Slater’s 50/50 franchise opportunities bring the brand’s “Burgers, Bacon & Beer” concept to qualified restaurant operators and investors. Founded in Southern California, Slater’s 50/50 is known for its signature 50/50 burger patty—made with equal parts ground beef and ground bacon—along with an expansive menu, craft beer, cocktails, shakes, and a high-energy casual-dining experience.
The opportunity is designed for hands-on operators who understand that a full-service restaurant franchise requires substantial planning, capital, staffing, local marketing, food-safety discipline, and daily operational leadership. Prospective franchisees should review the current Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), speak with existing operators, and confirm all investment and territory details directly with the franchisor.
About Slater’s 50/50
Slater’s 50/50 was founded in 2009 in Anaheim Hills, California, by Scott Slater. The brand built its identity around creative burgers, bacon-forward menu items, craft beer, and a customizable guest experience. Its original 50/50 patty became the concept’s signature product and helped the restaurant attract regional and national media attention.
Today, the menu extends beyond burgers to include starters, salads, sandwiches, flatbreads, shakes, cocktails, beer, and other location-specific offerings. The concept occupies a distinctive position between a neighborhood sports bar, a burger restaurant, and an energetic casual-dining destination.
The brand’s current website lists restaurants in California, Colorado, Nevada, and Hawaii. Locations and available franchise territories can change, so candidates should verify the current footprint through the official Slater’s 50/50 website.
What Makes the Slater’s 50/50 Concept Different?
A strong restaurant franchise needs more than a memorable menu item. It needs a customer experience and operating system that can be reproduced consistently across markets. Slater’s 50/50 has several visible points of differentiation:
- A recognizable signature product: The original beef-and-bacon 50/50 patty gives the brand a clear identity in the competitive burger category.
- A broad food and beverage occasion: The menu supports lunch, dinner, drinks, celebrations, sporting events, and group dining.
- A bold brand personality: Over-the-top menu items and a casual, energetic environment are designed to create a memorable guest experience.
- Customization: Guests can explore signature items or build meals around their own preferences.
- Local-market engagement: Events, promotions, community partnerships, and fundraising programs can help individual restaurants build local awareness.
These characteristics can create opportunity, but they also add operational complexity. Franchisees must execute food preparation, beverage service, hospitality, staffing, purchasing, safety, and local marketing at the same time.
What Does the Franchise Model Include?
Slater’s 50/50’s official franchise materials describe a process that begins with an inquiry and application, followed by candidate evaluation and approval. The brand also provides information about training and support through its franchise site.
Depending on the current franchise agreement and FDD, a restaurant franchise system may provide assistance in areas such as:
- Site criteria and restaurant development
- Initial operator and management training
- Opening preparation and launch support
- Brand standards and operating procedures
- Menu, product, and supplier specifications
- Marketing materials and brand campaigns
- Technology and reporting requirements
- Ongoing field or operational support
Candidates should confirm which services Slater’s 50/50 currently provides, the timing and limits of that support, and which costs remain the franchisee’s responsibility. The official Slater’s 50/50 franchise opportunity page is the appropriate source for the current application process.
Who Is a Good Fit for a Slater’s 50/50 Franchise?
A full-service burger-and-bar concept is generally better suited to an experienced, well-capitalized operator than to a passive investor. Multi-unit restaurant experience may be valuable because the owner must build management depth and maintain consistent execution across food, beverage, service, and financial controls.
Strong candidates may demonstrate:
- Restaurant, hospitality, retail, or multi-unit operating experience
- Access to sufficient liquid capital and financing
- The ability to recruit and retain managers and hourly team members
- Knowledge of the proposed local market
- Commitment to food quality, hospitality, and brand standards
- Comfort with local marketing and community involvement
- Willingness to complete the franchisor’s qualification process
Meeting general criteria does not guarantee approval. Slater’s 50/50 determines candidate qualifications and territory availability.
How Much Does a Slater’s 50/50 Franchise Cost?
Restaurant startup costs can change materially over time and by market. FMS does not publish an investment estimate on this page because candidates should rely on the current FDD rather than an outdated third-party figure.
Item 7 of the FDD should identify the franchisor’s estimated initial investment range and the categories included. A complete restaurant budget may account for:
- The initial franchise fee
- Real estate deposits and professional fees
- Design, permitting, construction, and leasehold improvements
- Kitchen, bar, furniture, signage, and technology packages
- Pre-opening hiring and training
- Opening inventory and smallwares
- Insurance, licenses, and permits
- Grand-opening and local marketing expenses
- Working capital for the opening period
Ongoing costs may include royalties, brand-fund contributions, required local advertising, technology fees, occupancy, labor, food and beverage costs, insurance, maintenance, and debt service. Review FMS’s guide to franchise disclosure and investment costs to understand why the franchise fee is only one part of the financial picture.
Eight Questions to Ask Before Investing
- What territories are currently available? Confirm the territory boundaries, protection, nearby locations, and any development schedule.
- What does the current FDD disclose? Review all 23 items, agreements, financial statements, and outlet tables with a franchise attorney.
- What restaurant footprint is required? Understand square footage, seating, parking, visibility, patio, kitchen, and bar requirements.
- What licenses are needed? Food-service, health, building, signage, and alcohol requirements vary by jurisdiction.
- How many managers and employees are needed? Build a realistic recruiting, training, scheduling, and payroll plan.
- What support is provided before and after opening? Separate included support from optional or franchisee-funded services.
- What do current and former franchisees report? Ask about construction, opening costs, labor, sales ramp, food costs, support, and whether they would invest again.
- How much working capital is prudent? Model conservative sales, higher costs, delays, and seasonal variation rather than relying on a best-case forecast.
Territory quality can be particularly important for a destination-oriented restaurant. FMS’s resource on franchise territory design explains how demographics, competition, traffic patterns, and trade areas affect territory planning.
The Slater’s 50/50 Franchise Process
The brand’s public franchise site outlines four high-level steps:
- Initial inquiry: The candidate contacts the franchise development team.
- Application and consent forms: The candidate submits information for preliminary qualification.
- Evaluation: The franchisor reviews experience, finances, market interest, and overall fit.
- Approval: Qualified candidates may advance through disclosure, due diligence, and the franchise award process.
An application is not an offer or guarantee of a franchise. A franchise may only be offered through the applicable legal and disclosure process.
How FMS Franchise Supported Slater’s 50/50
Slater’s 50/50 is included in FMS Franchise’s client portfolio. FMS works with restaurant and hospitality concepts on franchise strategy, development, marketing, and growth initiatives according to each brand’s needs and stage of expansion.
Restaurant franchise development requires translating a successful guest experience into systems that another operator can reproduce. That work can include franchise positioning, candidate marketing, operating documentation, territory strategy, training architecture, and a structured qualification process.
Learn more about FMS’s franchise development services or review the steps required to franchise a restaurant or other established business.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Slater’s 50/50 currently franchising?
The brand maintains an active franchise website and application process. Candidates should contact the franchisor directly to confirm current territories and qualification requirements.
Is restaurant experience required?
Current approval criteria are determined by Slater’s 50/50. Restaurant or multi-unit operating experience can be valuable for a concept with full-service food and beverage operations.
Are franchise earnings guaranteed?
No. Results vary by location, investment, management, local demand, costs, competition, and many other factors. Review any financial performance representation in Item 19 of the current FDD and create independent projections.
Where should candidates obtain current costs?
Request the current FDD from the franchisor. Do not rely on historical estimates or figures published by third-party directories.
Explore the Slater’s 50/50 Opportunity
Qualified candidates can visit the official Slater’s 50/50 franchise application page to begin an inquiry. Before signing an agreement or making an investment, complete independent legal, financial, and operational due diligence.
Information on this page is general and may change. It is not an offer to sell a franchise, a financial performance representation, or legal, accounting, tax, or investment advice. Franchise offers are made only through the franchisor’s current disclosure documents and in compliance with applicable law.