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The real numbers on owning a "Chick-fil-A" or "Chick-fil-A, Inc." franchise
Chick-fil-A Licensed Units · FDD 2012 · from public state filings
CDisclosure honesty
This franchisor discloses earnings (Item 19) — but read how.
★★★☆☆FranchiseValidate transparency rating: 3/5
Investment
$585,500–$3,437,000
Total fees
10% of sales
Outlets
424
Closure signals
19 ceased, 18 terminated
Lawsuits
7
Is "Chick-fil-A" or "Chick-fil-A, Inc." worth it? How it compares to 223 similar franchises
Ongoing fees
10% of sales
steeper than 76% of other franchises franchises
Startup cost
from $585,500
pricier than 84% of peers
Disclosure honesty
Grade C
typical for the category
Closure rate
4.5% of outlets
worse than 67% of peers
Disclosed lawsuits
7
more litigious than 87% of peers
Benchmarked against every other franchises franchise we've graded from public FDDs — the context the franchisor's pitch never gives you.
What their own earnings claim actually says
Discloses 2025 median/average sales by location type (college/hospital). Cherry-picks only units open 1+ year (406 of 424); excludes costs, expenses, profitability.
Failure & turnover reality (Item 20)
19 closures in 2025; 18 terminations in 2025. Growth rate slowed (-1 net).
Legal history (Item 3)
7 matters disclosed.
Get the full "Chick-fil-A" or "Chick-fil-A, Inc." validation report — $149
The franchisor won't put real owner profit in writing. We do — reconstructed from their own FDD.
Franchisor's framing: Discloses 2025 median/average sales by location type (college/hospital). Cherry-picks only unit…
🔒 Real estimated owner take-home (low / median / high) — unlocked in the report
Reconstructed owner P&L — net take-home after royalty, ad fund, rent, labor & debt
Break-even timeline + cash-on-cash ROI on your investment
Full fee stack + required-purchase markups
Decoded real failure / closure rate
How it ranks vs comparable franchises
Validation-call playbook — who to call + the exact questions
"Chick-fil-A" or "Chick-fil-A, Inc." franchise — frequently asked
How much does a "Chick-fil-A" or "Chick-fil-A, Inc." franchise cost?
The FDD lists a total initial investment of about $585,500–$3,437,000.
How much do "Chick-fil-A" or "Chick-fil-A, Inc." franchise owners make?
Discloses 2025 median/average sales by location type (college/hospital). Cherry-picks only units open 1+ year (406 of 424); excludes costs, expenses, profitability. We grade this disclosure C for honesty.
What is the "Chick-fil-A" or "Chick-fil-A, Inc." franchise failure rate?
19 closures in 2025; 18 terminations in 2025. Growth rate slowed (-1 net).
Is a "Chick-fil-A" or "Chick-fil-A, Inc." franchise worth it?
It depends on the numbers, not the pitch. "Chick-fil-A" or "Chick-fil-A, Inc." scores C on disclosure honesty, carries about 10% of sales in ongoing fees, and discloses 7 legal matters. Get the real owner take-home before you sign.
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Compare "Chick-fil-A" or "Chick-fil-A, Inc." to similar franchises
Source: WI DFI Franchise Registration (2012). FranchiseValidate is independent and not affiliated with "Chick-fil-A" or "Chick-fil-A, Inc." or its franchisor. Figures are extracted from the franchisor's own public disclosure document; verify against the current FDD before any decision.