How Much Does a Chicken Salad Chick Franchise Cost?

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2026 COST ANSWER

How much does a Chicken Salad Chick franchise cost?

The 2026 Chicken Salad Chick Franchise Disclosure Document states that a new non-Drive-Thru restaurant requires an estimated initial investment of $777,000 to $998,500, while a new Drive-Thru restaurant requires $802,000 to $1,033,500. These are Item 7 totals for one restaurant, not the same thing as the $50,000 Initial Franchise Fee or the brand's separate financial qualification thresholds.

$777,000–$998,500 Non-Drive-Thru restaurant $802,000–$1,033,500 Drive-Thru restaurant
Use the format-specific range, not the combined endpoints, for planning. The 2026 FDD reports $777,000–$998,500 without a drive-thru and $802,000–$1,033,500 with a drive-thru. Additional Funds for the first three months are already included in each Item 7 total. Source: 2026 FDD, Item 7, pp. 11–14.
Data basis: legal franchisor Simply Southern Restaurant Group, LLC; direct parent SSRG Holdings, LLC; FDD issued April 20, 2026; restaurant formats analyzed: non-Drive-Thru and Drive-Thru; core disclosures: Item 5 pp. 6–7, Item 6 pp. 7–11, and Item 7 pp. 11–14; information checked July 18, 2026. No matching public 2026 FDD was located on an official franchise-controlled domain, so FDD Item/page citations are unlinked. Current figures are also presented on the brand's official franchise cost and investment page.
Initial Franchise Fee $50,000 First restaurant; due when the Franchise Agreement is signed.
Grand Opening Marketing $10,000 Paid at signing to CSC Ad Funds, LLC.
Additional Funds $20,000–$30,000 Covers pre-opening and first 3 months; excludes owner salary.
Continuing Royalty 5% Of Gross Sales, subject to a $600 minimum; paid semi-monthly.
Liquid Assets $250,000 Current official candidate qualification; not the Item 7 total.
Net Worth $750,000 Current official candidate qualification; not cash on hand.
ITEM 7 INVESTMENT

What is included in the estimated initial investment?

Item 7 includes the franchise and opening fees, premises work, restaurant equipment, décor, inventory, technology, permits, insurance, training travel, professional fees, and three months of Additional Funds. The largest disclosed categories are Leasehold Improvements at $425,000–$525,000 and Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment at $175,000–$225,000.

Franchise rights, premises and physical build-out

These expenditures are generally paid at signing, as lease and construction obligations arise, or when the relevant assets are installed. The Drive-Thru Package applies only to the Drive-Thru format.

Item 7 expenditure 2026 amount Payment timing FDD reference
Initial Franchise Fee $50,000 Upon signing the Franchise Agreement Item 7, p. 11
Grand Opening Marketing Fee $10,000 Upon signing; paid to CSC Ad Funds, LLC Item 7, p. 11
Rent (1 month) and Security Deposit $6,000–$15,000 As incurred; estimate reflects one month of each Item 7, pp. 11, 13
Leasehold Improvements $425,000–$525,000 When work is performed Item 7, pp. 11, 13
Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment $175,000–$225,000 Upon installation Item 7, p. 11
Décor Package $15,000–$20,000 Upon installation Item 7, p. 11
Signage $12,000–$25,000 Upon installation Item 7, p. 12
Drive-Thru Package $25,000–$35,000 Upon installation; Drive-Thru only Item 7, p. 12

Opening inventory, systems and working capital

The remaining categories are paid as goods arrive, policies are written, applications are filed, advisors perform work, and the restaurant moves through opening and its first three months.

Item 7 expenditure 2026 amount Payment timing FDD reference
Branded Merchandise $9,000–$10,000 Upon delivery Item 7, p. 11
Inventory $12,000–$13,000 Upon delivery Item 7, p. 12
Technology Equipment and Software $25,000–$35,000 Upon installation Item 7, pp. 12–13
Permits and Licenses $500–$2,500 Upon application Item 7, p. 12
Insurance (6 months) $2,500–$3,500 When policies are written Item 7, p. 12
Training travel and lodging for 3 people $5,000–$9,000 As incurred Item 7, p. 12
Other Deposits and Prepaid Expenses $0–$5,500 Upon application or as incurred Item 7, pp. 12–13
Professional Fees $10,000–$20,000 As incurred Item 7, pp. 12–13
Additional Funds — 3 months $20,000–$30,000 Before opening and during first 3 months Item 7, pp. 12–14
FDD CAVEAT

Item 5 separately identifies a required $200–$700 initial inventory of proprietary cake/dessert products supplied through a third-party distributor. Item 7 also contains the broader $12,000–$13,000 Inventory line. Because the FDD does not expressly instruct the reader to add the $200–$700 outside the official Item 7 total, confirm its treatment before building a separate cash schedule and avoid double-counting it.

FORMAT AND DEVELOPMENT

How do the drive-thru and multi-unit commitments change the cash requirement?

A Drive-Thru restaurant has its own $802,000–$1,033,500 Item 7 range because it includes a $25,000–$35,000 Drive-Thru Package. An Area Development Agreement changes the signing payment and development commitment, but it does not replace the need to fund a full Item 7 investment for every restaurant opened.

Area Development Agreement payment credit
First restaurant at signing $50,000 Initial Franchise Fee under the first Franchise Agreement.
Grand opening at signing $10,000 Current Grand Opening Marketing Fee for the first restaurant.
Each additional committed unit $20,000 Non-refundable deposit credited toward that unit's $45,000 Initial Franchise Fee.

When the Franchise Agreement for a later restaurant is signed, the remaining $25,000 of its $45,000 Initial Franchise Fee is due, together with the then-current Grand Opening Marketing Fee, currently $10,000. Source: 2026 FDD, Item 5, pp. 6–7, and Item 7, p. 12.

For the minimum two-restaurant commitment, the FDD reports a first-restaurant startup range of $797,000–$1,018,500 for a non-Drive-Thru location and $822,000–$1,053,500 for a Drive-Thru location. Each range adds the initial $20,000 deposit for the second committed unit to the applicable first-restaurant Item 7 range; it is not the combined cost to open two restaurants.

FORMAT DIFFERENCE

The FDD also mentions occasional satellite locations, Non-Traditional Venues, and negotiated purchases of affiliate-owned restaurant assets, but it does not publish a separate Item 7 range for those paths. A nontraditional finish-out or resale should therefore be priced from the specific site, asset agreement, and current disclosure rather than assigned one of the standard ranges without confirmation.

PAYMENT TIMING

When is the money paid?

The first fixed payments are due at contract signing, while most of the larger amounts are paid later as the site is secured, construction progresses, assets are installed, and the restaurant approaches opening. The 2026 FDD says opening generally occurs within 8 to 12 months after signing and must occur within 13 months.

Contract signing

Pay the $50,000 Initial Franchise Fee and $10,000 Grand Opening Marketing Fee. Under an Area Development Agreement, also pay $20,000 for each additional committed restaurant.

Site approval and lease

Fund professional advice, lease deposits, permits, and any reimbursable site-visit costs. If no site is identified at signing, the FDD requires an accepted site within 120 days and site control within 60 days after acceptance.

Construction and installation

Pay Leasehold Improvements as work is performed and pay for Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment, décor, signage, the Drive-Thru Package when applicable, and Technology Equipment and Software as installed.

Pre-opening and first three months

Pay for inventory, branded merchandise, insurance, training travel, and operating outlays. The $20,000–$30,000 Additional Funds estimate covers labor, supplies, rent, and utilities before opening and during the first three months, but excludes any owner draw or salary.

ONGOING FEES

Which fees continue after opening?

The core continuing obligations are a 5% Continuing Royalty on Gross Sales, a current 2% Brand Fund contribution on Gross Sales, and a minimum local advertising spend equal to 1% of monthly Gross Sales. The Royalty and Brand Fund amounts are collected semi-monthly; the FDD also establishes a $600 minimum Continuing Royalty.

Continuing Royalty
5% of Gross Sales, but at least $600; due semi-monthly on the 5th and 20th.
Brand Fund
Currently 2% of Gross Sales, although the Franchise Agreement permits up to 4%; due semi-monthly.
Local advertising
Minimum 1% of monthly Gross Sales. A future cooperative contribution may be capped at 1% and is credited toward this local requirement; the FDD says no cooperatives currently exist.
Technology upkeep
Estimated annual computer and technology maintenance and upgrades of $2,500–$2,700. The FDD states there is no contractual limit on the frequency or cost of required updates.
Potential technology fee
If the franchisor or an affiliate later provides proprietary software, technology, support, or upgrades, Item 6 permits charges up to $500 per month; no set charge existed on the FDD issuance date.

Which event-triggered fees can arise later?

Item 6 contains fixed, percentage-based, and variable charges that apply only when a specified event occurs. They are not part of the opening investment unless Item 7 expressly includes an initial payment.

Renewal — $5,000Renewal also requires renovation, remodeling, and updating information technology to current standards.
Transfer of open restaurants — $10,000 plus $5,000 per additional restaurantThe $10,000 applies to the first open restaurant in the same transfer transaction.
Transfer of undeveloped ADA rights — $2,500Charged per assignment or transfer of remaining development rights.
Late or dishonored payment — $100 plus interestInterest is the lesser of 1.5% per month or the highest lawful commercial contract rate.
Audit reimbursementAudit costs are reimbursable if the audit finds an understatement greater than 3%.
New manager training at the restaurant — currently $5,000Covers up to three people for a 10-day session, plus the franchisor's travel and related expenses.
Management Fee — up to 10% of Gross SalesApplies, plus out-of-pocket expenses, if the franchisor assumes management in specified circumstances.
ADA schedule amendment — $2,500May be charged when the developer requests an extension or other schedule adjustment and the franchisor agrees.
Alternative supplier reviewCurrently out-of-pocket evaluation expenses; any additional fee is capped at $5,000.
Variable reimbursements and damagesProduct and Service Purchases, Indemnification, Attorney's Fees and Other Costs, insurance procurement, Tax Reimbursement, and Lost Future Royalties depend on the triggering event and are not stated as one fixed amount.
CAPITAL QUALIFICATIONS

How much liquid capital and net worth are required?

Chicken Salad Chick's current official franchise page states a minimum $250,000 in liquid assets and $750,000 in net worth. These are screening qualifications, not substitutes for the applicable $777,000–$1,033,500 Item 7 range. Net worth includes assets minus liabilities; liquid assets are the more readily available funds identified by the brand.

The 2026 FDD does not state a separate non-borrowed-funds minimum in Items 5, 6, or 7. It does require each owner holding a 10% or greater interest in a franchisee entity to personally guarantee the franchisee's obligations. Prospective candidates should verify whether the franchisor applies higher standards to a particular market, development schedule, or ownership group on the official financial qualifications page.

Does Chicken Salad Chick offer financing?

No franchisor financing is disclosed. Item 10 states that Simply Southern Restaurant Group, LLC does not offer direct or indirect financing and does not guarantee a note, lease, or other obligation. The official development process says candidates may be connected with third-party lenders, which is an introduction rather than guaranteed approval or franchisor-provided credit.

FINANCING DISTINCTION

The brand's official franchise process refers to third-party lender introductions after financial approval. Borrowers considering government-backed financing can separately review the SBA 7(a) loan program, but lender eligibility, collateral, equity injection, repayment ability, and approval remain transaction-specific.

COST VARIABILITY

Which obligations can push the actual cash need outside the published range?

The Item 7 range is an estimate, not a cap. The principal unresolved variables are lease economics, utility and site work, nontraditional construction, technology changes, supplier pricing, remodeling, and owner compensation during the opening period.

Utility and impact feesWater tap, sewer tap, and other impact fees may be required by the local jurisdiction and are expressly excluded from Item 7.
Site preparation and utility extensionsThe Leasehold Improvements estimate assumes adequate electrical, gas, water, and sewage connections; site preparation, demising walls, and extensions may or may not be included in the landlord arrangement.
Tenant improvement allowanceThe FDD does not reduce Item 7 for landlord contributions. It reports approximately $105,000 as the average tenant improvement funds received in 2025 for a prototypical restaurant, while emphasizing that terms vary widely.
Owner compensationThe $20,000–$30,000 Additional Funds estimate excludes any draw or salary for the owner.
Nontraditional or unusual formatThe leasehold estimate is based on adapting standard plans for an approximately 2,500-square-foot restaurant; nontraditional finish-outs may vary and have no separate published range.
Supplier-controlled purchasesItem 8 estimates that almost 100% of establishment and operating purchases and leases will come from designated or approved suppliers or comply with system specifications.
Technology changesRequired hardware, software, maintenance, and upgrades can change during the term, and the FDD places no contractual limit on upgrade frequency or cost.
Remodeling and relocationThe franchisor may require remodeling no more than once every five years during the term; relocation and de-identification are at the franchisee's expense, but no fixed amount is disclosed.
BUYER SYNTHESIS

What is the practical capital takeaway?

A prospective U.S. franchisee should separate four numbers: the $50,000 Initial Franchise Fee, the $777,000–$998,500 non-Drive-Thru or $802,000–$1,033,500 Drive-Thru total investment, the $250,000 liquid-asset qualification, and the $750,000 net-worth qualification. The first is one contract payment, the second is the full Item 7 opening estimate, and the last two are candidate screening thresholds.

The largest initial uncertainty is the premises: Leasehold Improvements alone span $425,000–$525,000, and local utility work or impact fees may sit outside the estimate. After opening, the Continuing Royalty, Brand Fund contribution, local advertising requirement, technology obligations, supplier restrictions, and event-triggered fees remain part of the cost contract.

Before paying or signing, reconcile the current FDD and Franchise Agreement against the site budget, development schedule, lender terms, and owner working-capital plan. The FTC Consumer's Guide to Buying a Franchise explains how to use the disclosure document, and the FTC Franchise Rule describes the federal disclosure framework.







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