Franchise Facts Report → rankings → Quick-service restaurant
Cheapest fast food & quick-service restaurant franchises to open
The 15 lowest-cost fast food & quick-service restaurant franchises by total initial investment (FDD Item 7) — the low-cost end of the category, ranked from the disclosure documents themselves rather than from anyone's marketing. Every figure is read from the brand's most recent FDD — not marketing copy.
| # | Franchise | Total investment | Investment | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Koibito Poke · Item 19 ✓ | $6,000 | $2,000 – $10,000 | Low |
| 2 | Earl of Sandwich | $54,000 | $28,000 – $80,000 | Medium |
| 3 | Slim Chicken's · Item 19 ✓ | $55,750 | $32,500 – $79,000 | Low |
| 4 | Hardee's (sla) · Item 19 ✓ | $77,000 | $57,000 – $97,000 | High |
| 5 | Dog Haus Worldwide, LLC (Remote Kitchens) · Item 19 ✓ | $156,256 | $99,612 – $212,900 | Low |
| 6 | Chester's | Chester's Chicken On-the-Fly | $162,000 | $27,500 – $296,500 | Medium |
| 7 | Chicken Guy! | $164,000 | $123,000 – $205,000 | Medium |
| 8 | Pizza Man | $170,675 | $162,850 – $178,500 | High |
| 9 | Quick N Split | $195,550 | $130,600 – $260,500 | Medium |
| 10 | Fyrebird Chicken | $200,700 | $132,300 – $269,100 | Medium |
| 11 | Fuji Grill | $219,350 | $152,400 – $286,300 | Medium |
| 12 | Cilantro Lime | $221,600 | $146,700 – $296,500 | Medium |
| 13 | Vegan District | $227,750 | $97,500 – $358,000 | Medium |
| 14 | Al-Hamra | $228,800 | $165,850 – $291,750 | Medium |
| 15 | Fried Chicken Master | $242,775 | $184,850 – $300,700 | Medium |
Ranked from FDDs filed with state franchise registries. Figures are as disclosed by each franchisor; “best” reflects the single metric above, not an overall recommendation. Tap any brand for the full cost, earnings, litigation and benchmark breakdown.
This page ranks one number. The report on a single brand gives you the actual Item 19 earnings, every fee line, the litigation detail, outlet churn, and where each figure lands against quick-service restaurant peers — plus the questions to put to the franchisor before you sign.