Chicken franchises have emerged as one of the fastest-growing segments in food franchising, driven by consumer preference for chicken as a protein source and innovative menu concepts. From traditional fried chicken to grilled and tender-focused brands, this category offers strong unit economics and growing demand.
§ Drawn from 22 chicken FDDs on file · latest filings
What 22 filings say
Not estimates — every figure below is aggregated from the disclosure documents themselves.
Total initial investment · distribution
Where 22 disclosed ranges land. Median $1,316,000.
The $1–1.5M band holds the median filing. The middle half of these brands sit between $829,000 and $2,010,000.
73%
disclose an Item 19
16 of 22 brands on file, against 73% across every brand in the database.
84
median U.S. unit count
Across the 22 brands that disclose an outlet count in their latest filing.
6%
median royalty
Across the 22 brands that state a single rate; the rest tie royalties to sales tiers or charge none.
+3.7%
median outlet change, 2025 to 2026
Across the 9 brands that filed in both years: 8 grew, 1 shrank.
Figures are drawn straight from each brand’s latest FDD. See our franchise industry reports for the trends behind these numbers.
Showing 8 of 22 chicken franchises with a published breakdown. Search all chicken brands →
FDD 2025–2026
Total investment
$1.2M–$1.9M
U.S. units
885
Royalty
5%
Item 19
Disclosed
FDD 2025–2026
Total investment
$823K–$4.2M
U.S. units
358
Royalty
6%
Item 19
Not disclosed
FDD 2025–2026
Total investment
$504K–$4M
U.S. units
3,229
Royalty
5%
Item 19
Disclosed
Past the table
A Workspace opens the brand’s actual FDD next to its Clearly Report — every figure cited to the Item and page, questions answered from this filing only, and both years side by side when the brand has filed twice.
See a Workspace →