How much does a Dave's Hot Chicken franchise cost?
Opening a Dave's Hot Chicken franchise takes a total initial investment of $823,800 to $4,121,900, according to the brand's 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document. That FDD makes no Item 19 financial performance representation, so it discloses no earnings figures at all.
The brand franchises Dave’s Hot Chicken Restaurants, including Non-Traditional Restaurants and DHC Food Trucks. Category: Food & Beverage.
Item 7
What it costs to open a Dave's Hot Chicken franchise
The franchisor's own estimated initial investment, as disclosed in its 2026 FDD. The total is $823,800 to $4,121,900. Each line below carries the FDD page it was read from.
Where the money goes
The largest costs are Construction, Remodeling and Leasehold Improvements ($475,000 to $2,315,900), Equipment ($95,000 to $440,000), and Business Licenses and Permits ($1,000 to $217,000). Together they make up about 72% of the high-end estimate.
The initial franchise fee is $40,000, about 4.9% of the low-end total.
Our arithmetic from the Item 7 table below.
| Expenditure | Low | High | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 28 | $40,000 | $40,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 28 |
| Architect / | $15,000 | $160,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 28 |
| Business Licenses and Permits2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 28 | $1,000 | $217,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 28 |
| Construction, Remodeling and Leasehold Improvements2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 28 | $475,000 | $2,315,900 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 28 |
| Equipment2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 28 | $95,000 | $440,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 28 |
| Furniture, Fixtures and Decorations2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 28 | $11,500 | $135,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 28 |
| Smallwares2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 28 | $11,000 | $41,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 28 |
| Signage2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 28 | $23,000 | $123,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 28 |
| Graffiti and Artwork2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 28 | $30,000 | $125,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 28 |
| Grand Opening Kit, Menu Boards2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 28 | $12,500 | $36,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 28 |
| Drive-Thru, Loop Timers and Signage2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 28 | $0 | $35,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 28 |
| Computer Equipment and Information / | $13,500 | $66,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 28 |
| Office Supplies2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 29 | $1,000 | $3,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 29 |
| Uniforms2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 29 | $1,500 | $13,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 29 |
| Initial Inventory and Supplies2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 29 | $20,000 | $75,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 29 |
| Insurance Deposits2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 29 | $1,500 | $12,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 29 |
| Liquor Licensing2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 29 | $0 | $3,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 29 |
| Pre-Opening Rent2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 29 | $5,000 | $35,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 29 |
| Initial Training Expenses2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 29 | $2,000 | $30,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 29 |
| New Restaurant Opening Fee2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 29 | $0 | $15,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 29 |
| Pre-Opening Labor Expense2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 29 | $15,000 | $75,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 29 |
| Grand Opening Advertising2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 29 | $10,000 | $12,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 29 |
| NRO Media Fee2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 29 | $22,000 | $22,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 29 |
| Miscellaneous Opening Costs2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 29 | $1,000 | $30,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 29 |
| Professional Fees2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 29 | $1,000 | $15,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 29 |
| Additional Funds– 3 Months2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 29 | $16,300 | $48,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 29 |
| Total estimated initial investment2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 29 | $823,800 | $4,121,900 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 29 |
Source Dave's Hot Chicken, 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 29, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Item 19
What Dave's Hot Chicken franchisees actually report earning
This brand's FDD publishes no Item 19.
We do not make any financial performance 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 actual records of that outlet.
Source Dave's Hot Chicken, 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 73, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Item 20
How many Dave's Hot Chicken outlets there are, and how many closed
Dave's Hot Chicken ended 2025 with 348 franchised outlets and 10 company-owned outlets. In that year 117 franchised outlets opened and 2 left the system.
Three years at a glance
From 2023 through 2025, Dave's Hot Chicken opened 264 franchised outlets and 4 outlets left the system. That is a net gain of 260, from 88 to 348 franchised outlets. Of the outlets that left, 4 closed for other reasons.
On average, about 0.8% of franchised outlets left the system each year, roughly 1 in 120.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 233 | 117 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 348 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 78 |
| 2024 | 157 | 77 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 233 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 78 |
| 2023 | 88 | 70 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 157 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 78 |
Source Dave's Hot Chicken, 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 78, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Compare
How Dave's Hot 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 Dave's Hot Chicken's estimated range is $2,472,850. It costs more to open than 94% of Food & Beverage franchises here.
- Outlets leaving each year. 0.8% for Dave's Hot Chicken. That is lower than 95% of the 165 Food & Beverage franchises with at least 10 outlets.
- Three-year growth. Dave's Hot Chicken's franchised system grew 295%. The typical Food & Beverage franchise here grew 4.4%.
- Earnings disclosure. 152 of the 256 Food & Beverage franchises here publish earnings figures in Item 19. Dave's Hot 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 Dave's Hot Chicken files a new FDD
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