Dairy Queen franchise: what it costs
Opening a DQ Grill & Chill runs $1,510,100 to $2,550,100, and Dairy Queen's own franchising site also lists a $45,000 franchise fee plus a 4% royalty.
Our main table draws all brands from the registry at the Minnesota Department of Commerce. Dairy Queen posts the figures shown here on Dairy Queen's costs page and Dairy Queen's FAQs. Before you sign, the brand must still hand over its complete FDD to you.
Dairy Queen franchise cost in detail
It covers a complete DQ Grill & Chill, with kitchen and dining room. That is why the range leans toward a burger chain more than an ice cream shop.
People who request it through the site get the complete FDD from Dairy Queen. The figures shown here come from Dairy Queen ahead of that step.
| Term | Dairy Queen |
|---|---|
| Marketing fee | 5% to 6% |
| Term of the agreement | 20 years |
| Liquid capital | $400,000 for one restaurant |
| Net worth | $750,000 for one restaurant, more for several |
| Certified DQ managers needed | 3 |
Comparable franchises with a full FDD on file
Each brand's figures are in an FDD open to us: cost to open, fee and royalty, plus whether sales get shared.
| Brand | Category | Total cost to open, low to high estimate | Upfront fee, paid once | Royalty, ongoing fee | Sales or earnings shown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Auntie Anne's2026 FDD | Bakery and snacks | $158K to $836K | $35,500 | 7% | $792K a yearaverage store, before costs |
 Kung Fu Tea2026 FDD | Bubble tea | $169K to $378K | $37,000 | 4% | No |
 Gong cha2026 FDD | Bubble tea | $207K to $648K | $37,000 | 6% | $397K a yearaverage store, before costs |
 Domino's2026 FDD | Pizza | $231K to $744K | $10,000 | 5.5% | $27K a weekaverage store, before costs |
 Cinnabon2026 FDD | Bakery and snacks | $257K to $704K | $35,500 | 6% | $665K a yearaverage store, before costs |
 Subway2026 FDD | Restaurants | $263K to $630K | $15,000 | 8% | No |
 Tropical Smoothie Cafe2026 FDD | Smoothies and bowls | $276K to $771K | $35,000 | 6% | $978K a yearaverage store, before costs |
 Sharetea2026 FDD | Bubble tea | $276K to $606K | $12,000 | 6% (at least $1,200 a month) | No |
A brand has to give you its Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) before you buy, and every figure comes from the brand's latest one. The royalty is the sales share, or fixed amount, you keep paying after opening. Under "Sales or earnings shown", you see whether the brand discloses location revenue. K means thousand and M means million. Each FDD here was filed with the Minnesota Department of Commerce in 2026.
A franchise attorney can check the Dairy Queen FDD with you
When Dairy Queen sends you its FDD and franchise agreement, one franchise attorney can read both before you sign.