The cheapest food franchises to open
These 30 food brands are listed from the lowest cost up. Auntie Anne's has a starting cost of $157,795.
| Brand | Category | total, lowest to highest | one-time fee | ongoing, usually a % of sales | does the brand show sales figures | Year filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auntie Anne's | Bakery and snacks | $158K to $836K | $35,500 | 7% | Yes | 2026 |
| Kung Fu Tea | Bubble tea | $169K to $378K | $37,000 | 4% | No | 2026 |
| Gong cha | Bubble tea | $207K to $648K | $37,000 | 6% | Yes | 2026 |
| Domino's | Pizza | $231K to $744K | $10,000 | 5.5% | Yes | 2026 |
| Cinnabon | Bakery and snacks | $257K to $704K | $35,500 | 6% | Yes | 2026 |
| Subway | Restaurants | $263K to $630K | $15,000 | 8% | No | 2026 |
| Tropical Smoothie Cafe | Smoothies and bowls | $276K to $771K | $35,000 | 6% | Yes | 2026 |
| Sharetea | Bubble tea | $276K to $606K | $12,000 | 6% (at least $1,200 a month) | No | 2026 |
| Papa John's | Pizza | $281K to $890K | $5,000 to $25,000 | 5% | Yes | 2026 |
| Playa Bowls | Smoothies and bowls | $282K to $1.06M | $35,000 | 6% | Yes | 2026 |
| Marco's Pizza | Pizza | $286K to $811K | $25,000 | 5.5% | Yes | 2026 |
| Baskin-Robbins | Ice cream | $307K to $627K | $25,000 | 5.9% | Yes | 2026 |
| Chick-fil-A | Chicken | $318K to $3.46M | $10,000 | 15% + 50% of profit | Yes | 2026 |
| Marble Slab Creamery | Ice cream | $355K to $477K | $25,000 | 6% | Yes | 2025 |
| Jimmy John's | Restaurants | $366K to $734K | $35,000 | 6% | Yes | 2026 |
| Little Caesars | Pizza | $377K to $1.77M | $20,000 | 6% (at least $300 a week) | No | 2026 |
| Firehouse Subs | Restaurants | $405K to $876K | $20,000 | 6% | Yes | 2026 |
| Jersey Mike's | Restaurants | $436K to $1.16M | $20,000 | 6.5% | Yes | 2026 |
| Dunn Brothers Coffee | Coffee | $449K to $728K | $30,000 | 5% | Yes | 2026 |
| Nothing Bundt Cakes | Bakery and snacks | $475K to $994K | $45,000 | 6% | Yes | 2026 |
| Jamba | Smoothies and bowls | $481K to $941K | $35,500 | 6% | Yes | 2026 |
| PJ's Coffee | Coffee | $523K to $899K | $15,000 to $40,000 | 5% | Yes | 2026 |
| Dunkin' | Coffee | $532K to $1.83M | $40,000 to $90,000 | 5.9% | Yes | 2026 |
| Jet's Pizza | Pizza | $573K to $786K | $15,000 to $30,000 | 12% of inventory bought | No | 2025 |
| Ziggi's Coffee | Coffee | $587K to $1.76M | $40,000 | 6% | Yes | 2026 |
| The Human Bean | Coffee | $672K to $1.53M | $35,000 | None | Yes | 2026 |
| Blaze Pizza | Pizza | $757K to $1.3M | $30,000 | 5% | Yes | 2026 |
| Chicken Salad Chick | Chicken | $777K to $999K | $50,000 | 5% | Yes | 2026 |
| Dave's Hot Chicken | Chicken | $824K to $4.12M | $40,000 | 6% | No | 2026 |
| Pizza Hut | Pizza | $846K to $2.13M | $25,000 | 6% | Yes | 2026 |
Before you buy, a brand has to hand over its Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD); the brand's latest one is where every figure comes from. A royalty is the part of sales, or the fixed sum, that you still pay the brand after opening. The Sales or earnings shown column says if the brand gives out the amount its locations bring in. A K stands for thousand, an M for million. The filing year is the year that FDD was listed with the Minnesota Department of Commerce.
Drive-thrus and kiosks are cheaper
Usually, the cheapest food franchises are small formats: a kiosk, a counter or a drive-thru, all with little seating. At the top of the range sits a full restaurant with a dining room.
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