How much does a Nashville Hot Chicken franchise cost?
Opening a Nashville Hot Chicken franchise takes a total initial investment of $252,200 to $496,500, 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.
NHC Nashville Hot Chicken franchises restaurants. Category: Food & Beverage.
Item 7
What it costs to open a Nashville Hot Chicken franchise
The franchisor's own estimated initial investment, as disclosed in its 2026 FDD. The total is $252,200 to $496,500. Each line below carries the FDD page it was read from.
Where the money goes
The largest costs are Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment ($75,000 to $130,000), Construction and Leasehold Improvements ($50,000 to $125,000), and Additional Funds – Three Months ($30,000 to $60,000). Together they make up about 63% of the high-end estimate.
The initial franchise fee is $45,000, about 18% of the low-end total.
Our arithmetic from the Item 7 table below.
| Expenditure | Low | High | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $45,000 | $45,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| Construction and Leasehold Improvements2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $50,000 | $125,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| Lease Deposits and Rent – Three Months2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $12,000 | $32,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $75,000 | $130,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| Signage2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $3,500 | $10,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| Computer, Software, and Point of Sale System2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $3,500 | $7,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| Grand Opening Marketing2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $3,000 | $10,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| Initial Inventory2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $9,300 | $20,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| Utility Deposits2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $1,000 | $3,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| Insurance Deposits – Three Months2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $900 | $2,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| Travel for Initial Training2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $4,000 | $10,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| Professional Fees2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $12,500 | $32,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| General Licenses and Permits2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $2,500 | $10,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| Additional Funds – Three Months2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $30,000 | $60,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| Total estimated initial investment2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $252,200 | $496,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
Source Nashville Hot Chicken, 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 9, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Item 19
What Nashville Hot 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. 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 Tigran Melkonyan, NHC Franchise Company LLC at 10750 Glenoaks Boulevard, Suite No. 3, Pacoima, California 91331 and (213) 655-7377, the Federal Trade Commission, and the appropriate state regulatory agencies.
Source Nashville Hot Chicken, 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 39, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Item 20
How many Nashville Hot Chicken outlets there are, and how many closed
Nashville Hot Chicken ended 2025 with 8 franchised outlets and no company-owned outlets. In that year no franchised outlets opened and 1 left the system.
Three years at a glance
From 2023 through 2025, Nashville Hot Chicken opened 9 franchised outlets and 1 outlet left the system. That is a net gain of 8, from 0 to 8 franchised outlets. Of the outlets that left, 1 was 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 41 |
| 2024 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 41 |
| 2023 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 41 |
Source Nashville Hot Chicken, 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 41, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Compare
How Nashville 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 Nashville Hot Chicken's estimated range is $374,350. It costs less to open than 76% of Food & Beverage franchises here.
- Earnings disclosure. 152 of the 256 Food & Beverage franchises here publish earnings figures in Item 19. Nashville 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 Nashville Hot Chicken files a new FDD
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