SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA · FY1991–PRESENT · CALIFORNIA
ECONO LODGE franchise in California: what the public record shows
Franchisees of ECONO LODGE in California have taken 66 SBA loans in the FY1991–present FOIA files (average $1,291,571). Those approved through FY2020 defaulted at a rate not clearly different from franchise loans made in the same years nationally: 4 charge-offs among 51 resolved loans, where about 8.3 would be expected (0.5×). ECONO LODGE's national ratio is 0.7×. Its latest FDD Item 20 state table reports 19 franchised outlets in California (fiscal 2025) — about 0.05 per 100k residents.
Loans in CA
66
Charged off (all years)
5 of 52
Loss ratio in CA (not clear)
0.5×
Loss ratio nationally
0.7×
Source: SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA files (data.sba.gov), borrower state = CA. Loss ratio = charge-offs among loans approved through FY2020 ÷ the charge-offs expected if each had defaulted at the national rate for franchise loans approved the same year; 1.0× is the same. Only charged-off and paid-in-full loans count. A ratio is shown at 30+ such loans; “not clear” marks a ratio chance alone could produce. The all-years count mixes every era and is evidence, not a rate to compare. Borrowers are matched to the brand by name and SBA franchise code; some matches may be wrong or missing.
| Fiscal year | Franchised | Company-owned |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 28 | — |
| 2024 | 25 | — |
| 2025 | 19 | — |
| System | Loans in CA | Charged off (all years) | Loss ratio in CA | Units in CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Days Inn | 135 | 8 of 104 | 0.5× | — |
| Best Western Inn | 133 | 4 of 80 | 0.4× | — |
| Motel 6 | 111 | 0 of 50 | 0× | — |
| Super 8 | 100 | 5 of 78 | 0.4× | — |
| Travelodge | 100 | 6 of 79 | 0.5× | — |
| Holiday Inn Express | 87 | 1 of 56 | 0.1× | — |
| Comfort Inn | 77 | 4 of 52 | 0.4× | — |
| QUALITY INN | 71 | 0 of 44 | 0× | 78 |
| Hampton Inns | 54 | 1 of 31 | 0.2×NOT CLEAR | — |
| Ramada Inn | 52 | 1 of 36 | 0.1× | — |
| RODEWAY INN | 43 | 0 of 25 | — | 53 |
| Howard Johnson | 42 | 2 of 32 | 0.4×NOT CLEAR | — |
Other systems in ECONO LODGE's sector whose franchisees borrowed in California. A loss ratio appears only where at least 30 loans approved through FY2020 have resolved; “—” means too few.
A broker is usually paid by the franchisor to place you. I'm paid only by you, never by a franchisor you're considering — and the job is pressure-testing ECONO LODGE’s numbers, including talking you out of a bad deal.