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FRANCHISE RESALES

Buy a Taste Buds Kitchen Franchise

Taste Buds Kitchen is a culinary entertainment franchise that runs hands-on cooking experiences for guests aged 2 to 99 in upscale studio kitchens. The brand was founded in 2007 by Jessi Brelsford, originally as Cupcake Kids, and began franchising in 2013, growing into a small but expanding US network run from its Maryland headquarters.

Rather than serving food like a restaurant, the model sells experiences. Kids’ cooking classes, summer and holiday camps, birthday parties and field trips fill the daytime, while adult BYOB date nights, bachelorette parties, showers and corporate team-building events run in the evenings. Menus are made from scratch and rotate across savory and sweet dishes, including pasta, sushi and cupcakes.

The studio-kitchen format runs on a booking-led schedule rather than walk-in dining, and the absence of gas lines or commercial ventilation keeps build-out lighter than a typical foodservice unit. Sites are usually 1,800 to 2,500 sq ft in high-traffic retail space, and the business can be run owner-operated or semi-absentee with a general manager, supporting single or multi-unit ownership.

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Why buy a Taste Buds Kitchen Franchise?

Buying a Taste Buds Kitchen franchise offers entry into the children’s enrichment and experiential-events space with a concept that is deliberately not a restaurant. Because bookings are scheduled in advance rather than dependent on a dinner rush, revenue is more predictable and food waste is limited, and the same studio serves both family and adult markets, spreading demand across the week and the calendar.

The lighter studio build-out avoids the gas lines and ventilation that drive restaurant fit-out costs, and the format is designed to run semi-absentee through a general manager, which suits owners who want to scale into multiple units. Franchisees join an established system backed by a leadership team experienced in childcare, enrichment and corporate events, with structured training, marketing systems and an online booking platform.

Taste Buds Kitchen Franchise Costs & Information

Based on 2025 data reported in the 2026 FDD

  • Brand Profile

    • Year Founded

      2007

    • Franchising Since

      2013

    • New Startup Cost

      $425,750 – $549,650

    • Avg. Resale Price

      Contact us for details

  • Franchise Fees

    • Initial franchise Fee

      $49,500

      for new territories

    • Transfer Fee

      $25,000

      plus broker fees; $10,000 if existing franchisee; $2,000 convenience

    • Royalty Fee

      8%

      of Gross Revenue

    • Marketing Fee

      1.5%

      of Gross Revenue; up to 2%

  • Unit Performance

    • Total Units *

      14

    • New Units Opened *

      2

    • Units Transferred *

      1

    • Avg. Unit revenue *

      $701,223

    * Based on 2025 data reported in the 2026 FDD

Taste Buds Kitchen – Additional  Information

  1. Training & Support

    Initial training covers 34.5 hours of classroom instruction and 65 hours of on-the-job training, typically over six to eight weeks before opening, including six days of hands-on sessions at the Maryland headquarters. Ongoing support includes TBK University for operations manuals, proprietary booking software, a franchisee intranet and a personalized website with online booking, plus marketing help across ad templates, co-op advertising, social media, SEO, email and loyalty programs, coaching and an annual franchise summit. Resale buyers should confirm what transfer training and TBK University access transfer to incoming owners and staff.

  2. Ideal Owner

    The model suits hands-on local operators who enjoy hospitality, families and creating events rather than trained chefs; no restaurant or culinary background is required. Owners act as part marketer and part operations manager, building local and corporate bookings, delivering a high-quality guest experience, and recruiting and leading a team that runs classes and parties. Strong organization and customer-service instincts matter, since reputation rests on consistently well-run events. The format can be run owner-operated or semi-absentee through a general manager.

  3. Recognition & Awards

    Taste Buds Kitchen is a member of the International Franchise Association and recognizes top operators through its annual Franchisee of the Year program, honoring Ann Wiard (East Greenwich, RI) in 2022, Matt and Jenny Robinson (Leawood, KS) in 2021 and Laurel Holmes in 2017. The brand was voted the National Most Loved Virtual Cooking Program in 2021 and has been featured by Epicurious and Franchise Journal. For resale buyers, brand-level recognition should be weighed alongside the specific studio's local reviews, referral sources and community standing.

  4. Industry / Market

    Taste Buds Kitchen sits at the intersection of US children's enrichment and the adult experiential-events market. The US after-school and youth-enrichment category is a multi-billion-dollar market, supported by dual-income households and steady parental spending on hands-on learning, camps and birthday activities. On the adult side, demand for experience-based outings, date nights and corporate team-building has grown as consumers favor activities over goods. Both streams are largely local and discretionary, so for resale buyers the strength of a territory's bookings, repeat clients and corporate accounts matters more than national figures.

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