How much does a McAlister’s Deli franchise cost?
Opening a McAlister’s Deli franchise takes a total initial investment of $910,175 to $1,816,100, according to the brand's 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document. The FDD's Item 19 reports median net sales of $1,764,584 across 477 outlets.
McAlister’s Deli franchises Traditional Restaurants. Category: Food & Beverage.
Item 7
What it costs to open a McAlister’s Deli franchise
The franchisor's own estimated initial investment, as disclosed in its 2026 FDD. The total is $910,175 to $1,816,100. Each line below carries the FDD page it was read from.
Where the money goes
The largest costs are Construction and Build Out Costs ($412,400 to $775,500), Equipment Package ($224,900 to $329,400), and Exterior Signage ($21,000 to $75,000). Together they make up about 65% of the high-end estimate.
The initial franchise fee is $35,500, about 3.9% of the low-end total.
Our arithmetic from the Item 7 table below.
| Expenditure | Low | High | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 | $35,500 | $35,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 |
| Construction and Build Out Costs2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 | $412,400 | $775,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 |
| Permitting2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 | $1,250 | $30,700 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 |
| Equipment Package2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 | $224,900 | $329,400 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 |
| Millwork2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 | $16,100 | $66,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 |
| Furniture2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 | $20,000 | $58,900 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 |
| Menu Board, Graphics and Interior Signage2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 | $9,600 | $30,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 |
| Exterior Signage2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 | $21,000 | $75,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 |
| Computer System2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 | $32,000 | $66,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 |
| Smallwares2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 | $10,000 | $29,400 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 |
| TV/ | $3,400 | $11,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 |
| Architect/ | $15,000 | $35,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 |
| Rent2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 | $7,200 | $20,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 |
| Grand Opening Marketing2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 | $25,000 | $27,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 |
| Legal and Accounting Fees2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 | $2,700 | $5,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 |
| Insurance2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 | $1,925 | $9,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 |
| Misc. Opening Costs/ | $2,500 | $6,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 33 |
| Management Training Program Fee2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 34 | $0 | $25,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 34 |
| Travel and Living Expenses during Training2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 34 | $26,200 | $33,700 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 34 |
| On-Site Training Fee2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 34 | $0 | $34,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 34 |
| Opening Inventory2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 34 | $18,500 | $58,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 34 |
| Additional Funds - 3 Months2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 34 | $25,000 | $53,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 34 |
| Total estimated initial investment2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 34 | $910,175 | $1,816,100 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 34 |
Source McAlister’s Deli, 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 34, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Item 19
What McAlister’s Deli franchisees actually report earning
Median Net Sales
$1,764,584
McAlister’s Deli's 2026 FDD, Item 19, for the Fiscal Year 2025. Basis: Certain Traditional Franchises that were eligible franchises in Fiscal Year 2024.
Sample size: 477 outlets. The FDD also reports average net sales of $1,868,101. We lead with the median because an average is pulled upward by the strongest outlets; the median is the middle outlet.
What the franchisor excluded from this figure
- Franchised Traditional Restaurants located in non-traditional locations are excluded.
- Non-traditional, express Restaurants that offer a limited menu are excluded.
- Affiliate-owned Restaurants are excluded.
- Traditional Franchises that were not eligible franchises in Fiscal Year 2025 are excluded.
This is a disclosure of what some existing outlets reported, not a projection of what a new McAlister’s Deli outlet would earn. Your results will differ.
Source McAlister’s Deli, 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 75, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Item 20
How many McAlister’s Deli outlets there are, and how many closed
McAlister’s Deli ended 2025 with 533 franchised outlets and 39 company-owned outlets. In that year 25 franchised outlets opened and 16 left the system.
Three years at a glance
From 2023 through 2025, McAlister’s Deli opened 80 franchised outlets and 39 outlets left the system. That is a net gain of 41, from 492 to 533 franchised outlets. Of the outlets that left, 26 were terminated, 6 were not renewed, and 7 were bought back by the franchisor.
On average, about 2.6% of franchised outlets left the system each year, roughly 1 in 39.
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 | 524 | 25 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 533 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 80 |
| 2024 | 506 | 27 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 524 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 80 |
| 2023 | 492 | 28 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 506 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 80 |
Source McAlister’s Deli, 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 80, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Compare
How McAlister’s Deli 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 McAlister’s Deli's estimated range is $1,363,138. It costs more to open than 82% of Food & Beverage franchises here.
- Outlets leaving each year. 2.6% for McAlister’s Deli. That is lower than 79% of the 165 Food & Beverage franchises with at least 10 outlets.
- Three-year growth. McAlister’s Deli's franchised system grew 8.3%. 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. McAlister’s Deli is 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.
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