Short answer
Already an owner-operator of a Culver's restaurant? Merchant Fund Express funds it with a business loan, a merchant cash advance, revenue-based financing, a line of credit, equipment financing or working capital, from $5,000 to $5,000,000. Owners ask for help with frozen custard machines and freezers, grill and fryer lines, parking lot and building upkeep, crew wages and local advertising. Send the application and three months of business bank statements; a specialist usually replies within 2–4 hours.
Every way to fund your Culver's location
Already running a Culver's location and need capital? Merchant Fund Express funds existing franchise owners with every structure below, from $5,000 to $5,000,000, on one application. Terms depend on the business's revenue and history.
| Product | What it does at a Culver's location |
|---|---|
| Business loan | A lump sum for a parking lot, roof or dining-room project, repaid on a fixed schedule. |
| Merchant cash advance | Fast money repaid from card sales when a custard machine fails in July. |
| Revenue-based financing | A sales-linked payment for northern stores whose winter traffic dips. |
| Line of credit | A limit to draw for food, paper and dairy orders between deposits. |
| Equipment financing | Custard freezers, dipping cabinets, grills, fryers and walk-ins bought from approved dealers. |
| Working capital | Crew payroll, local advertising and the costs of a busy summer. |
What Culver's owners call about
Custard machines
Flavor of the Day depends on continuous custard freezers. One down machine shortens the menu that customers come for.
A big building to keep up
Up to 4,500 square feet, a drive-thru and dozens of parking stalls mean roofing, paving and HVAC bills.
Real estate on the owner's books
Many owner-operators own their land and building, so repairs and improvements are theirs to fund.
Local advertising
Beyond the national contribution, owners spend at least 1% of sales on local advertising each year.
Fastest fit for each Culver's need
| The need | Usually fits | Send with the application |
|---|---|---|
| Replace a custard freezer | Equipment financing | Dealer quote |
| Repave the lot or replace the roof | Business loan | Contractor bid |
| Walk-in cooler failing | Refrigeration | Repair or replacement quote |
| Local advertising plan | Marketing funding | Media budget |
| Winter payroll in a northern market | Seasonal cash flow | Statements covering the slow months |
Why Culver's owners usually need equipment money
Culver's equipment is bought through approved independent dealers to the franchisor's specifications, not from Culver's itself. That makes a dealer quote the natural anchor for a funding request. Royalty is 4% of gross sales, and new franchisees put 2.5% into advertising plus at least 1% of sales in local spending.
Because the franchisor says most owner-operators own their real estate, the building is often the owner's problem too. Merchant Fund Express does not lend against the property; it funds the restaurant on its own deposits. That keeps the process quick: no appraisal, no title work, just statements, ID and a short description of the job.
How fast it moves, and what to send
- Apply in about 4 minutesName Culver's as the brand, the amount and the job the money does.
- Send three months of statementsBusiness bank statements for the entity that owns the location, plus photo ID for each owner.
- Decision in 2–4 hoursA specialist reads deposits and current payments, then returns the fit.
- FundsSame-day funding is available; funding often lands the next business day.
A Culver's file, start to finish (hypothetical)
A Culver's owner-operator in a northern state loses a custard freezer in late spring and needs the drive-thru lane resealed before summer. They ask for $60,000: $38,000 for the freezer on an approved dealer's quote and $22,000 for the paving. A specialist could place the freezer on equipment financing and the paving on a short business loan, both sized from the restaurant's deposits.
Illustration only. It shows how a request gets sized; it is not a past deal or an offer.
Culver's at a glance (public sources)
From Culver's official franchising pages. The total investment figure appears only in the disclosure document, which we could not fetch from an official page, so it is not shown; neither is a net worth figure.
Sources: culvers.com (franchise) · culvers.com (faq) · culvers.com (real estate). Checked Oct 2026. Figures change with each disclosure year; confirm current terms with the franchisor. Anything we could not verify is left out.
Owner questions, answered
How fast can a Culver's owner-operator get an answer?
A complete file usually gets a decision in 2–4 hours, and same-day funding is available.
Can I finance a custard machine from an approved dealer?
Yes. Send the dealer's quote. Restaurant equipment bought to brand specifications is a common request.
I own the building. Do you lend against it?
No. Merchant Fund Express funds the operating restaurant on its deposits; there is no real-estate loan and no appraisal.
Do sole proprietors qualify?
Yes. Sole proprietors are eligible, and Spanish-speaking support is available.
Are you affiliated with Culver's?
No. We have no business tie to Culver's or the company that franchises it, and neither has endorsed us. The name is on this page only so Culver's owners can find funding written for their locations.
Keep going
Not affiliated with or endorsed by Culver's or its franchisor. Merchant Fund Express is a separate, independent company; the brand appears here so its owners can find this page. Terms depend on the business's revenue and history.