Ukrainians are increasingly thinking about how to start their own business. However, it is not easy for inexperienced businessmen to succeed, even if they have a great idea. Therefore, experts recommend novice entrepreneurs to pay attention to the franchising model. It allows for relatively little money to gain access to an already proven strategy for conducting this or that business under the supervision of experienced mentors.

Proriat Hospitality Partners – provides international franchise selection services, conducts an expert analysis of locations, and conduct a detailed audit of the local market. We will become your valuable partner from the beginning of negotiations on the purchase of the desired brand to the implementation of the project, ensuring uninterrupted management of the project.

You need to understand that when you take on the use of someone’s well-promoted brand, you, as an entrepreneur (franchisee), have very specific obligations and standards for doing business. Therefore, experts recommend thoroughly checking a potential partner before signing the contract. And to find out whether the franchisor is really interested in developing and expanding his brand or just wants to earn extra money on you.

An entrepreneur always has the opportunity to check the background of the brand. In addition to the franchisor, it is worth communicating with customers, suppliers, and other franchisees who work or have worked with him before, as well as hospitality experts of the Franchising Association.

If you’ve got any doubts, better consider other business solutions, says, Kyryll Ushakov, CEO at Proriat Hospitality Partners. He continues, there are strong and confident international franchise brands that can succeed in Ukraine, it’s a matter of proper market study with an in-depth competition understanding and the right location with defined products consumers want to buy.

Here are the 10 franchises that are considered the most popular in the Ukraine market, and the investment you should be aware of before you decide to start the restaurant business with them. 

Bilyy Nalyv

1€ One euro barHot dog, pie, oysters, and cider. Bilyy Nalyv is a place about little sins that you should afford. And about the temptation that drives your appetite. It just needs to be felt. A wish that comes when you think about a glass of cold apple cider with bubbles.

What to choose from all this?
Hotdog, pie and oyster!
Oyster with lemon is a fresh delicacy.
Hot Dog. Classic or vegan. You can and should add a cheese raclette. Pie – with chicken near apples.

Investment: 60 000$ – 80 000$
Initial fee: 20 000$
Royalty: 5%
Breakeven point: 12 – 24 months
Minimum space: 50 -150 m2

AROMA KAVA

We can see a coffee boom in Ukraine. Drinking coffee has become a part of urban culture. According to Proriat Hospitality Partners, the coffee market in Ukraine grew by 11% last year compared to 2019 and amounted to almost 9.5 billion UAH. Though, customers still buying more instant coffee than fresh coffee beans. This is due to both price and underdeveloped consumer culture.

AROMA KAVA is a coffee shop chain operating in more than 45 cities of Ukraine, including Kiev, Lviv, Kharkov, Odessa, Dnipro, providing a wide selection of coffee drinks, desserts and sandwiches at an affordable price.

The company was founded in 2012, the start of franchise sales began in 2014. Own units in the chain – 63, franchised – 220. In 2018, 17 coffee shops were opened. The franchise cost – UAH 50,000, investment – UAH 120,000-800,000, payback – 6-15 months.

Lviv Croissants

Lviv Croissants is a successful national chain of fast-food cafés in Ukraine.
An assortment of freshly baked croissants with a wide selection of various fillings for every taste: vegetables, meat, fish, cheeses, chocolate, creams, fruits in a non-standard combination.
Lviv Croissant’s bakery has become the No. 1 trend in the fast-food market.
Branded croissants: Lviv, Galitsky, Royal, Beef, Amsterdam, Philadelphia with salmon, Croissant with tuna, Croissant with mozzarella and truffle sauce and others became the bestsellers of the franchise cafe.
A cozy interior, caring service, an unusual taste and aroma of fresh pastries, and finally an average bill of $ 3, distinguish this format from others like it. 

Investment: $ 30’000
Entry Fee: $ 9’000
Royalty: 3%
Ads: Discussed
ROI: from 12 to 24 months.
Opened projects: 85

Chicken Hut

ChickenHUT is a fast-food restaurant chain that has commercial success in many cities of Ukraine. The network includes 21 restaurants that operate in 14 cities. ChickenHUT confidently holds a leading position in its market segment, has a committed target audience, and a proven concept.

The ChickenHUT is a turnkey business solution that offers a ready-made concept, location study, and premises evaluation, a system of indicators of economic efficiency, architectural and design project, SOPs, great menu, management accounting system, staff training programs, startup support, consultations, and business development.

Investment: 1’300’000 – 3’800’000 UAH
Initial Fee: 75 000 -150 000 UAH
Royalty: 3%
Ads: Negotiated
ROI: from 12 to 24 months
Opened projects: 21

FreshLine

FreshLine is a national franchised multi-format network of highly profitable fast-food cafes, offering signature sandwiches with always fresh ingredients, providing friendly guest service.

FreshLine sandwich bar entered the Ukrainian catering market as a worthy alternative to existing fast-food restaurants, proposing a new concept for organizing catering. On the one hand, each FreshLine sandwich bar is a fast-food restaurant, and on the other, FreshLine breaks the stereotype of the fast food concept: FreshLine product is a healthy diet, a sandwich made of always fresh and high-quality products.

Investment: $15 000 — $50 000
Initial Fee: $4’500 – $12’000
Royalty: 4%
Ads: Negotiated
ROI: 1,5 – 2,5 year
Opened projects: 46

WOKA ASIA FOOD

WOKA ASIA FOOD is a chain of Asian restaurants, was the first concept implemented in Ukraine according to all the canons of real Pan-Asian cuisine. The franchise is actively developing and shows steady success in the restaurant business market.

Dishes from WOKA being are prepared according to traditional recipes of oriental cuisine but adapted to the tastes of any consumer. Our Brand chef has collected the most popular recipes of Japan, China, Thailand, India, Laos, and Vietnam. The main menu also features traditional sushi and rolls. The restaurant range is adaptive and includes the features of each location in which the institution is located. Dishes are carried out exclusively from fresh and high-quality products, which ensures the taste you remember.

Our 17 years of experience in the restaurant business guarantees a successful and profitable business for our franchisees.

Investment: $10’000 – $40’000
Initial Fee: $3’500 – $8’500
Royalty: 2.5%
Ads: Negotiated
ROI: 1,5 – 2,5 year
Opened projects: 18

GRILL PUB

GRILL PUB is an international chain of grill restaurants, presented in two formats: stationary restaurants and food court establishments in the shopping center. One of the features of the chain’s establishments is the outdoor barbecue grill, which is located directly in the hall. In this way, guests can watch how their meals are prepared. According to the company policies, dishes are prepared exclusively from fresh products, special attention is paid to the meat, as it is not subjected to preliminary freezing. Restaurant-style dishes are presented at affordable prices as a daily tasty and healthy diet.

Investment: 590’000 – 750’000 UAH
Initial Fee: n/a
Royalty: 2%
Ads: 0%
ROI: 6 months
Opened projects: 21

MAFIA Franchise

Today MAFIA is a chain of Japanese and Italian restaurants, the most dynamically developing in Ukraine. The MAFIA brand has already gained popularity in such cities: Kiev, Kharkov, Dnepropetrovsk, Mariupol, Vinnitsa, Lviv, Nikolaev, Odessa, Poltava, as well as Moldova. Buying a MAFIA franchise, you invest in a successful and profitable business with minimal risk.

We have developed an effective business model focused on a quick return on investment, implemented operation standards. The main achievement is 100% automation of all processes in the restaurant. Everything is set up so that your restaurant makes a profit from the first days after opening.

According to a survey conducted by the Romir research holding, in large cities, statistics show restaurants demand per cuisine: Italian (24%), European (24%), and Japanese (32%) are more popular.

Investment: 700 EUR/м2
Initial Fee: 30 000 EUR
Royalty: 5%
Ads: 2%
ROI: 24–36 months
Opened projects: 21

Pizza Celentano

Fast Food Systems is the most experienced franchise owner in Ukraine. Since 1998, FFS has been holding the title of the largest operator restaurant in the country. Today, the company operates more than 140 restaurants of TM «Pizza Celentano», «Potato Hut» and «YAPI».

Investment: € 150’000
Entrance fee: € 6’000 – € 10’000
Royalty: 1.5% (of turnover) per month
Advertising deductions: Discussed
ROI: from 24 to 30 months.
Total units: 176
Development Regions: Ukraine
Minimum space: 200 m2
Staff: 18-45 people

Mr.Grill Hotdogs & Burgers

Mr.Grill Hotdogs & Burgers is a hot dog and bar cafe chain.

Mr.Grill’s primary mission is to make people happy, that is, happy. We carry a culture of consuming high quality and delicious hot dogs and burgers and dispel the stereotype; we have hot dogs and burgers as full and refined dishes.

Investment: 52 500 $ – 95 000 $
Initial Fee: 5 000 $ – 10 000 $
Royalty: 2%
Ads: n/a
ROI: 11 – 26 months
Opened projects: n/a

Feel free to contact us If you have any questions. We are looking forward to assisting you in providing 360-degree restaurant concept development services. Visit our Franchise Directory to find more availible opportunites.

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After several years conducting a restaurant audit, working on new projects, studying hundreds of franchise offers, meeting with the successful restaurateurs, we decided to write a short article about what investors are facing when they start a new business in the hospitality industry. The idea to describe the main pitfalls when choosing franchises came about a long time ago, but a recent phone call and a story from a businessman, who, unfortunately, was forced to close his franchised restaurant, for quite common reasons, encouraged us to reveal some facts to help future entrepreneurs to be more knowledgeable, and therefore armed during future negotiations. We strive to ensure that franchisors, who are also sincere with new partners, maintain common standards and a positive reputation for the franchise market.

For the sake of confidentiality of information, we will not indicate a company’s brands or personal names.

The franchise business is very popular all over the world. A large number of proposals cannot but arouse interest in such, as it seems at first glance, an advantageous financial mode

And here you are after several months of searching for different offers, visiting the famous franchise exhibition, where you were told about all the advantages of their business model and successfully working projects, unique cuisine and restaurant concept. You even visited its the best venues in several cities, tasted food and drinks, part of the tables was occupied at the time when you were for the purpose of tasting, everything was delicious. And you, already as an expert, made a calculation and imagined that everything will be the same in your new restaurant, and you have started counting the profit.


The first, important point.

In order to understand how the franchise is financially successful, you need to ask to provide you with a P&L report for the last 6 months or 1 year from several units for comparison. Before concluding an agreement, you will need to spend days from opening till closing and from Monday to Sunday, to get the most accurate information about the operation, defining table turnover and calculate the approximate average check based on what the guests order. Meet with several owners to hearing the opinions about the business. Note, what you see being as a guest is only not more than 50 percent of the overall restaurant operations.

The second, important point.

Just if you think you got a great idea and asked about it your friends and relatives who promised to go to your new place every day, does not mean your restaurant will be liked by customers. It won’t be possible to generate revenue to cover operations expenses only from people you personally know. We trust in detailed market study and analysis.

The third, important point.

Several main benefits of franchising, brand recognition and the number of loyal customers. It is worth knowing the real number of regular guests registered in the loyalty program. We advise you to organize a preliminary survey of at least 1000 people within a radius of 3 kilometers from the location of the premises of the future restaurant.

Fourth, an important point.

You should understand the it’s a ready-made business, so you invest and develop someone brand and manage the restaurant ourselves. Coordinating and controlling of any work, purchase of equipment ect. are going to be your responsibility. Everything related to the franchisor begins and ends with the granting of the rights to use the TM, preliminary training of staff and consultations. (read the contract carefully!) The quick start that they like to advertise is necessary for the franchisor, and not for you since one of the parties is interested in the speedy completion of the project in order to start work on the next one or return to work in their own restaurants. Under the clause, a financial audit or analysis of indicators means the calculation of royalty interest, and yes, you will pay them monthly, even if the restaurant has not reached the breakeven point. When your regular guests want you to add something special to the menu or there any new market trends, you will not be able to make any changes to the menu or format of the establishment without the permission of the franchisor. In case of non-compliance with the conditions prescribed in the contract, the restaurant may be closed with a ban on the use of TM.

Brand book, a beautiful word and a bright book that you open once. Expert analysis of the location, of course, your premises will be ideal for the franchise offered to you with a minimum amount of competition, where the second floor is even an advantage, as our client said from his own experience. Do not be naive that having arrived at a Mercedes car dealership, you will be happy to be offered to buy a BMW that you need, although you still do not understand this. The truth of the market, you are the buyer. You will have to solve all operational problems, for example, due to a shortage of qualified staff or trying to find an experienced manager by providing the required salary will be a difficult task because of the considerable cost of “Royalties.” Marketing fees, many Ukrainian brands are exempt from payment, but marketing – This is an eternal process of gaining new and retaining old customers, requiring huge resources and the top professionals in this field.

Therefore, the reluctance or not the opportunity to engage in marketing, demonstrate indifference on the part of the franchisor to the large-scale development of their brand, which casts doubt on the relevance of the proposal and forces you to do it consistently. In the event that you have a successful project and you have been asked for help to open the same project, you will not be able to do so under the brand is being used, and the franchisor will receive all the benefits, the exception is when you have a master agreement. If mistakes were made in the creation of the project (location, concept), this will lead to 100% closure of the restaurant, since you will not have the opportunity, in the short term, at no cost! Rebrand and change the concept! And it will be much more difficult for you to profitably rent out or sell a restaurant!

Not a single Ukrainian franchise has international certification of quality management systems, 0 franchises are presented on foreign markets and there are only a few companies offering to implement the project abroad.
 Franchisors do not give any documentary guarantees that your restaurant will make a profit, which is indicated in their presentation (read the contract!)
Accoding to our background and the experience of well-known brands show, the number of completed projects does not guarantee the success in opening a new restaurant, since each project is a new idea and challenge. If you will rent a restaurant, then your net profit will be approximately distributed from 80/20 to 50/50 with the franchise owner, respectively, the investment return period will be shifted. The financial part, we will describe in more detail in the following articles

The story of our last client ended with the restaurant being put up for sale. According to our calculations, it will be impossible to return the invested money, and it did not make sense to engage in the development of the project due to the mass of elementary miscalculations and mistakes in choosing a location, studying the local market and competition. Fails could be avoided by contacting specialists in their field who, at the documentary level, could provide additional guarantees and comprehensively accompany the opening of the restaurant.

Should I buy a franchise?


–  Of course, it’s worth it if you are sure that the adopted child will be better than your own.

– After collecting the needed amount of money, buying a new apartment and moving in it, you are so happy that you continue to pay the rent.

Eugene Chernyak in one of his interviews answered the question, what he thinks about Franchising.


– Franchising is a good business, but you need to know how to work with it.



We believe that the creation of a restaurant is an art and business with a reasonable approach, and calculations, when you reveal your inner world, taking into account the wishes of guests’ needs, want to give new emotions and experience.

The Proriat team will open an independent restaurant and create a unique brand with subsequent stable development or provide the necessary support in selecting a franchise, taking upon itself all the obligations and responsibility for the implementation and project management.