How much does a Ruth’s Chris Steak House franchise cost?
Opening a Ruth’s Chris Steak House franchise takes a total initial investment of $2,477,000 to $6,380,000, 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.
The document concerns franchises for Ruth’s Chris Steak House Restaurants. Category: Food & Beverage.
Item 7
What it costs to open a Ruth’s Chris Steak House franchise
The franchisor's own estimated initial investment, as disclosed in its 2025 FDD. The total is $2,477,000 to $6,380,000. Each line below carries the FDD page it was read from.
Where the money goes
The largest costs are Real Estate and Improvements ($1,000,000 to $3,500,000), Equipment, Furniture and Fixtures ($750,000 to $970,000), and Additional Funds (3 months) ($150,000 to $350,000). Together they make up about 76% of the high-end estimate.
The initial franchise fee is $100,000, about 4.0% of the low-end total.
Our arithmetic from the Item 7 table below.
| Expenditure | Low | High | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franchise Fee (non-refundable)2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 | $100,000 | $100,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 |
| Site Location Feasibility and Marketing Study2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 | $5,000 | $10,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 |
| Real Estate and Improvements2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 | $1,000,000 | $3,500,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 |
| Equipment, Furniture and Fixtures2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 | $750,000 | $970,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 |
| Signage2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 | $25,000 | $85,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 |
| Pre-Opening Marketing and Public Relations2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 | $30,000 | $70,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 |
| Pre-Opening & Training Inventory (Food & Beverages)2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 | $90,000 | $200,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 |
| Initial Inventory (Food & Beverages)2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 | $120,000 | $350,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 |
| Point of Sale Computer Hardware and Software and Office Material2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 | $25,000 | $150,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 |
| Management Training Expenses2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 | $57,000 | $120,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 |
| New Store Opening Assistance Training Expense2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $80,000 | $150,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Alcoholic Beverages License and other Business Permits2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $10,000 | $180,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Insurance deposits and Premiums (for first year)2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $30,000 | $45,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Utility Deposits2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $5,000 | $100,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Additional Funds (3 months)2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $150,000 | $350,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Total estimated initial investment2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 12-13 | $2,477,000 | $6,380,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 12-13 |
Source Ruth’s Chris Steak House, 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 12-13, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-15.
Item 19
What Ruth’s Chris Steak House 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 Ruth’s Chris Steak House Restaurants. 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 Ruth’s Chris Steak House Restaurant, however, we may provide you with the actual records of that Ruth’s Chris Steak House Restaurant. If you receive any other financial performance information or projections of your future income, you should report it to our management by contacting Sue Humphreys, 1000 Darden Center Drive, Orlando, Florida 32837, Telephone No.: 407-245-4000, the Federal Trade Commission, and the appropriate state regulatory agencies.”
Source Ruth’s Chris Steak House, 2025 FDD, Item 19, p. 44, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-15.
Item 20
How many Ruth’s Chris Steak House outlets there are, and how many closed
Ruth’s Chris Steak House ended 2024 with 51 franchised outlets and 84 company-owned outlets. In that year no franchised outlets opened and 1 left the system.
Three years at a glance
From 2022 through 2024, Ruth’s Chris Steak House opened 0 franchised outlets and 1 outlet left the system. That is a net loss of 1, from 52 to 51 franchised outlets. Of the outlets that left, 1 was bought back by the franchisor.
On average, about 0.6% of franchised outlets left the system each year, roughly 1 in 156.
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 | 52 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 51 | 2025 FDD, Item 20, p. 49 |
| 2023 | 52 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 52 | 2025 FDD, Item 20, p. 49 |
| 2022 | 52 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 52 | 2025 FDD, Item 20, p. 49 |
Source Ruth’s Chris Steak House, 2025 FDD, Item 20, p. 49, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-15.
Compare
How Ruth’s Chris Steak House 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 Ruth’s Chris Steak House's estimated range is $4,428,500. It costs more to open than 98% of Food & Beverage franchises here.
- Outlets leaving each year. 0.6% for Ruth’s Chris Steak House. That is lower than 96% of the 165 Food & Beverage franchises with at least 10 outlets.
- Three-year growth. Ruth’s Chris Steak House's franchised system shrank 1.9%. The typical Food & Beverage franchise here grew 5.0%.
- Earnings disclosure. 152 of the 256 Food & Beverage franchises here publish earnings figures in Item 19. Ruth’s Chris Steak House 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 Ruth’s Chris Steak House files a new FDD
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