Broken Yolk Cafe
Broken Yolk Cafe is a family-owned breakfast and brunch franchise operating 42 restaurants across five U.S. states. It serves families, brunch enthusiasts, and corporate catering clients, generating revenue via dine-in sales, franchise royalties, loyalty and gift cards, and catering.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1979
- HeadquartersElizabeth, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Broken Yolk Cafe does
Broken Yolk Cafe is a privately held, family-owned breakfast and brunch restaurant franchise founded in 1979 in San Diego's Pacific Beach neighborhood and acquired by John Gelastopoulos in 1993. The company operates as a multi-unit franchise system, with 42 locations across five U.S. states (California, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, Idaho) as of 2026, plus Indiana in development. Menu positioning centers on an extensive breakfast/brunch/lunch daypart (8-hour operating day, closing at 3 PM), featuring signature items (Cinna-Cakes, Sope Benedict, Chilaquiles Bowl), plant-based options (JUST Egg, Beyond Sausage), and a dedicated kids menu targeting families with children under 12 as the primary customer segment.
The underlying technology stack is enterprise-grade restaurant SaaS rather than proprietary IP: Oracle MICROS Simphony POS for transactions, OLO for first-party digital ordering and catering, Punchh for the BYC Rewards loyalty program, Shift4 for payment and gift-card processing, Givex for e-gift cards, Placer.ai for site selection, PlayerLync for franchise training, and ReviewTrackers for reputation management. Third-party delivery (Uber Eats, DoorDash) and catering aggregators (EZ Cater) extend off-premise reach. No public or partner-facing API is offered; the digital surface is a consumer-facing mobile app (iOS/Android) plus the order.thebrokenyolkcafe.com ordering storefront.
Revenue is generated through four primary streams: (1) dine-in restaurant sales at franchise locations, (2) franchise royalties (4.5% of gross sales) plus advertising fund contributions (1.5% brand, 2% local) and initial franchise fees on new unit openings, (3) loyalty and gift card programs (Punchh-powered, with 1 point per $1 spent and $10 coupons at 200 points; gift cards $5–$500 never expiring), and (4) catering services for corporate and event customers via OLO and EZ Cater. Initial franchise investment ranges from $540K–$1.6M per location, with a $2.7M systemwide AUV per the 2025 FDD. Customers are individual diners and families rather than named enterprise accounts; franchise-level revenue depends on continued multi-unit operator recruitment.
Broken Yolk Cafe firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Broken Yolk Cafe
- Legal name
- BYC, Inc.
- Website
- https://thebrokenyolkcafe.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1979
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Broken Yolk Cafe is a family-owned breakfast and brunch franchise operating 42 restaurants across five U.S. states. It serves families, brunch enthusiasts, and corporate catering clients, generating revenue via dine-in sales, franchise royalties, loyalty and gift cards, and catering.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Broken Yolk Cafe industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Casual Dining Restaurants
- NAICS
- Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Limited-Service Restaurants (722513), Cafeterias, Grill Buffets, and Buffets (722514)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812), Bakery Products (2050)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Health-Focused Cafes (Organic/Vegan/Wellness) (THAFADAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Direct-to-Consumer Meal Kit Subscriptions (CRAHAJAA)
Keywords
Where Broken Yolk Cafe is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Elizabeth
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Broken Yolk Cafe business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Dine-in Restaurant Sales: Revenue generated from customer dine-in purchases at franchise locations including breakfast, brunch and lunch menu items. Operates 8-hour day (closes 3PM) with two day-part model (breakfast/brunch and lunch).
- Franchise Fees and Royalties: Initial franchise fees from new franchise development plus ongoing royalty payments (4.5% of gross sales) and advertising fund contributions (1.5% brand + 2% local).
- Loyalty Program and App: Points-based rewards program earning 1 point per $1 spent, redeemable for $10 coupons at 200 points. Birthday rewards and referral bonuses.
- Catering Services: Corporate and event catering orders including breakfast entrees, trays, sandwiches, salads and beverages. Family style meals serving 10-20 people.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | One time | Franchise Initial Investment |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Monthly | Franchise Ongoing Fees |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Gift Cards |
| Freemium | Monthly | Rewards Program |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Broken Yolk Cafe product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Broken Yolk Cafe is a breakfast and brunch restaurant chain operating dine-in, takeout, and catering services under a franchise model across five U.S. states. The company's core offering is its made-from-scratch breakfast and brunch menu featuring signature items such as Cinna-Cakes, Sope Benedict, Chilaquiles Bowl, Ranchero Skillet, and a dedicated Kids Menu, served via physical restaurant locations supported by online ordering, a mobile app, loyalty program, gift cards, and group catering. Revenue is generated primarily through consumer food and beverage sales, with a secondary stream of franchise fees and royalties from multi-unit development partners.
Product overview
Broken Yolk Cafe operates as a breakfast and brunch restaurant chain offering a unified consumer experience centered on its core dine-in and takeout restaurant operations. The company's product portfolio includes: (1) the main restaurant dining experience with an extensive breakfast/brunch menu spanning eggs, pancakes, waffles, sandwiches, salads, and plant-based options; (2) BYC Rewards loyalty program powered by Punchh for points-based customer engagement; (3) gift card program via Givex; (4) catering services for events delivered through OLO and EZ Cater; (5) first-party digital ordering through its website and native mobile apps (iOS/Android). The franchise division offers multi-unit development agreements for qualified operators seeking to expand the brand in select markets. All digital customer touchpoints are unified through Oracle MICROS Simphony POS, OLO ordering platform, and Punchh loyalty integration.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Breakfast & Brunch Menu Full breakfast and brunch menu featuring signature items including Cinna-Cakes, Sope Benedict, Sweet Trio, Chilaquiles Bowl, Ranchero Skillet, Chicken-Fried Steak & Eggs, Spicy Vegan Bowl, various omelets, benedicts, skillets, pancakes, waffles, French toast, sandwiches, salads, and a dedicated Kids Menu. Includes plant-based options such as JUST Egg and Beyond Sausage. Served dine-in and via takeout at restaurant locations across California, Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, and Texas.
- Catering Services Breakfast and brunch catering for events of 10 to 100+ guests, featuring family-style breakfasts, breakfast burritos, scrambles, trays (eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, waffles, French toast), sandwiches, wraps, salads, and beverages. Available via the OLO catering platform at brokenyolkcafecatering.olo.com and through EZ Cater integration. Targets corporate events, office meetings, and group celebrations.
- BYC Rewards Loyalty Program Mobile app-based loyalty program enabling customers to earn points ($1 = 1 point), receive $10 reward coupons at 200 points, access birthday perks during the birthday month, and participate in refer-a-friend promotions (25 points per friend). Free to join and managed through the Punchh platform.
- Gift Cards E-gift cards available in denominations from $5 to $500, never expiring, redeemable at all participating locations for food, beverage, and merchandise purchases. E-gift cards delivered instantly via email; physical gift cards also sold at locations. Processed through the Givex platform with online balance checking.
- Online Ordering Platform First-party digital ordering system enabling customers to place pickup orders online directly through Broken Yolk Cafe. Powered by the OLO platform and integrated with the native mobile app on iOS and Android.
- Mobile App Native mobile application available on iOS (App Store) and Android (Google Play) that enables online ordering, rewards tracking, points redemption, receipt scanning, and access to exclusive offers for BYC Rewards members.
- Franchise Program Multi-unit franchise opportunity offering qualified operators the right to open Broken Yolk Cafe restaurants in designated markets. Initial investment ranges from $540,395 to $1,627,500 per location (2025 FDD Item 7) including franchise fee, buildout, equipment, and opening costs. Ongoing fees include a 4.5% royalty, 1.5% brand advertising fund contribution, and 2% local marketing contribution. Requires a minimum net worth of $1.5M and $500K liquidity, with a commitment to open 2+ restaurants. Expansion is underway in California, Arizona, Texas, Nevada, and upcoming Indiana markets.
Quantifiable outcome
- $2.7M systemwide average AUV (top quartile)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Broken Yolk Cafe
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Broken Yolk Cafe technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration14 records
Feature5 records
Broken Yolk Cafe partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- SYSCOcorePrimary food and supply distributor providing ingredients and supplies to franchise locations. Industry-specific software with in-house support.
- Oracle MICROS SimphonycorePoint-of-sale (POS) system used across all franchise locations for order management and transaction processing.
- OLOcoreFirst-party digital ordering and catering platform powering online orders and catering operations.
- PunchhcoreCustomer loyalty and engagement platform integrated with mobile app and BYC Rewards program.
- Shift4corePayment processing and gift card infrastructure across franchise locations.
- Uber EatscoreThird-party delivery integration for off-premise orders.
- DoorDashcoreThird-party delivery integration for off-premise orders.
- EZ CaterminorThird-party catering platform integration for corporate and event catering orders.
- PlayerLynccoreOperations and marketing training platform for franchise partners.
- Placer AIcoreMarket intelligence and site selection tools for franchise development and real estate analysis.
- Revenue AhoyminorDigital marketing services for franchise locations.
- SOS WEST, INC.minorSearch engine optimization services for brand digital presence.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Broken Yolk Cafe competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- First Watch Restaurant Group: Publicly-traded breakfast, brunch, and lunch specialist with ~540 locations systemwide. The closest direct peer in daypart model (closes mid-afternoon), menu focus, and franchise/company-owned hybrid expansion strategy, though materially larger in scale.
- Snooze, an A.M. Eatery: Multi-unit brunch concept (~80 locations) operating with a similar breakfast-and-lunch daypart, a comparable coastal/urban footprint, and an emphasis on scratch cooking, plant-based options, and creative menu items — directly competing for the same brunch occasion.
- Black Bear Diner: Family-focused breakfast, brunch, and dinner diner chain with ~160 locations primarily in the Western U.S. Closely comparable family-dining positioning, breakfast-all-day menu, and franchised growth model, with overlap in core California trade areas.
- Waffle House: Iconic ~1,950-unit breakfast specialist with 24/7 operations across the Southeast. While different in daypart and geography, it represents the dominant breakfast-chain benchmark for unit economics, customer frequency, and brand loyalty in the segment.
- The Original Pancake House: Multi-unit (~140+ locations) family-owned breakfast and brunch franchise founded in 1953. Comparable in heritage, franchise model, breakfast specialization, and signature-item-driven menu, though more geographically dispersed.
- Mimi's Cafe (now Mimi's Bistro & Bakery): Smaller (~70 locations) breakfast/brunch-focused bistro chain with a similar French-country positioning, all-day breakfast menu, and primarily West Coast footprint — competing directly with BYC in California family dining occasions.
Broad incumbents
- IHOP: Iconic breakfast-focused diner chain with ~1,800+ locations. Direct breakfast category competitor with broader daypart and significantly larger scale, providing the legacy, well-capitalized alternative that franchisees and diners compare BYC against.
- Denny's: 24-hour family dining chain with ~1,600 locations globally, anchored by breakfast daypart. While operating longer hours, it competes head-to-head for the same value-conscious breakfast diner and franchise development candidates.
- Cracker Barrel Old Country Store: Publicly-traded (~650 locations) family dining and country store concept offering all-day breakfast, comfort food, and a retail component. Comparable in family-with-children target demographic and franchise-style real estate footprint, but with a much broader daypart and Southern regional concentration.
Regional players
- Village Inn: Family-style American diner chain (~200+ locations) with a strong breakfast and pie focus, primarily operating in the Midwest and Mountain states. Comparable menu and family diner format, with minimal direct California overlap but potential competition as BYC enters Indiana and broader Midwest markets.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Broken Yolk Cafe social profiles
Digital presenceBroken Yolk Cafe compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Broken Yolk Cafe financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Broken Yolk Cafe leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Broken Yolk Cafe funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Broken Yolk Cafe M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Broken Yolk Cafe
What does Broken Yolk Cafe do?
Broken Yolk Cafe is a breakfast and brunch restaurant chain operating dine-in, takeout, and catering services under a franchise model across five U.S. states. The company's core offering is its made-from-scratch breakfast and brunch menu featuring signature items such as Cinna-Cakes, Sope Benedict, Chilaquiles Bowl, Ranchero Skillet, and a dedicated Kids Menu, served via physical restaurant locations supported by online ordering, a mobile app, loyalty program, gift cards, and group catering. Revenue is generated primarily through consumer food and beverage sales, with a secondary stream of franchise fees and royalties from multi-unit development partners.
Is Broken Yolk Cafe a public or private company?
Broken Yolk Cafe is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Broken Yolk Cafe founded?
Broken Yolk Cafe was founded in 1979. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Broken Yolk Cafe based?
Broken Yolk Cafe is headquartered in Elizabeth, United States, in the North America region.
How does Broken Yolk Cafe make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Dine-in Restaurant Sales are the primary driver. The others are franchise Fees and Royalties, loyalty Program and App and catering Services.
Who are Broken Yolk Cafe's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are First Watch Restaurant Group, Snooze, an A.M. Eatery, Black Bear Diner, Waffle House, The Original Pancake House and Mimi's Cafe (now Mimi's Bistro & Bakery). Broad incumbents are IHOP, Denny's and Cracker Barrel Old Country Store. Village Inn is listed as a regional player.
Does Broken Yolk Cafe have an API?
No public API is recorded for Broken Yolk Cafe.
What industry is Broken Yolk Cafe in?
Broken Yolk Cafe's product category is Casual Dining Restaurants. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFADAL, Health-Focused Cafes (Organic/Vegan/Wellness), with a secondary code of CRAHAJAA, Direct-to-Consumer Meal Kit Subscriptions. Its NAICS code is 722511 and its SIC code is 5810.