FranchiseBudget

Chick-fil-A vs Dunkin' Franchise Cost 2026

Chick-fil-A runs $342K–$2.2M. Dunkin' runs $526K–$1.8M. The gap at midpoint: $118K.

Chick-fil-A

$342K–$2.2M

total investment

Investment Difference

$118K

Dunkin' costs less

Dunkin'

$526K–$1.8M

total investment

Cost Breakdown

Category Chick-fil-A Dunkin' Lower Cost
Total Investment $342K–$2.2M $526K–$1.8M Dunkin'
Franchise Fee $10,000 $40,000 Chick-fil-A
Royalty Rate 0.0% 5.9% Chick-fil-A
Ad Fund Fee 0.0% 5.0% Chick-fil-A
Net Worth Required $0 $500K Chick-fil-A
Liquid Capital $10K $250K Chick-fil-A
Est. Break-Even 1.3 yr 96.5 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 →

Dunkin' Profile

Category
food
Total Investment
$526K–$1.8M
Franchise Fee
$40,000
Royalty
5.9%
Est. Annual Revenue
$1.1M
Full Dunkin' Cost Breakdown →

Bottom Line

Dunkin' costs $118K less to open at the midpoint. That difference goes toward working capital or a second location. Chick-fil-A also wins on royalty rate.