Most franchise conversations in India go like this: the brand quotes a number, you sign, and you discover six more line items after the ink dries. That's not how TBWX runs, and it's the single biggest reason our partners trust us enough to tell their friends.
Here's the full 2026 ledger. Every rupee, every line item.
The headline: Rs 4 to 7 Lakhs total
The range depends on format and city (tier-2 real estate is cheaper than metro). Four formats:
Cloud Kitchen (~100 sq ft, delivery-only): ~Rs 4 Lakhs
Kiosk (60-100 sq ft, food court/market): Rs 4-5 Lakhs
Takeaway outlet (100-200 sq ft): Rs 5-6 Lakhs
Cafe with seating (200-400 sq ft): Rs 6-7 Lakhs+
Larger outlet = more initial investment, higher monthly revenue potential. The unit economics scale similarly across formats.
Line-by-line fixed costs (Rs 3,55,000 total fixed)
1. Franchise fee: Rs 2,00,000 (one-time)
What it covers: rights to operate under the TBWX brand, use of recipes, operations playbook, initial training, territorial protection for your agreed area.
This is the only fee to TBWX that's pure 'brand access.' Everything else on this page is assets you own or expenses you'd have with any business.
2. Kitchen equipment: Rs 75,000 (market purchase — not mandatory through TBWX)
Belgian waffle iron (commercial grade): Rs 20,000-25,000
Bubble waffle iron: Rs 15,000-18,000
Poffertjes griddle: Rs 8,000-10,000
Commercial blender + soft-serve machine: Rs 20,000-25,000
Two-burner stove + panini press: Rs 12,000-15,000
Equipment can be sourced from the market; TBWX provides a spec list. You own the hardware outright.
3. Initial raw material: Rs 50,000
Batter mixes, toppings (Nutella, Kitkat, Oreo, cream cheese, ganache), fresh-produce opening stock, packaging (boxes, cone holders, cups), cleaning supplies.
Enough for the first 10-14 days. After that you re-order through our supply network or local approved vendors.
4. Billing POS software (first year): Rs 15,000
POS terminal, TBWX ordering tech onboarding, Zomato/Swiggy integration setup — all included. Platform commissions (22-27%) are operational, not upfront.
5. Utensils and packaging kit: Rs 15,000
Serving plates, tongs, cone holders, boxes, portion cups, cleaning kit.
Fixed total: Rs 3,55,000 (franchise fee + equipment + raw material + POS + utensils)
Variable costs (format-dependent)
Branding and signage: Rs 15,000-30,000
Interior: Cloud Kitchen Rs 0; Kiosk ~Rs 50,000; Takeaway ~Rs 1,00,000; Cafe Rs 3,00,000+
6. Licenses and registration: Rs 15,000-30,000
FSSAI food license: Rs 7,500
GST registration: free, professional fees Rs 2,500
Shops and Establishment license: Rs 2,000-5,000 (state-dependent)
Trade license: Rs 3,000-10,000 (city-dependent)
Fire safety NOC if required: Rs 2,000-5,000
TBWX guides you through every license through our partner compliance team. You pay the government fees and a small service charge to the compliance partner.
7. Opening marketing (optional but recommended): Rs 25,000-50,000
Launch-week Meta + Google Ads budget: Rs 15,000
Local influencer seeding (3-5 creators): Rs 10,000-25,000
Google Business Profile photography: Rs 5,000
Opening event collateral: Rs 5,000
We strongly recommend the full Rs 50,000 for outlet launches in tier-1 cities; Rs 25,000 is acceptable in tier-2/3.
What TBWX covers (not in your budget)
Three common franchise surprises that TBWX absorbs:
1. Recipe training and trainer travel: Our master trainer comes to your outlet for the 3-day setup training. You don't pay travel or per-diem.
2. Zomato/Swiggy menu photography and listing setup: Our content team handles menu photography, description writing, and listing configuration. You don't pay for this.
3. Ongoing menu R&D: New flavor launches (typically one per quarter) come with updated recipes and training videos at no extra cost.
Ongoing monthly costs (post-launch, not upfront)
These are NOT part of the upfront investment. But for full transparency:
Rent: Rs 25,000-80,000 depending on city and site size.
Staff salaries (1-2 operators, ~2 persons): Rs 35,000/month.
Royalty to TBWX: 5% of gross sales + GST.
Raw material refresh: 30-35% of monthly sales (variable).
Zomato/Swiggy commission: 22-27% of orders from those platforms.
Utilities: Rs 8,000/month.
The 'what could go wrong' honest list
In the spirit of transparency, three things that genuinely could add cost:
Site-specific civil work. If your site needs electrical upgrades (higher load for kitchen equipment), water line extensions, or plumbing, that's Rs 20,000-80,000 extra that isn't on our ledger. Get a site survey done before signing a lease.
Local signage approvals. Some municipalities have expensive signage permission fees, especially metro cities. Factor in Rs 10,000-30,000 for this in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad.
Working capital cushion. We recommend partners keep Rs 50,000-1,00,000 in liquid working capital for the first 3 months. This is not a cost, it's a buffer for any cash-flow blip.
So. Rs 4 Lakhs or Rs 7 Lakhs?
If you're doing a kiosk in a smaller town on a reasonable rent, Rs 4-5 Lakhs covers you comfortably.
If you're doing a cafe with seating in a tier-1 city, budget Rs 6-7 Lakhs + Rs 50,000 working capital cushion. That's your honest entry ticket.
Our typical breakeven is 8-14 months across formats.
Next step
If these numbers work for you, apply for a franchise. Our team calls within 24 hours with city-specific numbers and a site fit assessment.
If you want more detail, see how TBWX franchisees recover investment and the signup-to-first-sale timeline.