Cookout vs Wingstop Franchise Cost 2026
Cookout runs $500K–$1.2M. Wingstop runs $389K–$902K. The gap at midpoint: $204K.
Cookout
$500K–$1.2M
total investment
Investment Difference
$204K
Wingstop costs less
Wingstop
$389K–$902K
total investment
Cost Breakdown
| Category | Cookout | Wingstop | Lower Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Investment | $500K–$1.2M | $389K–$902K | Wingstop |
| Franchise Fee | $0 | $20,000 | Cookout |
| Royalty Rate | 0.0% | 6.0% | Cookout |
| Ad Fund Fee | 0.0% | 4.0% | Cookout |
| Net Worth Required | $500K | $1.2M | Cookout |
| Liquid Capital | $250K | $600K | Cookout |
| Est. Break-Even | 2.8 yr | 20.2 yr | Cookout |
Cookout Profile
- Category
- food
- Total Investment
- $500K–$1.2M
- Franchise Fee
- $0
- Royalty
- 0.0%
- Est. Annual Revenue
- $2.5M
Wingstop Profile
- Category
- food
- Total Investment
- $389K–$902K
- Franchise Fee
- $20,000
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- Est. Annual Revenue
- $1.6M
Bottom Line
Wingstop costs $204K less to open at the midpoint. That difference goes toward working capital or a second location. Cookout also wins on royalty rate.