US Industry Hub

Casual & Family Dining Franchises

Casual and family dining franchises rank among this site's most expensive builds: a full-service dining room, kitchen and bar setup costs more to build than a quick-service counter. All figures here come straight from the brand's Franchise Disclosure Document: Item 5 covers the franchise fee, Item 7 states the investment range, and Item 20 records the number of locations currently open.

What a casual dining franchise actually costs
Panda Express$514,500 IHOP$784,382 Denny's$1,618,575 Buffalo Wild Wings$2,896,445 Applebee's$3,192,516 Golden Corral$3,631,328
$514,500entry floor$2,257,510median$5,076,178top of range
6 of 6 brands publish an Item 7 range $992,930–$3,118,498 is the middle half 6 of 6 file Item 19 earnings

Each dot is one brand's minimum total investment (FDD Item 7). An entry-cost distribution only — not a promise of return.

6 Casual & Family Dining brands, ranked by entry cost
1Panda ExpressFPRAsian QSR (captive venues) $514,500–$3,275,500 $25,000 8% 2,607+
2IHOPFPRPancake House / Full-Service Restaurant $784,382–$4,147,245 $25,000 4.5% 1,681+
3Denny'sFPRFull-Service Family Dining $1,618,575–$3,055,925 $30,000 4.5% 1,212+
4Buffalo Wild WingsFPRSports Bar / Wing Restaurant $2,896,445–$4,900,320 $12,500 5% 549+
5Applebee'sFPRCasual Dining / Full-Service Restaurant $3,192,516–$5,076,178 $35,000 4% 1,421+
6Golden CorralFPRBuffet & Grill Restaurant $3,631,328–$4,508,130 $50,000 4% 344+

Bar shows each brand's Item 7 range across the $514,500–$5,076,178 span of this category; the lighter block behind it is the middle half of the category (25th–75th percentile). Ranked by lowest entry cost.

Brands in this industry with no franchise on offer

None of these takes franchise applications from individuals today.

Waffle House does not franchiseTexas Roadhouse not open to new franchisees
Related US industry hubs
ChickenBurgers & Drive-Thru
Straight answers
How much does a casual dining franchise cost?

Across the 6 casual & family dining brands FRANticc tracks in the US with a disclosed investment range, entry cost runs from $514,500 (Panda Express) to $3,631,328 (Golden Corral), per each brand's FDD Item 7.

Which is the cheapest casual dining franchise?

Panda Express has the lowest disclosed minimum investment on this page at $514,500 (FDD Item 7). That is a starting figure, not the total cost of getting to opening day — franchise fee, working capital and any real estate are on top where applicable.

How much do casual & family dining franchise owners make?

Financial Performance Representations (FDD Item 19) are optional under FTC franchise rules, so not every brand publishes one. 6 of 6 brands on this page disclose earnings data in their current FDD; check the individual brand page for what each one discloses. FRANticc does not estimate or promise returns — only figures a brand has itself put in writing.

Can I get SBA financing for a casual dining franchise?

Many brands in this category are listed on the SBA Franchise Directory, which is what SBA 7(a) lenders check first — but directory listing and loan approval are two different things, and approval also depends on the individual applicant's credit and collateral. Confirm current SBA status directly with the brand and with an SBA-approved lender; FRANticc does not verify per-brand SBA eligibility.

Every figure above is from the brand's current Franchise Disclosure Document (Items 5, 6, 7, 20) on file with FRANticc, US-scoped (country_code=US) — no India data mixed in.
If any figure is incorrect, write to [email protected]