FranchiseBudget

Chick-fil-A vs Dave & Buster's Franchise Cost 2026

Chick-fil-A runs $342K–$2.2M. Dave & Buster's runs $5.7M–$15.6M. The gap at midpoint: $9.4M.

Chick-fil-A

$342K–$2.2M

total investment

Investment Difference

$9.4M

Chick-fil-A costs less

Dave & Buster's

$5.7M–$15.6M

total investment

Cost Breakdown

Category Chick-fil-A Dave & Buster's Lower Cost
Total Investment $342K–$2.2M $5.7M–$15.6M Chick-fil-A
Franchise Fee $10,000 $50,000 Chick-fil-A
Royalty Rate 0.0% 5.0% Chick-fil-A
Ad Fund Fee 0.0% 1.0% Chick-fil-A
Net Worth Required $0 $5.0M Chick-fil-A
Liquid Capital $10K $2.5M Chick-fil-A
Est. Break-Even 1.3 yr 20.9 yr Chick-fil-A

Chick-fil-A Profile

Category
food
Total Investment
$342K–$2.2M
Franchise Fee
$10,000
Royalty
0.0%
Est. Annual Revenue
$8.1M
Full Chick-fil-A Cost Breakdown →

Dave & Buster's Profile

Category
food
Total Investment
$5.7M–$15.6M
Franchise Fee
$50,000
Royalty
5.0%
Est. Annual Revenue
$8.5M
Full Dave & Buster's Cost Breakdown →

Bottom Line

Chick-fil-A costs $9.4M less to open at the midpoint. That difference goes toward working capital or a second location. Chick-fil-A also wins on royalty rate.