FranchiseBudget

Dairy Queen vs Domino's Pizza Franchise Cost 2026

Dairy Queen runs $1.1M–$1.9M. Domino's Pizza runs $164K–$536K. The gap at midpoint: $1.1M.

Dairy Queen

$1.1M–$1.9M

total investment

Investment Difference

$1.1M

Domino's Pizza costs less

Domino's Pizza

$164K–$536K

total investment

Cost Breakdown

Category Dairy Queen Domino's Pizza Lower Cost
Total Investment $1.1M–$1.9M $164K–$536K Domino's Pizza
Franchise Fee $35,000 $25,000 Domino's Pizza
Royalty Rate 4.0% 5.5% Dairy Queen
Ad Fund Fee 6.0% 6.0% Dairy Queen
Net Worth Required $750K $250K Domino's Pizza
Liquid Capital $400K $75K Domino's Pizza
Est. Break-Even 77.3 yr 76.2 yr Domino's Pizza

Dairy Queen Profile

Category
food
Total Investment
$1.1M–$1.9M
Franchise Fee
$35,000
Royalty
4.0%
Est. Annual Revenue
$970K
Full Dairy Queen Cost Breakdown →

Domino's Pizza Profile

Category
food
Total Investment
$164K–$536K
Franchise Fee
$25,000
Royalty
5.5%
Est. Annual Revenue
$920K
Full Domino's Pizza Cost Breakdown →

Bottom Line

Domino's Pizza costs $1.1M less to open at the midpoint. That difference goes toward working capital or a second location. Dairy Queen also wins on royalty rate.