How much does a Big Chicken franchise cost?
Opening a Big Chicken franchise takes a total initial investment of $681,500 to $1,535,500, according to the brand's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document. That FDD makes no Item 19 financial performance representation, so it discloses no earnings figures at all.
Big Chicken franchises restaurants featuring freshly-prepared chicken sandwiches and chicken tenders along with an assortment of side dishes, salads, ice cream, and non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages. Category: Food & Beverage.
Item 7
What it costs to open a Big Chicken franchise
The franchisor's own estimated initial investment, as disclosed in its 2025 FDD. The total is $681,500 to $1,535,500. Each line below carries the FDD page it was read from.
Where the money goes
The largest costs are Building, Construction, and Leasehold Improvements ($300,000 to $650,000), Equipment ($180,000 to $350,000), and Additional Funds 3 Months ($25,000 to $100,000). Together they make up about 72% of the high-end estimate.
The initial franchise fee is $40,000, about 5.9% of the low-end total.
Our arithmetic from the Item 7 table below.
| Expenditure | Low | High | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 24 | $40,000 | $40,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 24 |
| Rent and Lease Security Deposit2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 24 | $0 | $60,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 24 |
| Building and Health Permits2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 24 | $5,000 | $35,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 24 |
| Architect & Design2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 24 | $25,000 | $60,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 24 |
| Other Professional Services2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 24 | $5,000 | $15,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 24 |
| Travel and Initial Training2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 24 | $2,500 | $20,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 24 |
| Building, Construction, and Leasehold Improvements2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 24 | $300,000 | $650,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 24 |
| Equipment2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 24 | $180,000 | $350,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 24 |
| Smallwares and Supplies2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 24 | $20,500 | $25,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 24 |
| Interior and Exterior Signage, Menu Boards and Graphics2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 24 | $27,000 | $65,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 24 |
| Computer, POS, & Audio/ | $25,000 | $40,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 24 |
| Opening Inventory2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 24 | $15,000 | $50,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 24 |
| Grand Opening Expenses2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 25 | $10,000 | $10,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 25 |
| Insurance2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 25 | $1,500 | $3,500 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 25 |
| Beer, Wine and/ | $0 | $12,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 25 |
| Additional Funds 3 Months2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 25 | $25,000 | $100,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 25 |
| Total estimated initial investment2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 25 | $681,500 | $1,535,500 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 25 |
Source Big Chicken, 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 25, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-15.
Item 19
What Big Chicken franchisees actually report earning
This brand's FDD publishes no Item 19.
We do not make any representations about a franchisee’s future financial performance or the past financial performance of company-owned or franchised outlets. We also do not authorize our employees or representatives to make any such representations either orally or in writing. If you are purchasing an existing outlet, however, we may provide you with the actual records of that outlet.
Source Big Chicken, 2025 FDD, Item 19, p. 81, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-15.
Item 20
How many Big Chicken outlets there are, and how many closed
Big Chicken ended 2024 with 22 franchised outlets and 2 company-owned outlets. In that year 21 franchised outlets opened and 9 left the system.
Three years at a glance
From 2022 through 2024, Big Chicken opened 31 franchised outlets and 9 outlets left the system. That is a net gain of 22, from 0 to 22 franchised outlets. Of the outlets that left, 9 were terminated.
With fewer than 10 outlets, one closure moves the numbers a lot, so we do not calculate a yearly rate.
Our arithmetic from the FDD's Item 20 table below. "Left the system" counts every outlet the franchisor reports as terminated, not renewed, bought back, or closed for other reasons.
| Year | Start | Opened | Terminated | Non-renewed | Reacquired | Ceased, other | End | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 10 | 21 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 2025 FDD, Item 20, p. 84 |
| 2023 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2025 FDD, Item 20, p. 84 |
| 2022 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2025 FDD, Item 20, p. 84 |
Source Big Chicken, 2025 FDD, Item 20, p. 83-84, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-15.
Compare
How Big Chicken compares with other Food & Beverage franchises
Measured against the 256 Food & Beverage franchises on this site, using each brand's own FDD.
- Cost to open. The middle of Big Chicken's estimated range is $1,108,500. It costs more to open than 74% of Food & Beverage franchises here.
- Earnings disclosure. 152 of the 256 Food & Beverage franchises here publish earnings figures in Item 19. Big Chicken is not one of them.
Our arithmetic from each brand's Item 7 and Item 20. Growth and departure comparisons leave out brands with fewer than 10 outlets, where one opening or closure distorts the figures. See every Food & Beverage franchise side by side.
Alert me when Big Chicken files a new FDD
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