Chick-fil-A vs Arby's
Compare published costs, candidate requirements and operating commitments.
All amounts are USD. Read the restaurant format, sales basis and exclusions beside each figure. Missing information means the reviewed sources did not establish a comparable amount.
Availability and operating model
Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A selects full-time restaurant Operators. Meeting the published minimum requirements does not guarantee selection.
United States; confirm the format and territory with the franchisor
- Chick-fil-A US franchise requirementsSource checked (America/Los_Angeles).
Operating commitment
Full-time daily operation; divest other non-passive businesses. The initial fee must come from non-gifted, non-borrowed funds.
United States; confirm the format and territory with the franchisor
- Chick-fil-A US franchise requirementsSource checked (America/Los_Angeles).
Arby's
The brand offers multiple restaurant formats. Site, format and market availability require confirmation during the application process.
United States; confirm the format and territory with the franchisor
- Arby's — Inspire Brands franchisingSource checked (America/Los_Angeles).Document basis: Official web summary referring to the FDD issued March 26, 2026.
Operating commitment
The published process includes application, discussion with the franchise team, FDD review and an interview before signing.
United States; confirm the format and territory with the franchisor
- Arby's — Inspire Brands franchisingSource checked (America/Los_Angeles).Document basis: Official web summary referring to the FDD issued March 26, 2026.
Published financial requirements
These figures describe different transactions and obligations. Initial fees, separate development fees and liquid-capital requirements are distinct; they are not added together here as a total project budget.
| Requirement | Chick-fil-A | Arby's |
|---|---|---|
| Initial investment / development estimate | Not comparable for this model United States The Operator fee is not a restaurant-development estimate; the reviewed page does not provide a comparable total investment range.
| $651,550–$2,456,600 US web-summary investment range; confirm the applicable restaurant format
|
| Initial franchise fee | $10,000 US Operator initial franchise fee This fee is not the total cost to develop a restaurant.
| $37,500 US initial franchise fee as listed in the web summary
|
| Separate development fee | Not verified in reviewed sources United States No applicable amount verified in the linked sources. Request the current disclosure for this format and territory.
| $12,500 US; per restaurant Listed separately from the initial franchise fee; confirm timing and any credits in the FDD.
|
| Liquid capital / personal funds | Not verified in reviewed sources United States No applicable amount verified in the linked sources. Request the current disclosure for this format and territory.
| $500,000 US candidate liquid-assets requirement
|
| Net worth | Not verified in reviewed sources United States No applicable amount verified in the linked sources. Request the current disclosure for this format and territory.
| $1,000,000 US candidate net-worth requirement
|
| Royalty / service fee | Not verified in reviewed sources United States No applicable amount verified in the linked sources. Request the current disclosure for this format and territory.
| 4% Percentage of gross sales
|
| Advertising / marketing contribution | Not verified in reviewed sources United States No applicable amount verified in the linked sources. Request the current disclosure for this format and territory.
| 5.2% Percentage of gross sales Minimum combined advertising contribution.
|
Sources and review limits
The check date records when a source was reviewed. It is not the source publication date or the issue date of an FDD. Official web summaries that refer to an FDD are identified as summaries.
Chick-fil-A
- Chick-fil-A US franchise requirementsSource checked (America/Los_Angeles).
Arby's
- Arby's — Inspire Brands franchisingSource checked (America/Los_Angeles).Document basis: Official web summary referring to the FDD issued March 26, 2026.
Build a scenario from your own assumptions
These requirements do not establish restaurant sales or owner earnings. Use a budget for the actual format and transaction, and enter your own operating assumptions in the calculator.
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