Cleanest Restaurant Group is a restaurant cleaning franchise founded in 2013, built on a family cleaning business dating back to 1974. The brand began franchising in 2022 and has grown to 10 locations. CRG is the first and only franchise specializing exclusively in restaurant cleaning — a niche with no direct national competitors. Franchisees operate a home-based, executive owner model with recurring B2B revenue from daily, weekly, and monthly service contracts.
At a Glance
- Liquid Capital Required: $60,000 (Liquid Capital refers to readily available cash or cash-equivalent assets that can be accessed without borrowing, selling a primary residence, or relying on future income.)
- Ownership Model: Executive owner (work ON the business, not IN it)
- Location Type: Home-based
- Time Commitment: Full-time
- Experience Required: None; sales and management background helpful
Top 5 Reasons to Invest
- First restaurant cleaning franchise — no national competitors
- Recurring revenue from service contracts
- 50+ years family industry experience
- Home-based with low overhead
- National accounts already established
About Cleanest Restaurant Group
The Cleanest Restaurant Group story begins in 1974 when founder’s father started a general cleaning company. After decades in commercial cleaning, the business pivoted in 2013 when New York City began grading restaurant cleanliness with letter grades. This created demand for specialized cleaning services that general janitorial companies couldn’t match. Years of trial and error perfected techniques, tools, and proprietary cleaning products specifically for restaurant environments.
The brand began franchising in 2022 after national restaurant clients requested service in markets where CRG didn’t operate. Rather than expand company operations, the founder created a franchise model to help others build businesses with 50+ years of accumulated knowledge. CRG has established relationships with national accounts including Del Frisco Steakhouse, Capital Grille, Mastro’s Steakhouse, Morton’s Steakhouse, and Bubba Gump — providing franchisees with potential immediate account opportunities.
Why Franchise With Cleanest Restaurant Group?
- No direct national competitors — CRG is the first and only franchise specializing in restaurant cleaning services.
- Recurring revenue model — restaurants need cleaning daily, weekly, or monthly, creating predictable contracted income.
- Executive owner model — franchisees manage crews and client relationships, not perform cleaning themselves.
- Home-based with low overhead — no brick and mortar required, keeping fixed costs minimal.
- Back office support — corporate handles invoicing, allowing franchisees to focus on sales and operations.
ABF Exclusive Insights
Market Analysis: Every restaurant, café, deli, bar, and food truck requires professional cleaning to meet health department standards and customer expectations. Since COVID, consumers are more aware of cleanliness than ever — restaurants cannot afford to fail inspections or appear unsanitary. Yet the market is served by general janitorial companies without restaurant-specific expertise. This gap creates opportunity for a specialized provider with proven techniques and products.
Competitive Advantage: CRG occupies a category of one. General cleaning companies compete on price with commodity services. CRG competes on expertise, consistency, and results that help restaurants pass health inspections and maintain A-grades. The proprietary private-label products were developed and tested over 11 years specifically for restaurant environments. National account relationships with premium steakhouse brands validate the quality and create potential account opportunities for new franchisees.
ABF Timing Insight: CRG began franchising in 2022 and has 10 locations — early enough for prime territory availability but validated by the founder’s 50+ years in the industry and established national accounts. The low investment ($102K–$203K), home-based model, and SBA approval reduce barriers. For investors seeking a niche B2B service business with recurring revenue, no direct competition, and executive ownership potential, the timing favors first movers before the category matures.
Training & Support
- One week at corporate office in New York covering software, sales, operations, and hands-on restaurant cleaning techniques.
- Two trainers sent to franchisee’s territory for 7–9 days of hands-on training in first restaurant accounts.
- Repeat field training for second and third restaurants until franchisee is fully proficient in CRG processes.
- Back office support handles all customer invoicing with real-time financial portal for franchisee visibility.
- 24/7 access to training videos, support portal, and expert operations managers for field questions.
Franchise Owners That Thrive
- Business-minded individuals who manage teams and client relationships
- Sales-oriented professionals comfortable with B2B prospecting
- Customer service-focused operators who deliver consistent quality
- Independent self-starters who are organized and ambitious
- Executives seeking to build scalable service businesses
Franchise Fit & Capital Readiness
Who Is NOT A Good Fit for This Franchise
- Seeking passive income without active sales and management involvement
- Uncomfortable with B2B sales or building client relationships
- Expecting immediate revenue without establishing local restaurant accounts
- Less than $60,000 in liquid capital available
Candidates who do not meet the financial criteria below are typically not approved by the franchisor.
Investment Readiness Check
- Ownership timeline: 2–3 months from signing to launch
- Minimum Net Worth: $100,000 verified during qualification
- Minimum Liquid Capital: $60,000 — required for consideration
- Territory availability and financing readiness confirmed before approval
All financial thresholds are set by the franchisor and are non-negotiable during approval.
Franchisor Authority Disclosure
America’s Best Franchises provides guidance and introductions. Final approval criteria, financial thresholds, and territory decisions are determined exclusively by the franchisor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Do I need cleaning industry experience?
A. No. CRG provides comprehensive training covering techniques, products, and business operations. Franchisees manage the business — crews perform the cleaning.
Q. How large are the territories?
A. Standard territories cover 150,000–300,000 population. Large territories cover 300,001–600,000 population. Both are assigned by zip code and are exclusive.
Q. What types of restaurants can I service?
A. All hospitality facilities: sit-down restaurants, chain restaurants, delis, fast food, coffee shops, bars, hotel kitchens, nursing home kitchens, and food trucks.
Q. Is financing available?
A. CRG is SBA approved with third-party lender relationships. Veterans, minorities, and women may qualify for franchise fee discounts.
Next Steps
By submitting this form, you confirm that you meet the liquid capital requirement of $60,000 established by the franchisor.
Complete the form below to request a qualification review and discuss territory availability for Cleanest Restaurant Group.
This profile represents general franchise information. Individual results may vary. Refer to the Franchise Disclosure Document for complete details.