Chicken Salad Chick franchise
Chicken Salad Chick is a fast-casual restaurant with about a dozen chicken salad recipes, pimento cheese and soups, sold as meals or by the pound for parties. The concept started in Auburn, Alabama. At the end of 2025 there were 326 Chicken Salad Chick locations in the US, 252 franchised and 74 company-owned.
- Cost to open
- $777K–$999K
- Franchise fee
- $50,000
- Royalty
- 5%
- Locations, 2025
- 326+93 in 3 yrs
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Company snapshot
- Franchising since
- 2012
- First location
- 2008
- Franchisor based in
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Time to open
- 8 to 12 months after signing
- Agreement length
- 10 years
- Financing
- None offered
From Simply Southern Restaurant Group, LLC’s 2026 filing.
How much a Chicken Salad Chick franchise costs
Opening a restaurant without a drive-thru costs an estimated $777,000 to $998,500. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
| Drive-thru location | $802,000 to $1,033,500 |
|---|
Source: Simply Southern Restaurant Group, LLC, 2026 filing, page 19
Chicken Salad Chick franchise fee
The franchise fee is $50,000, for a first restaurant ($45,000 for later ones), plus a $10,000 grand opening marketing fee. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: Simply Southern Restaurant Group, LLC, 2026 filing, page 13
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | 5% of gross sales (at least $600), paid twice a month. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | A brand fund contribution of up to 4% of gross sales. |
Source: Simply Southern Restaurant Group, LLC, 2026 filing, page 14
Sales and earnings
Shares figures Chicken Salad Chick publishes sales or earnings figures for its locations: it gives 2025 average, median, high and low gross sales for 214 franchised and 69 affiliate restaurants. The full tables, with notes on which locations are counted, are in its filing.
Source: Simply Southern Restaurant Group, LLC, 2026 filing, page 51
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 180 (+21) | 74 | 1 |
| 2024 | 206 (+26) | 81 | 3 |
| 2025 | 252 (+46) | 74 | 3 |
Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating.
Source: Simply Southern Restaurant Group, LLC, 2026 filing, page 59
How Chicken Salad Chick compares
Of the 59 restaurant franchises on this site, Chicken Salad Chick is the 27th cheapest to open and the 46th largest by number of locations.
| Measure | Chicken Salad Chick | Typical restaurant |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $777K | $846K |
| Royalty | 5% | 5% |
| Closed or left per year | 1.3% | 2.3% |
| Change in franchised locations, 3 yrs | +58.5% | +5.3% |
| Shares earnings figures | Yes | 49 of 59 |
Typical is the median across the 59 brands in restaurant franchises.
Other restaurant franchises
Chicken Salad Chick franchise questions
How long does it take to open a Chicken Salad Chick?
8 to 12 months after signing, according to Chicken Salad Chick's 2026 filing. Finding a site, permits and build-out are what usually stretch it.
Does Chicken Salad Chick help with financing?
No. Chicken Salad Chick does not offer financing or guarantee loans or leases, so buyers arrange their own, usually a bank or SBA loan.
How long is a Chicken Salad Chick franchise agreement?
The initial term is 10 years. Renewal is usually possible if you're in good standing, often for a fee and a remodel.
Is Chicken Salad Chick growing or shrinking?
Over the last 3 years 100 franchised locations opened and 7 closed or left, a net change of +58.5%. About 1.3% of locations closed or left each year. That is below the 2.3% typical for restaurant franchises.
How does Chicken Salad Chick compare with other restaurant franchises?
Of the 59 restaurant franchises here, Chicken Salad Chick is the 27th cheapest to open (low end $777K against a $846K median) and the 46th largest by number of locations. Its 5% royalty is in line with the 5% median.
Does Chicken Salad Chick say how much franchisees make?
Yes: it gives 2025 average, median, high and low gross sales for 214 franchised and 69 affiliate restaurants. Your results can differ; the filing explains which locations are counted.
Where is Chicken Salad Chick based?
Simply Southern Restaurant Group, LLC is based in Atlanta, Georgia and the brand has sold franchises since 2012; the first location opened in 2008.