How much does a Hickory River Smokehouse, Inc. franchise cost?

The FDD lists a total initial investment of about $315,000–$1,084,500, including a $30,000 initial franchise fee.

Is a Hickory River Smokehouse, Inc. franchise worth it?

It depends on the numbers, not the pitch. Hickory River Smokehouse, Inc. scores C on disclosure honesty, carries about 9% of sales in ongoing fees. Get the real owner take-home before you sign.

Home › Quick Service Restaurant / Smokehouse › Hickory River Smokehouse, Inc.

The real numbers on owning a Hickory River Smokehouse, Inc. franchise

Quick Service Restaurant / Smokehouse · FDD 2026 · from public state filings

CDisclosure honesty

This franchisor discloses earnings (Item 19) — but read how.

★★★☆☆ FranchiseValidate transparency rating: 3/5

Investment

$315,000–$1,084,500

Total fees

9% of sales

Outlets

Closure signals

0 ceased, 0 terminated

Lawsuits

Is Hickory River Smokehouse, Inc. worth it? How it compares to 117 similar franchises

Ongoing fees	9% of sales	steeper than 63% of quick service restaurants franchises
Startup cost	from $315,000	cheaper than most (median $452,050)
Disclosure honesty	Grade C	typical for the category
Closure rate	0.0% of outlets	better than most (median 1.3%)
Disclosed lawsuits	0	fewer than most

Benchmarked against every quick service restaurants franchise we've graded from public FDDs — the context the franchisor's pitch never gives you.

What their own earnings claim actually says

5 franchised locations: 2025 avg revenue $1.81M (median $1.54M), range $1.15M-$3.03M. 80% below average. Revenue only, excludes costs/expenses.

Failure & turnover reality (Item 20)

1 cessation in 2024. 5 outlets stable 2025. Small system limits failure data.

Get the full Hickory River Smokehouse, Inc. validation report — $149

The franchisor won't put real owner profit in writing. We do — reconstructed from their own FDD.

Franchisor's framing: 5 franchised locations: 2025 avg revenue $1.81M (median $1.54M), range $1.15M-$3.03M. 80% below…

🔒 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

See a full sample report →

Hickory River Smokehouse, Inc. franchise — frequently asked

How much does a Hickory River Smokehouse, Inc. franchise cost?: The FDD lists a total initial investment of about $315,000–$1,084,500, including a $30,000 initial franchise fee.
How much do Hickory River Smokehouse, Inc. franchise owners make?: 5 franchised locations: 2025 avg revenue $1.81M (median $1.54M), range $1.15M-$3.03M. 80% below average. Revenue only, excludes costs/expenses. We grade this disclosure C for honesty.
What is the Hickory River Smokehouse, Inc. franchise failure rate?: 1 cessation in 2024. 5 outlets stable 2025. Small system limits failure data.
Is a Hickory River Smokehouse, Inc. franchise worth it?: It depends on the numbers, not the pitch. Hickory River Smokehouse, Inc. scores C on disclosure honesty, carries about 9% of sales in ongoing fees. Get the real owner take-home before you sign.

Own a Hickory River Smokehouse, Inc.? Add your real numbers (anonymous)

We publish only aggregated benchmarks — never your name. Contribute and we'll show you how your numbers compare.

Compare Hickory River Smokehouse, Inc. to similar franchises

McDonald'sC Del TacoC Tropical Smoothie CafeD Culver'sF

See all franchises ranked by disclosure honesty →

Source: WI DFI Franchise Registration (2026). FranchiseValidate is independent and not affiliated with Hickory River Smokehouse, Inc. or its franchisor. Figures are extracted from the franchisor's own public disclosure document; verify against the current FDD before any decision.