does not promise a profit.
Item 19 of the 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document discloses what the four affiliate-owned Colorado restaurants sold in 2025. 2025 Total Income (gross sales) of the four affiliate-owned Colorado restaurants ranged from $2,086,614 to $3,338,782; gross profit (sales minus food cost only) $1,549,979 to $2,419,801. Some stores have sold this amount. There is no assurance you will sell as much.
Some stores have sold this amount. There is no assurance you will sell as much.
Some stores have sold this amount. There is no assurance you will sell as much.
2025 Total Income (gross sales) of the four affiliate-owned Colorado restaurants ranged from $2,086,614 to $3,338,782; gross profit (sales minus food cost only) $1,549,979 to $2,419,801. Some stores have sold this amount. There is no assurance you will sell as much.
Sales minus food cost only.
In Item 19, gross profit is sales minus food cost only. It is not net profit, and it is not what an owner takes home.
Gross profit as disclosed does not subtract labor, rent, the 6% royalty, advertising, insurance, utilities, loan payments, or any other operating cost. Those costs are real, they vary by market and by restaurant, and they decide what is left. A new franchisee's individual results may differ.
Some stores have sold this amount. There is no assurance you will sell as much.
Food cost is the line the kitchen controls.
Café Mexicali makes its menu from scratch in each restaurant, with no freezers. That is a different way of running a kitchen than reheating and assembling. Cooking from raw ingredients gives an operator direct control over how food is purchased, prepped, portioned, and used, and food cost is the number gross profit is built on.
This is a description of how the kitchen works, not a promise of any result. Scratch cooking also takes skilled people and consistent habits, which is why training and the operations manual matter. See what is included on the support and training page.
Who this is for. And who it is not.
Read the numbers, then decide honestly.
Apply if you
- Have at least $167,500 in liquid capital and a plan to fund the rest of the investment.
- Want to be a hands-on owner-operator in Colorado, Arizona, Wyoming, or Utah.
- Are comfortable with the fact that results vary and that no figure is a promise.
- Will read the full Franchise Disclosure Document, including Items 7, 11, and 19.
Do not apply if you
- Are looking for a guaranteed return or a passive, absentee investment.
- Have less than $167,500 in liquid capital.
- Expect to copy the affiliate stores' sales without the same operating effort.
- Want to open in a state where Café Mexicali is not yet registered, including South Dakota for now.
Quick answers.
Are Mexican restaurant franchises profitable?
No franchisor can promise profit, and Café Mexicali does not. Item 19 of the FDD discloses what the four affiliate-owned Colorado restaurants sold in 2025: Total Income (gross sales) ranged from $2,086,614 to $3,338,782. Some stores have sold this amount. There is no assurance you will sell as much.
What is the gross profit in Item 19?
2025 gross profit (sales minus food cost only) at the four affiliate-owned Colorado restaurants ranged from $1,549,979 to $2,419,801. It is not net profit. Some stores have sold this amount. There is no assurance you will sell as much.
Does gross profit include labor, rent, and royalties?
No. Gross profit here is sales minus food cost only. Labor, rent, the 6% royalty, advertising, insurance, and other operating costs are not subtracted.
Will my restaurant sell the same amount?
Not necessarily. A new franchisee's individual results may differ. Some stores have sold this amount. There is no assurance you will sell as much.
What does it cost to open?
The total initial investment is $668,200 to $1,252,500 (FDD Item 7), including the $45,000 franchise fee.
Who should apply for a Café Mexicali franchise?
Qualified owner-operators with at least $167,500 in liquid capital who want to run a scratch-made restaurant hands-on in Colorado, Arizona, Wyoming, or Utah.
More franchise guides.
Ready to see if you qualify?
Two minutes to apply. If your capital and timeline fit, Jim DelVecchio calls you within two business days.