US Industry Hub

Chicken Franchises

Chicken franchises range from drive-thru-led quick-service operations to sit-down concepts built around buckets and tenders. That operating model shapes the build-out budget and the equipment the kitchen needs. Every number here comes directly from the brand’s Franchise Disclosure Document: Item 5 lists the franchise fee, Item 7 gives the investment range, and Item 20 shows the number of locations currently open. Check the figures before listening to the pitch.

What a chicken franchise actually costs
Wingstop$310,400 Chicken Salad Chick$777,000 El Pollo Loco$793,750 Dave's Hot Chicken$823,800 Church's Texas Chicken$1,202,400 Popeyes$1,222,045 Zaxby's$1,460,000 KFC$2,107,575 Bojangles$2,851,880
$310,400entry floor$1,202,400median$4,155,000top of range
9 of 10 brands publish an Item 7 range $793,750–$1,460,000 is the middle half 10 of 10 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.

10 Chicken brands, ranked by entry cost
1WingstopFPRChicken Wings QSR $310,400–$1,048,500 $25,000 6% 2,529+
2Chicken Salad ChickFPRChicken Salad QSR $777,000–$998,500 $50,000 5% 252+
3El Pollo LocoFPRMexican Fire-Grilled QSR $793,750–$2,685,500 $40,000 5% 328+
4Dave's Hot ChickenFPRHot Chicken QSR $823,800–$4,121,900 $40,000 6% 348+
5Church's Texas ChickenFPRFried Chicken QSR $1,202,400–$1,886,300 $20,000 5% 722+
6PopeyesFPRFried Chicken / QSR $1,222,045–$3,923,245 $50,000 5% 3,134+
7Zaxby'sFPRChicken / QSR $1,460,000–$3,810,500 $35,000 6% 865+
8KFCFPRFried Chicken QSR $2,107,575–$4,155,000 $45,000 4.5% 3,404+
9BojanglesFPRFried Chicken QSR $2,851,880–$3,951,200 $35,000 4% 591+
10Chick-fil-AFPRChicken / QSR $10,000 fee · by selection $10,000 15% 3,109+

Bar shows each brand's Item 7 range across the $310,400–$4,155,000 span of this category; the lighter block behind it is the middle half of the category (25th–75th percentile). Ranked by lowest entry cost.

Head-to-head inside this category
KFC vs Church's Texas Chicken KFC vs Bojangles Chick-fil-A vs Zaxby's
Brands in this industry with no franchise on offer

None of these takes franchise applications from individuals today.

Raising Cane's does not franchise
Related US industry hubs
Burgers & Drive-ThruMexican Fast-Casual
Straight answers
How much does a chicken franchise cost?

Across the 9 chicken brands FRANticc tracks in the US with a disclosed investment range, entry cost runs from $310,400 (Wingstop) to $2,851,880 (Bojangles), per each brand's FDD Item 7. 1 of 10 brands on this page have not disclosed a figure.

Which is the cheapest chicken franchise?

Wingstop has the lowest disclosed minimum investment on this page at $310,400 (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 chicken franchise owners make?

Financial Performance Representations (FDD Item 19) are optional under FTC franchise rules, so not every brand publishes one. 10 of 10 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 chicken 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]