SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA · FY1991–PRESENT · CALIFORNIA
CIRCLE K franchise in California: what the public record shows
Franchisees of CIRCLE K in California have taken 119 SBA loans since 1991 (average $1,557,238), and of the 47 loans whose story has ended, 6.4% were charged off — versus 10.3% for CIRCLE K nationally and 14.8% across all rateable franchise brands. Its latest FDD Item 20 state table reports 7 franchised outlets in California (fiscal 2026) — about 0.02 per 100k residents.
Loans in CA
119
Resolved
47
Local charge-off
6.4%
National charge-off
10.3%
Source: SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA files (data.sba.gov), borrower state = CA. Charge-off rate = charged-off ÷ (charged-off + paid-in-full); open loans excluded. A local rate is published only when the resolved cohort clears our floor.
| Fiscal year | Franchised | Company-owned |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 225 | 185 |
| 2024 | 4 | 84 |
| 2025 | 217 | 175 |
| 2025 | 5 | 86 |
| 2026 | 195 | 175 |
| 2026 | 7 | 96 |
| System | Loans in CA | Local charge-off | Units in CA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subway | 573 | 5.4% | 1,783 |
| BIG O TIRES | 137 | 17.9% | 90 |
| DENNY'S | 119 | 6.3% | 327 |
| DAIRY QUEEN | 94 | 14.5% | — |
| MASSAGE ENVY | 83 | 11.4% | 126 |
| Minuteman Press | 75 | 10.9% | — |
| QUALITY INN | 71 | 0.0% | 78 |
| ECONO LODGE | 66 | 9.6% | 19 |
| JERSEY MIKE'S | 59 | 7.5% | 402 |
| Home Instead | 56 | 2.7% | 62 |
| Blimpie | 50 | 29.5% | — |
| Fastsigns | 50 | 16.1% | — |
Same sector, same state, same public records — how CIRCLE K compares to the systems a buyer in California would actually be choosing between. Local rates under 10 resolved loans are marked thin, not hidden.
A broker is paid by the franchisor to place you. I'm paid by you — and the job is pressure-testing CIRCLE K's numbers, including talking you out of a bad deal.