Skip to content
Show
Chick-fil-A is one of the biggest American fast-food restaurants specializing in fried chicken sandwiches. The franchise is primarily located in the United States with over 2,500 locations in over 28 states. Chick-fil-A also operates in Puerto Rico and Canada. The popular fast-food chain was founded in 1946 as the Dwarf Grill and then renamed as
Dwarf House until their rebranding into Chick-fil-A in 1967. How much does it cost to open a Chick-fil-A? Chick-fil-A franchisees can expect to invest $590,000 – $2,025,400 depending on location. Chick-fil-A also charges a franchise fee of $10,000, which is cheap compared to comparable franchise opportunities. To open a Chick-fil-A you need $10,000 in liquid capital and a net worth of $10,000. Liquid capital is the amount you need on
hand to be eligible for the agreement. Net worth is the amount of your assets combined, which include the amount you have in investments, savings, retirement accounts, property or other assets. Take our franchise quiz to determine if Chick-fil-A is the right choice for you. Now that we have looked at some initial numbers, let’s take a closer look into all the details to help you understand what’s
required to operate this franchise successfully. As we’ll explain further, you’re more likely to get into Harvard than to be accepted into the Chic-fil-A family even if you meet all the financial requirements. Here is more of a rough breakdown of the initial investment costs. These are are relative and shown in the charts below. There could be additional costs to consider.
Here are few more fees that may occur as you open your Chick-fil-A franchise.
All the leasing, rental, equipment, and other costs can total up to around 15% of the sales from the franchise, plus an additional 50% of the pretax profit. There is also a royalty fee of 15% back to the Chick-fil-A corporation, which is one of the highest royalty fees amongst most franchises! However, you are able to get some financial assistance from the Chick-fil-A corporation. They do leases and subleases for the restaurants, which can be helpful for new franchisees. They also allow extended payment terms for certain re-opening circumstances that are under their Franchise Agreement. Not only that, but the company also provides rental for equipment that is based on a monthly fee on the fair market value rental price that’s determined by Chick-fil-A themselves. Not Sure What Franchise to Start? Take Our 7-Minute Franchise Business Quiz! Average Store Sales and Revenue per YearThe average Chick-fil-A restaurant generates around $5.3 million in gross annual sales which is way more than other lead quick-service restaurants like Popeyes, Subway, and almost double the leading fast-food restaurant McDonald’s. Chick-fil-A has over $10 billion in annual system-wide sales, which is impressive for the number of stores they have functioning. The company still has the opportunity to expand into any more areas since they only operate in 28 states at the time of writing. Franchise Facts
How Much Profit Does the Chick-fil-A Franchise Make Per Year?Owners make $200,000 to $240,000 per year on average after considering annual fees. As mentioned earlier, Chick-fil-A restaurants produce around $5.3 million in annual sales on average so between 5% – 7% of total sales will hit the bottom line after expenses. There are a couple of reasons why they’re one of the top-selling quick service restaurants per unit. Even though there is a high initial cost, the sales help you earn back the initial investment quickly. AdvantagesWith their immense amount of profits, there are clear advantages to how Chick-fil-A operates and many reasons why they’re on top of the market. As a franchise owner, you won’t have to worry too much about the beginning and opening of your restaurant. Once you get accepted as a franchisee, Chick-fil-A will decide where your store will be located and pay for all the expenses to build it and the equipment too. They take great care in making sure that their franchises are successful. The main investment you’ll put in is the $10,000 franchise fee. For first-time franchise owners who are unsure of how to get started, Chick-fil-A does a lot of the work for you. This is often the most foolproof way to get a successful business up and running. Franchise Review: How Much Does it Really Cost to Open a Subway Franchise? Their total gross sales may not look as much compared to other fast-food chains, but that is largely due to their low number of stores that are in existence. Though they are slowly expanding, and the number of total gross sales is steadily increasing. Having a fewer number of stores also creates a craving for Chick-fil-A, since they’re not everywhere like many other fast food restaurants. There will be high demand when there is a low supply. Chick-fil-A also has a great emphasis on its Christian beliefs and family-oriented values. This has them closing all their franchises on Sundays. While many can see this as a loss of revenue, this piggybacks to the earlier conversation about supply and demand, so consumers will want to satisfy their craving. Revenue will be met with higher demand on other days, so there is no need to worry. Sunday will also give time for store owners to get much-needed relaxation, spend time with their family, watch Sunday night NFL, etc. This represents Chick-fil-A giving time and consideration to their employees. In addition, this creates a healthy relationship between corporate headquarters and the franchise owners. It relieves some of the pressure and creates a sense of community, which will persuade store owners to stay longer and invested in Chick-fil-A. Instead of a company and franchisee owner, it feels more like a supported partnership between the two. Main Advantages
ChallengesEvery business will encounter challenges in the beginning and down the road. Here are a couple of challenges that Chick-fil-A franchisees may have. Franchise owners of Chick-fil-A are actually labeled as operators, which signifies that the control is with Chick-fil-A corporation, not the store owners. This results in the franchise owners to not receive or own any equity in their business. If you are looking to own your own business and have control of it, this is not for you. This also means you’re not able to choose where your location will be, which can be a downside for many. You also cannot sell your location or pass them onto the next generation in your family, and you cannot own multiple franchises without the approval from Chick-fil-A (which will be rare). With such a hands-on company, you will have much less control over how you want to run your business. Although this may be great when you are first starting out, some can find it limiting and controlling later on. There may be decisions and changes you want to make, but everything needs to go through the corporation for approval first.
While some may want to delegate tasks to management and other leaders, Chick-fil-A values a proactive franchise owner and will not accept those that are not ready or committed to this role. Another obstacle that you may face is that there were also some controversies that have damaged Chick-fil-A’s publicity. The owners exposed their opinions about gay marriage and their donations to anti-LGBTQ organizations. This created a lot of backlash, protests, and boycotts to the chain. Opening a Chick-fil-A may risk you excluding a portion of the customer base due to these concerns and negative publicity. When making a franchise decision it’s important to keep this in mind. Although the chain is still largely popular, some people are still hesitant about dining at the restaurant. With their intense beliefs and values, Chick-fil-A does have a rigorous application and interview process. You’ll go through approximately 12 interviews or more and at any time, and will be dropped if you don’t meet their criteria. Even if you have the base financial requirements, Chick-fil-A looks for much more than that. Every year they will only take in 75-80 franchises, from a pool of more than 20,000 applications. From an odds standpoint, Chick-fil-A is tougher to get into than Harvard. Main challenges
Is the Chick-fil-A Franchise Right for You?Based on the estimated annual salary of $200,000 to $240,000 for a Chick-fil-A franchisee, you can be confident you’ll live comfortably if you join the company and stick to the operations plan. However, the company is going to have a tight grip on your lifestyle if you decide to join them. There’s no guarantee you’ll make it through the companies franchisee vetting process either. Chick-fil-A requires you to be hands-on and work in the store as a franchise owner. They are not going to allow you to have this restaurant as a side gig or passive investment. The restaurant must be your main focus. This requirement helps maintain the high customer service reputation by choosing owners that are truly invested in running the business. The company works hard to weed out people who are not in the same mindset as them or share the same core values as them during the interview process. Related Reading: What’s the Real Cost to Open a Dunkin’ Donuts Franchise? They also have training programs that will teach you how to run a fast food restaurant in every aspect. You don’t need to have had any prior experience because you can be trained as long as you’re willing to learn. While with other franchises you may have to worry about finding the right location and type of store you want to open, Chick-fil-A takes all the guesswork out of this process. You’re considered lucky if you’re able to open a Chick-fil-A restaurant and be accepted into the company. However, be ready to dive in full throttle because they are not going to let in people who only want this business as a part of a broader investment portfolio. This brand has a core emphasis on Christian values and beliefs, so make sure your belief system aligns with the corporate culture. For instance, Chick-fil-A is closed every Sunday and major holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. You can learn more about this opportunity and view emerging markets for the company at the companies official franchise website. Related PostsCan you ever own a ChickYou can't own a Chick-fil-A franchise. It's not going to happen. That's because, while the company does open restaurants across the country, and it even calls these locations “franchises,” they really aren't. Chick-fil-A still owns the restaurant; it just lets franchise operators run the store, like a manager.
How much do you have to be worthy to open a ChickWhile operating a Chick-fil-A restaurant requires a relatively modest $10,000 initial financial commitment ($15,000 CAD in Canada), it requires a holistic commitment to own and operate the business in a hands-on manner. We are in the restaurant industry - the quick-service restaurant industry, at that.
Why is it only cost $10 K to own a ChickThe franchisee only pays the $10k franchise fee. Chick-fil-A pays for (and retains ownership of) everything — real estate, equipment, inventory — and in return, it takes a MUCH bigger piece of the pie. While a franchise like KFC takes 5% of sales, Chick-fil-A commands 15% of sales + 50% of any profit.
Is it hard to get approved to open a ChickChick-fil-A calls their franchisees “operators” and becoming one isn't easy. Chick-fil-A's acceptance rate rivals Harvard and Stanford—less than 1% of franchisee applicants are accepted.
|