Chick-fil-A franchise
Chick-fil-A is a quick-service chain built around one product, its boneless chicken breast sandwich, with a limited menu of nuggets, salads and breakfast items. It doesn't sell franchises in the usual way: it picks Operators to run restaurants it develops and owns, and licenses kiosks in captive venues such as airports, campuses and hospitals. At the end of 2025 there were 2,863 Chick-fil-A locations in the US, 2,795 franchised and 68 company-owned. The $10,000 franchise fee is the only up-front payment an Operator makes; the rest of the opening cost is paid out of the restaurant's sales.
- Cost to open
- $318K–$3.46M
- Franchise fee
- $10,000
- Royalty
- 15% + 50% of profit
- Locations, 2025
- 2,863+464 in 3 yrs
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Company snapshot
- Franchisor based in
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Time to open
- 6 to 12 weeks after signing
- Territory
- No exclusive territory
- Financing
- Leases the premises
From Chick-fil-A, Inc’s 2026 filing.
How much a Chick-fil-A franchise costs
Opening one Chick-fil-A restaurant costs an estimated $317,521 to $3,463,155. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
Source: Chick-fil-A, Inc, 2026 filing, page 43
Chick-fil-A franchise fee
The franchise fee is $10,000, $5,000 of it is held as a refundable working capital deposit; additional restaurants are $5,000 each. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: Chick-fil-A, Inc, 2026 filing, page 26
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | A base operating service fee of 15% of gross receipts (less the equipment rental and business services fees), plus an additional operating service fee of 50% of the restaurant's net receipts. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | Between 0% and 3.25% of gross receipts as set by Chick-fil-A, which has charged 0% since 1989. |
Source: Chick-fil-A, Inc, 2026 filing, page 31
Sales and earnings
Shares figures Chick-fil-A publishes sales or earnings figures for its locations: for Operator restaurants open a full year (outside captive venues), 2025 median sales were $9,087,673 and average sales $9,161,239. The full tables, with notes on which locations are counted, are in its filing.
Source: Chick-fil-A, Inc, 2026 filing, page 83
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2,494 (+163) | 58 | 92 |
| 2024 | 2,629 (+135) | 55 | 108 |
| 2025 | 2,795 (+171) | 68 | 107 |
Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating.
Source: Chick-fil-A, Inc, 2026 filing, page 86
How Chick-fil-A compares
Of the 11 chicken franchises on this site, Chick-fil-A is the cheapest to open and the 3rd largest by number of locations.
| Measure | Chick-fil-A | Typical chicken |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $318K | $1.45M |
| Closed or left per year | 4.1% | 1.9% |
| Change in franchised locations, 3 yrs | +19.9% | +8.6% |
| Shares earnings figures | Yes | 9 of 11 |
Typical is the median across the 11 brands in chicken franchises.
Other chicken franchises
Chick-fil-A franchise questions
How long does it take to open a Chick-fil-A?
6 to 12 weeks after signing, according to Chick-fil-A's 2026 filing. Finding a site, permits and build-out are what usually stretch it.
Does Chick-fil-A help with financing?
Chick-fil-A leases the restaurant premises to its Operators. Other costs are yours to finance.
Do Chick-fil-A franchisees get a protected territory?
No. Chick-fil-A grants the right to run one location but no exclusive area, so another Chick-fil-A can open nearby.
Is Chick-fil-A growing or shrinking?
Over the last 3 years 776 franchised locations opened and 307 closed or left, a net change of +19.9%. About 4.1% of locations closed or left each year. That is above the 1.9% typical for chicken franchises.
How does Chick-fil-A compare with other chicken franchises?
Of the 11 chicken franchises here, Chick-fil-A is the cheapest to open (low end $318K against a $1.45M median) and the 3rd largest by number of locations.
Does Chick-fil-A say how much franchisees make?
Yes: for Operator restaurants open a full year (outside captive venues), 2025 median sales were $9,087,673 and average sales $9,161,239. Your results can differ; the filing explains which locations are counted.
Where is Chick-fil-A based?
Chick-fil-A, Inc is based in Atlanta, Georgia.