How much does a Kelly's Cajun Grill franchise cost?
Opening a Kelly's Cajun Grill franchise takes a total initial investment of $295,000 to $1,403,500, 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.
Kelly’s Cajun Grill franchises restaurants. Category: Food & Beverage.
Item 7
What it costs to open a Kelly's Cajun Grill franchise
The franchisor's own estimated initial investment, as disclosed in its 2026 FDD. The total is $295,000 to $1,403,500. Each line below carries the FDD page it was read from.
Where the money goes
The largest costs are Real Estate ($45,000 to $480,000), Leasehold Improvements ($100,000 to $450,000), and Equipment ($66,000 to $200,000). Together they make up about 81% of the high-end estimate.
The initial franchise fee is $30,000, about 10% of the low-end total.
Our arithmetic from the Item 7 table below.
| Expenditure | Low | High | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 7 | $30,000 | $30,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 7 |
| Travel and Living Expenses While Training2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 7 | $1,500 | $3,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 7 |
| Real Estate2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 7 | $45,000 | $480,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 7 |
| Leasehold Improvements2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 7 | $100,000 | $450,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 7 |
| Equipment2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 7 | $66,000 | $200,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 7 |
| Signs2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 7 | $4,500 | $30,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 7 |
| Permits, Fees, Architectural Design & Plans, Deposits, uniforms, transparencies, and other Miscellaneous Opening Costs2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 7 | $29,000 | $66,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 7 |
| Sublease Security Deposit and first month’s rent2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 7 | $0 | $90,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 7 |
| Opening Inventory2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 7 | $4,000 | $15,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 7 |
| Insurance2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 7 | $5,000 | $12,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 7 |
| Advertising Expenses2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 7 | $0 | $7,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 7 |
| Additional funds (3 Months)2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 7 | $10,000 | $20,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 7 |
| Total estimated initial investment2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 8 | $295,000 | $1,403,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 8 |
Source Kelly's Cajun Grill, 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 8, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Item 19
What Kelly's Cajun Grill 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 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. If you receive any other financial performance information or projections of your future income, you should report it to the franchisor’s management by contacting our President, Hoi Sang Yeung, International Restaurant Management Group, Inc., 4531 Ponce de Leon Boulevard, Suite 300, Coral Gables, Florida 33146, (305) 476-1611, extension 108, the Federal Trade Commission, and the appropriate state regulatory agencies.
Source Kelly's Cajun Grill, 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 32, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Item 20
How many Kelly's Cajun Grill outlets there are, and how many closed
Kelly's Cajun Grill ended 2025 with 17 franchised outlets and 18 company-owned outlets. In that year 1 franchised outlet opened and 2 left the system.
Three years at a glance
From 2023 through 2025, Kelly's Cajun Grill opened 4 franchised outlets and 3 outlets left the system. That is a net gain of 1, from 16 to 17 franchised outlets. Of the outlets that left, 2 were bought back by the franchisor and 1 closed for other reasons.
On average, about 6.1% of franchised outlets left the system each year, roughly 1 in 16.
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 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 17 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 37 |
| 2024 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 37 |
| 2023 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 37 |
Source Kelly's Cajun Grill, 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 37, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Compare
How Kelly's Cajun Grill 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 Kelly's Cajun Grill's estimated range is $849,250. It costs more to open than 68% of Food & Beverage franchises here.
- Outlets leaving each year. 6.1% for Kelly's Cajun Grill. That is higher than 53% of the 165 Food & Beverage franchises with at least 10 outlets.
- Three-year growth. Kelly's Cajun Grill's franchised system grew 6.3%. 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. Kelly's Cajun Grill 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 Kelly's Cajun Grill files a new FDD
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