Can you buy a Shake Shack franchise?
There's no US franchise you can buy
No. In the United States, Shake Shack sells no franchises. A small group of large partners gets licenses for the rest; the company operates its own Shacks.
In its annual report, Shake Shack counts 659 Shacks, with 373 company-run and 286 licensed ones. Across the U.S., 11 licensees operate the licensed Shacks found in airports, casinos, stadiums and travel plazas; in other countries, partners hold country-wide rights. An individual can't buy any of these as a franchise, so there is no FDD to compare here. Shake Shack's 2025 annual report (Form 10-K).
Shake Shack franchise cost: licensed, not franchised
Large operators negotiate each licence deal, and since the terms are not published, no franchise cost can be quoted. Each of these burger brands puts its figures in an FDD.
Other restaurant franchises you can buy
All 13 of these restaurant brands do sell franchises, and each keeps a current FDD where its costs are listed.
| Brand | , low to high estimate | , paid once | , ongoing fee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Subway2026 FDD | $263K to $630K | $15,000 | 8% | No |
 Jimmy John's2026 FDD | $366K to $734K | $35,000 | 6% | $1.01M a yearaverage store, before costs |
 Firehouse Subs2026 FDD | $405K to $876K | $20,000 | 6% | $974K a yearaverage store, before costs |
 Jersey Mike's2026 FDD | $436K to $1.16M | $20,000 | 6.5% | $1.37M a yearaverage store, before costs |
 Arby's2026 FDD | $869K to $2.46M | $37,500 | 4% | $1.27M a yearaverage store, before costs |
 Five Guys2026 FDD | $928K to $1.38M | $25,000 | 6% | No |
 Panera Bread2026 FDD | $1.34M to $4.57M | $50,000 | 5% | $2.54M a yearaverage store, before costs |
 McDonald's2024 FDD | $1.47M to $2.64M | $45,000 | 5% (plus rent) | $3.96M a yearaverage store, before costs |
 Sonic Drive-In2026 FDD | $1.49M to $2.52M | $15,000 | 5% | $1.55M a yearaverage store, before costs |
 Wendy's2025 FDD | $1.52M to $2.99M | $50,000 | 4% | $2.11M a yearaverage store, before costs |
 Taco Bell2026 FDD | $1.86M to $4.31M | $45,000 | 5.5% | Yes, several figures |
 Burger King2026 FDD | $2.04M to $4.73M | $50,000 | 4.5% | $1.69M a yearaverage store, before costs |
 Culver's2026 FDD | $3.41M to $10.3M | $45,000 to $65,000 | 4% | $4.14M a yearaverage store, before costs |
A brand must give you its Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) before you buy, and every figure here comes from the brand's most recent one. After you open, you keep paying the brand a share of sales or a set amount; that is the royalty. "Sales or earnings shown" tells you whether the brand reports what its locations bring in. K means thousand; M means million.
Want something like Shake Shack that you can own?
A franchise consultant can suggest brands in the same field that fit your cash and your area.