Compare initial fees, total investment, and royalty rates for 20 top QSR and fast food franchise brands.
Sorted by brand recognition — click any card for full fee breakdown and FDD data
Side-by-side fee comparison for available QSR franchises
| Franchise | Initial Fee | Total Investment | Royalty | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McDonald's | $45,000 | $1M – $2.3M | 4% of gross sales | View → |
| Chick-fil-A | $10,000 | $582K – $2.1M | 15% of gross sales | View → |
| Subway | $15,000 | $229K – $522K | 8% of gross sales | View → |
| Taco Bell | $25,000 – $45,000 | $576K – $3.4M | 5.5% of gross sales | View → |
| KFC | $45,000 | $1.4M – $3.1M | 5% of gross sales | View → |
| Burger King | $50,000 | $1.9M – $4.6M | 4.5% of gross sales | View → |
| Domino's | $10,000 | $145K – $547K | 5.5% of gross sales | View → |
| Little Caesars | $20,000 | $398K – $1.1M | 6% of gross sales | View → |
| Popeyes | $50,000 | $362K – $3.3M | 5% of gross sales | View → |
| Dunkin' | $40,000 – $90,000 | $526K – $1.8M | 5.9% of gross sales | View → |
| Wingstop | $20,000 | $383K – $978K | 6% of gross sales | View → |
| Five Guys | $25,000 | $306K – $955K | 6% of gross sales | View → |
| Jersey Mike's | $18,500 | $194K – $954K | 6.5% of gross sales | View → |
| Wendy's | $40,000 – $50,000 | $384K – $5.2M | 4% of gross sales | View → |
| Buffalo Wild Wings | $50,000 | $2.7M – $7.3M | 5% of gross sales | View → |
| IHOP | $40,000 | $626K – $3.4M | 4.5% of gross sales | View → |
| Teriyaki Madness | $45,000 | $338K – $664K | 6% of gross sales | View → |
Quick-service restaurants (QSR) and fast food brands represent the largest segment of the franchise industry, with system-wide sales exceeding $350 billion annually in the US alone. The category spans everything from mega-brands like McDonald's (40,000+ locations worldwide) to emerging concepts like Teriyaki Madness (130+ locations).
Initial franchise fees for fast food concepts range from $10,000 (Domino's, Chick-fil-A) to $50,000 (Burger King, Popeyes). However, the initial fee is just one component — total investment including real estate, construction, equipment, and working capital can range from $145,000 for a small delivery-focused Domino's to over $7 million for a full-service Buffalo Wild Wings.
When evaluating QSR franchises, look beyond the initial fee to compare royalty rates (typically 4-8%), marketing fund contributions (2-6%), and average unit volumes (AUVs) to project realistic returns on investment.