Cookout vs McDonald's Franchise Cost 2026
Cookout runs $500K–$1.2M. McDonald's runs $1.3M–$2.3M. The gap at midpoint: $960K.
Cookout
$500K–$1.2M
total investment
Investment Difference
$960K
Cookout costs less
McDonald's
$1.3M–$2.3M
total investment
Cost Breakdown
| Category | Cookout | McDonald's | Lower Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Investment | $500K–$1.2M | $1.3M–$2.3M | Cookout |
| Franchise Fee | $0 | $45,000 | Cookout |
| Royalty Rate | 0.0% | 4.0% | Cookout |
| Ad Fund Fee | 0.0% | 4.0% | Cookout |
| Net Worth Required | $500K | $500K | Cookout |
| Liquid Capital | $250K | $500K | Cookout |
| Est. Break-Even | 2.8 yr | 14.1 yr | Cookout |
Cookout Profile
- Category
- food
- Total Investment
- $500K–$1.2M
- Franchise Fee
- $0
- Royalty
- 0.0%
- Est. Annual Revenue
- $2.5M
McDonald's Profile
- Category
- food
- Total Investment
- $1.3M–$2.3M
- Franchise Fee
- $45,000
- Royalty
- 4.0%
- Est. Annual Revenue
- $3.2M
Bottom Line
Cookout costs $960K less to open at the midpoint. That difference goes toward working capital or a second location. Cookout also wins on royalty rate.