Franchise Facts Report → compare → KFC (traditional) vs Jack in the Box | Jack in the Box®
KFC (traditional) vs Jack in the Box | Jack in the Box®
Two quick-service restaurant franchises, compared on the numbers their own Franchise Disclosure Documents put on record — investment, fees, Item 19 earnings, outlet churn, and litigation. Not marketing copy.
| KFC (traditional) | Jack in the Box | Jack in the Box® | |
|---|---|---|
| Total initial investment FDD Item 7 | $135,000 – $540,000 | $3,531,000 – $5,523,200 |
| Initial franchise fee FDD Item 5 | $45,000 | $50,000 |
| Royalty FDD Item 6 | 4% | 5% |
| Item 19 earnings disclosed FDD Item 19 | Yes | Yes |
| Avg unit revenue (headline) FDD Item 19 | $1,453,255 | $1,996,940 |
| Franchised outlets FDD Item 20 | 3,715 | 2,043 |
| Net outlet change (latest yr) FDD Item 20 | -127 | +9 |
| Closure rate FDD Item 20 | 4.1% | — |
| Franchisee lawsuits FDD Item 3 | 1 | disclosed |
| Risk level our read | Medium | Medium |
| FDD year registration | 2024 | 2024 |
Are KFC (traditional) and Jack in the Box | Jack in the Box® the same company?
No — KFC (traditional) and Jack in the Box | Jack in the Box® are franchised by separate companies. KFC (traditional)'s franchisor is KFC US, LLC; Jack in the Box | Jack in the Box®'s is Different Rules, LLC. Each registers and files its own Franchise Disclosure Document, and you would be signing with a different entity depending on which you chose. Note that a registry filing names the franchisor, not necessarily its ultimate parent — two brands owned by the same parent company can still have separate franchisors.
Cost to open
KFC (traditional) is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $135,000 – $540,000, against $3,531,000 – $5,523,200 for Jack in the Box | Jack in the Box®.
How much does each make? (Item 19)
Both franchisors make an Item 19 financial performance representation. On the headline average unit revenue each discloses, Jack in the Box | Jack in the Box® reports the higher figure ($1,996,940 vs $1,453,255). Revenue is not profit — the full report breaks out what each brand actually represents.
Closures & failure rate
KFC (traditional) reports 3,715 franchised outlets, net change -127 in the latest reported year, a 4.1% closure rate (FDD Item 20). Jack in the Box | Jack in the Box® reports 2,043 franchised outlets, net change +9 in the latest reported year (FDD Item 20). Outlet churn — closures, terminations, non-renewals — is the closest thing an FDD has to a failure rate; the full report puts both brands' churn against quick-service restaurant medians.
Litigation
KFC (traditional) discloses 1 franchisee-vs-franchisor proceeding in FDD Item 3. Jack in the Box | Jack in the Box® discloses litigation in FDD Item 3 (case detail in the full report).
This page is the headline numbers. The Deep report compares up to three brands on the complete FDD record — every fee line, the actual Item 19 figures and what they represent, each lawsuit, and churn benchmarked against quick-service restaurant peers.
Only looking at one of them?
KFC (traditional) vs Jack in the Box | Jack in the Box® — frequently asked
Are KFC (traditional) and Jack in the Box | Jack in the Box® the same company?
No — KFC (traditional) and Jack in the Box | Jack in the Box® are franchised by separate companies. KFC (traditional)'s franchisor is KFC US, LLC; Jack in the Box | Jack in the Box®'s is Different Rules, LLC. Each registers and files its own Franchise Disclosure Document, and you would be signing with a different entity depending on which you chose. Note that a registry filing names the franchisor, not necessarily its ultimate parent — two brands owned by the same parent company can still have separate franchisors.
What is the difference between KFC (traditional) and Jack in the Box | Jack in the Box®?
KFC (traditional) and Jack in the Box | Jack in the Box® are quick-service restaurant franchises from different franchisors (KFC US, LLC and Different Rules, LLC). KFC (traditional) is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $135,000 – $540,000, against $3,531,000 – $5,523,200 for Jack in the Box | Jack in the Box®. Both franchisors make an Item 19 financial performance representation. On the headline average unit revenue each discloses, Jack in the Box | Jack in the Box® reports the higher figure ($1,996,940 vs $1,453,255). Revenue is not profit — the full report breaks out what each brand actually represents.
Is KFC (traditional) more profitable than Jack in the Box | Jack in the Box®?
Both franchisors make an Item 19 financial performance representation. On the headline average unit revenue each discloses, Jack in the Box | Jack in the Box® reports the higher figure ($1,996,940 vs $1,453,255). Revenue is not profit — the full report breaks out what each brand actually represents.
Which is cheaper to open — KFC (traditional) or Jack in the Box | Jack in the Box®?
KFC (traditional) is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $135,000 – $540,000, against $3,531,000 – $5,523,200 for Jack in the Box | Jack in the Box®.
Is KFC (traditional) or Jack in the Box | Jack in the Box® growing faster?
KFC (traditional) reports 3,715 franchised outlets, net change -127 in the latest reported year, a 4.1% closure rate (FDD Item 20). Jack in the Box | Jack in the Box® reports 2,043 franchised outlets, net change +9 in the latest reported year (FDD Item 20).
Go deeper on each brand
Quick-service restaurant rankings
Figures are as disclosed in each brand's most recent registered FDD (KFC (traditional) 2024, Jack in the Box | Jack in the Box® 2024). “—” means the FDD does not disclose it or the table did not parse cleanly — never an estimate.