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FRANCHISE RESALES

Buy a Thai Express Franchise

Thai Express is a fast-casual Thai food franchise built around made-to-order cooking, where dishes are prepared fresh in front of customers in minutes rather than held on a steam table. Founded in 2004, the brand grew into one of Canada’s largest and most recognisable Asian quick-service chains, operating across food courts, shopping centres, universities and standalone sites.

The brand is part of MTY Group, one of North America’s largest restaurant franchisors with more than 80 banners, and is supported in the United States through affiliate Kahala Brands. Its menu spans more than 300 made-to-order combinations built around a customer’s choice of dish, protein and spice level, with revenue from dine-in, takeaway and delivery.

Units run in flexible formats from compact kiosks to full in-line restaurants, typically 350 to 2,000 square feet, making the concept adaptable to high-traffic retail and urban sites. Thai Express positions itself as a first-to-market national Thai player in the US, where Asian quick-service demand has risen and few branded competitors exist.

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Why buy a Thai Express Franchise?

To buy a Thai Express franchise is to step into an established Asian quick-service concept with a long operating record in Canada and the backing of a major franchisor. The made-to-order, cook-in-front format gives the brand a visible point of difference from steam-table Asian QSR rivals, and a simple, repeatable menu keeps day-to-day operations manageable for owners without prior Thai cooking experience.

Membership of the MTY Group network gives owners access to established supply, marketing and operating systems that an independent restaurant would have to build alone, alongside a brand-wide loyalty and rewards programme that supports repeat visits. Flexible store formats and multi-unit pathways leave room to grow within a market, while dine-in, takeaway and delivery channels spread demand across dayparts.

Thai Express Franchise Costs & Information

Based on 2025 data reported in the 2026 FDD

  • Brand Profile

    • Year Founded

      1999

    • Franchising Since

      2015

    • New Startup Cost

      $494,050 – $814,200

    • Avg. Resale Price

      Contact us for details

  • Franchise Fees

    • Initial franchise Fee

      $30,000

      for new territories

    • Transfer Fee

      $15,000

      plus separate $5,000 Transfer Advertising Requirement

    • Royalty Fee

      6%

      of Gross Sales

    • Marketing Fee

      3%

      of Gross Sales; votable increase to 4%

  • Unit Performance

    • Total Units *

      5

    • New Units Opened *

      0

    • Units Transferred *

      0

    • Avg. Unit revenue *

      Not Disclosed

    * Based on 2025 data reported in the 2026 FDD

Thai Express – Additional  Information

  1. Training & Support

    Thai Express franchisees complete a structured programme of 40 hours of classroom training and 160 hours of on-the-job training at a designated restaurant, covering both business systems and hands-on cooking, with an exam and cooking test confirming readiness before opening; no prior restaurant experience is required. Owners receive ongoing marketing, advertising and operations support and draw on the wider MTY Group network for supply and brand management. Resale buyers should confirm what transfer training and system access Thai Express provides to incoming owners and newly hired staff.

  2. Ideal Owner

    Thai Express suits hands-on, owner-operator candidates rather than absentee investors; most locations require a shareholder to be present and running the restaurant day to day. The model rewards operators comfortable managing a team of six to ten, holding food quality and speed of service, and building a loyal local customer base. Prior Thai cooking knowledge is not needed, as training covers the menu in full, though restaurant or general management experience is an asset. Consistency, cleanliness and customer experience matter more than culinary background.

  3. Recognition & Awards

    Thai Express has earned category recognition in North America, including being named Thai Restaurant Franchise of the Year for 2018-19 and Best Thai Restaurant in 2020 and 2022, alongside DUX product awards recognising menu innovation such as its vegan range. As an MTY Group brand, it also carries the credibility of one of North America's largest restaurant franchisors, with more than 80 banners. For resale buyers, brand-level recognition should be weighed alongside the specific territory's reputation, including local reviews, repeat customers and community visibility.

  4. Industry / Market

    Thai Express operates in the US fast-casual segment, estimated at roughly $48 billion in 2025 and growing at about 6% a year, with Asian cuisine repeatedly cited as one of the fastest-growing categories in American quick service. The wider US Asian food market is valued near $38 billion. Demand is driven by younger diners' appetite for fresh, customisable, globally inspired food and by the convenience of takeaway and delivery. For resale buyers, category momentum matters less than a specific unit's local foot traffic, competition and catchment strength.

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