102 thoughts on “MUSCLE MAKER GRILL Franchise Complaints”

• @newbuyer most stores are not making 500k a year and those that are doing so are in high rent areas. Their are plenty of reasons why so many are closing, in my opinion it is because of lack sales and a very dull menu that has not changed in 20 years. Plus health food is a fad and fads die very quickly. The name is a turn off to many and the perception of most people is that this place is full of meat
  head gym rats. The MMG corporation does little to assist you. There training staff is a bunch of no bodies who I would not allow in my kitchen on a bad day. Each store has their own way of doing things so constincy is a huge problem and is another reason. I wish you the best but i would be amazed if you made 25k a salary

• @newbuyer, mmg ruined my life’s comments are correct. You will not make money running one of these restaurants. I urge you, read the comments posted to this website very carefully. They are all valid complaints about the lack of profit potential in this system. Then ask yourself, if this business is such a great opportunity why have so many of the locations closed. Then obtain a copy of the Franchise Disclosure Document and contact every current and former franchisee, ask them hard questions. If you still want to throw your money away on a Muscle Maker Grill restaurant then I suggest you take the money you are planning to use for buying this business and donate it to a worthy charity so you no longer have it to waste on a Muscle Maker.

• My friend owns 3 Muscle Maker Grill franchises for many years now and is VERY HAPPY. I think the posts here are just 1 or 2 unhappy franchisees that perhaps didn’t understand how to run a business and are now trying to blame MMG. I mean come on you can’t verify and posts on this site because you can’t leave any contact info…hmm. I guess that’s the purpose of this site, as every franchise business ever started including McDonalds is complained about on here. Just a thought.

• @Mike M. Really Mike, i have a list of 25 people who lost there life savings with MMG. Your a liar…

• Manahawkin, NJ – Closed

• I’m a customer at MMG, I go there at least 3 times a week and I go to various locations. I must say, some are better then others. An example would be I often get the XXL wrap. All the locations except the Manahawkin location diced up a 2 turkey burgers and the wrap is delicious. However the Manahawkin location browned up ground turkey instead and the wrap was horrible. Manahawkin’s hours were never consistent, seemed like they opened and closed whenever they wanted to. I’m not surprised they closed down. I like all the food at MMG, long live MMG !

• There is always a great risk involved in purchasing your own location from any Franchisor. Buying into the concept of another doesn’t come with guarantees. If it didn’t work out in your investment, but it has for others…who is really to blame?

• I’ve been eating at muscle maker done Rod opened in Colonia. I have tried many of the other location including Matawan(closed) Red Bank (closed) Middletown (closed) East Brunswick, Morristown long branch (closed) and Sayerville (closed I think). I looked into buying a exhausting store in long branch and was very surpirised what I leaned. First the food costs were 3 to 4 times higher than what I could get the same quality food at restaurant deport. The biggest thing was the alienation of females. The bright red and steal diamond plate decor along with the name did nothing to attract woman. I would not recommend this franchise for those reasons alone

• I currently owns MMG franchise outside of the East Coast. I was very excited when I started this venture. Great pep talks from corporate along with amazing promises of support that I will be engulfed with. WRONG!

  We got the store built without their help other than selecting kitchen equipment. That I might add was a disaster. Gordon designed our kitchen and Rich Zang from Tucker Kitchen Equipment were taking care of that. DISASTER from start to finish. Both completely incompetent.

  We got ready to open and we barely had support at opening. There were such big promises but nothing kept. The POS sold by John Guild is awful. His support is awful and his website programming for online ordering is even worse. We couldn’t advertise ordering online which is really important these days because the site never ever works right. Customers get frustrated and go somewhere else.

  We were supposed to have regular visits from corporate, someone looking over our food costs and watching for theft, marketing help. NOTHING.

  If you are considering MMG run fast! They will deceive you and lead you into wasting your money. I understand some stores are a success but most are not profitable. This is from speaking to owners. Thanks to Rod Silva being a good guy the franchises keep trucking along.

  It’s too bad Rod’s concept has been taken away and mismanaged by such an incompetent leader Bob Morgan

• Please stay away from these crooks. You will lose your life savings. This concept is dead. Please Please Please….

• Can anyone provide an update on how things have changed under the new ownership? Or has it?

• Rod is joke, Bob Morgan is the CEO another joke. Tim Betts another crook…..
  Please stay away and save your investment…

• Bayville, NJ Closed – January 2015

• Living in Tallahassee,Fl. with interest I watched your episode this evening (Jan 8,2016). I am a senior citizen and your franchise is near our university (FSU) and I do not venture that way often. The main thing I noticed from the Food Truck was handling food with gloves and then making change and handling money with the same glove on. Either have a cashier or take the glove off!!! Money is nasty!!
  Otherwise, your concept is great in my opinion.
  Listen to your workers!!
  Sincerely, Frances Bell

• What do you mean?? Do not use a gloved hand for food and money….is that better??

• Biggest mistake I ever made. Believed all the hype from corporate and signed on the dotted line with good ole Lester Soto (Google his name and you’ll see what a crook he is). Everything everyone is posting here (with exception of the one smuck that claims friend owns 3 and is doing great) is soooooo right on target. They never cared about me after I opened. Btw- did any other franchisee see this “hey franchisee, I’m Bob Morgan and I need you to sign this document before you open in 2hrs…. Document states I the franchisee turned down the required management training claiming I didn’t need. Truth was Everytime I asked Gordon what about my training he said you don’t need it’s fine. Opening day Bob says sign here. I say I’d like my lawyer to read first. He says ok you not opening until you sign. I look at it quickly and see its me signing “I don’t need training” doc. Told Bob Gordon said I didn’t need. He calls Gordon over and asks him is this true. Gordon says I never told you that (to my face he lies) Bob says soooo you signing or keeping doors locked? I was blown away
  But had everything ready to good to go- staff- food ready- friends coming- would’ve lost more money like I did building the freaking place to begin with. Pleaseeeee let me know if we ever sue these guys, I’d be more than happy to join. For anyone new looking into Mmg- take the guys advise from earlier post and smack ya head against the wall until you walk away.

• Consider a restaurant here in Memphis TN, Southaven, MS or Olive Branch, MS, Collierville, TN. All are good places to start growing your business in the SOUTH. Many ppl here are Health conscious. Fresh grilled chicken is always a good idea instead of processed meat

• Need another location in West part of country

• Message to your founder:

  Hi. I am not a franchisee, I am a viewer of your Undercover Boss episode and Dude, you may have throat cancer.

  Please see a doctor at once.

• I hear Morristown NJ location closing soon!! another bites the dust

• My son works for a north New Jersey MMG which won #1 place in the region. I firmly believe it depends on who runs it. The owner and my son have been in the resturant business for many years before opening this MMG. Experience, hard work, loyalty, knowledge, all play an important part of the success. The owner works there!!! I’m hearing how some just own and let other run it. Hellllllloooooo!!! You get what you put into it.

• I have to say that I read the complaints and figured people doing poorly just complain. Well, after opening my two locations and having already had to close one of them, all of the complaints seem to be true. No support, broken promises, no love for you after you are open, they only care about opening new locations. Bob, Rod, Gordon, Ben and all of the other cronies are worthless.

• Donna, u must have done a lot drugs while you were young

• Whats up with the MMG clowns……. have they screwed more people yet?

• PARSIPPANY LOCATION CLOSED

• I am an architect in Shreveport, Louisiana. I drew up the plans for the PROPOSED store in Shreveport. It would be a great location next to a Whole Foods. MMG has not released money to the franchisee to pay me for my design fees, around $8,000. My invoice is now 5 months old. I have been told some nonsense about them about to go public with an IPO in March and the auditors will not let them write a check for more than $5,000 during this IPO time and I will need to wait a little longer. So what, my invoice has been in their hands for 5 months and I have been trying to get paid. It is my understanding that the franchisee has dissolved his agreement with MMG so there will not be one in Shreveport. We do a lot of franchise and development work and this company has been the most difficult to deal with.

• Shitheads

• MUSCLE MAKER GRILL SUCKS

• Just saw that the East Brunswick store on rt 18 closed. Had an eviction notice on the front door. The more I see people still wanting to open these concept the more I am greatful I am not longer involved with this horrible company. They have Derek Bogner ripping people off on the west coast now

• Toms River Permanently Closed

• https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1701756/000149315217003055/part2-3.htm

  look at the link, Now they wanna steal from Innocent people.. they wanna go IPO…

  CROOKS

• https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1701756/000149315217010815/part2-3.htm#a_019

  this is the new one.. crooks

• This is not good.

  NOTE 2 – GOING CONCERN AND MANAGEMENT’S PLANS

  As of December 31, 2016, the Company had a cash balance, a working capital deficiency and an accumulated deficit of $335,724, $1,723,852 and $3,841,637 respectively. For the year ended December 31, 2016, the Company incurred a pre-tax net loss of $4,092,405. For the period from January 23, through December 31, 2015 and the period from January 1 through January 22, 2015, the Company incurred a pre-tax net loss of $839,530 and $62,866, respectively. These conditions indicate that there is substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern for at least one year from the date of this filing.

• Not only will they use the $19.9M and do nothing to change their business model to support their franchisee’s.
  First they force you to use Sysco. Is this because they want consistency in their product? Might be a small portion of their rationale, the bigger issue here is that Sysco is in bed with MMG. The prices they charge MMG Franchisees is outrageous. Chicken goes from $40.00 a case to $70.00 a case. How does that happen? I’ll tell you…Rod and his cronies are taking their cut of all food sales. Again, beating the franchisees and supporting HQ (an still showing a 4M loss. Then again, this kick back is probably off the books.
  Have to start considering all other vendors that we are forced to use. Paper Goods, Soda, Software support, etc. How much kick back is going back to the Franchise?

• please don’t invest… Please

• PLEASE READ BELOW AND SEE WHAT MR MORGAN IS SAYING… THE NONSENSE…

  This week, we talked with Robert Morgan, the company’s enthusiastic CEO, who said the warning was a natural consequence of the investments Muscle Maker is making in its business to generate growth. He said the company’s future is “guaranteed” and is hardly in the danger that the warning would suggest.

  “The company is extremely strong,” Morgan said. “We have some good things going on in 2017.”

  But Muscle Maker Grill also has some challenges with its growth trajectory and its financials as it takes its case to potential investors.

• http://www.nrn.com/finance/muscle-maker-grill-mini-ipo-are-investors-buying-pain-or-gain

• Hey Bob Morgan, you douchebag. How many people lives do you ruin?

• https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1701756/000149315217013381/part2-3.htm#a_019

• Imagine buying MMG stock at $4.75 a share….. what do you think the shares will be worth in 3 months..

  Please give me your Two cents!!!

• RIP HOBOKEN

• https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1701756/000149315218003152/form253g2.htm

  Ok folks, MMG is dying slowing. Look at this recent Sec filing. They have been borrowing money from people to stay alive. Watch our for MMG closing forever!

• https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1701756/000149315218004824/form253g2.htm

  Attn: The Public finally woke up! They only raised $143,000 from the IPO and They terminated the offering… Dooms days is coming….. Click on link above

• Muscle Maker Grill’s franchise salesperson Eric Goldberg just left.

  https://www.linkedin.com/in/egoldberg15/

• https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180419006271/en/Muscle-Maker-Announces-Business-Updates

  BYE BYE ROBERT MORGAN

• I am both SHOCKED/APPALLED by what is being said about Rod Silva. I know him PERSONALLY. He’s a GOOD CHRISTAIN. A “man of GOD”! It doesn’t matter he had me one time fax a ton of paperwork and then charge me $2 for EXPIRED Cole slaw!

• Still waiting for the end…

  Can’t come soon enough for them. I feel bad for current franchisee’s, but I lost way too much money with MMG. They had you by the balls with all vendors because they were getting their kick back from them too, especially Sysco!

• Contact me to put these guys behind bars

• Someone tried to leave number but didn’t post their whole number…

• Public today