America’s Dog & Burger Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
- Investment
- $290K – $694K
- Disclosed sales
- partial, no system average
- SBA charge-off
- Not SBA-matched
Data from FDD filing
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
America's Dog & Burger is a quick-service franchise serving Chicago-style gourmet hot dogs and burgers. Franchisees run the restaurants, managing food prep, staffing, and counter service.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A AMERICA’S DOG & BURGER franchise requires a total initial investment of $290K – $694K, including a $30K franchise fee and an ongoing 5.0% royalty[2]. The 2024 FDD on file does not yield a unit-revenue figure we can publish. FranchiseVerdict grade: C (Average), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Sources, dates and evidence
FDD issued: · Data extracted: · Last cited check: · Staleness risk: high - issued more than two years ago
Evidence: strong✓ Investment (Item 7)✓ Item 19 status✓ Units and owners (Item 20)✗ SBA loan coverage✓ Litigation (Item 3)✓ Financial statements (Item 21)✓ Franchisor identityhow this is scored5 of 5 headline figures on this page cite a page of the filing.
Overview
- Investment
- $290K – $694K
- 46th pct Service Resta…
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Outlet subset
- Royalty
- 5.0%
- 12th pct Service Resta…
- Units
- 3
- 14th pct Service Resta…
- SBA charge-off
- N/A
Quick verdict · Quick-Service Restaurants · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Quick-Service Restaurants median · No shading = within ±10% · Red = unfavorable by >10% · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Bottom line
- COSTTotal investment $290K – $694K including a $30K franchise fee, 5.0% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSItem 19 reports outlet revenue, but not in a form that yields a per-outlet average we can compare across brands.
- RISKVerdict C (Average), verdict score 41/100 (higher is better).
- GROWTHPositive: net +1 franchised outlets in the latest year (1 opened, 0 closed); 1 signed but not yet open (Item 20).
- DATAItem 19 reports outlet revenue, but not in a form that yields a per-outlet average we can compare across brands. Ask franchisees directly for full unit-level revenue.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- America's Dog Franchise Systems, LLC
- Ultimate parent
- America's Dog Franchise, LLC (owns intellectual property)
- FDD Item 1, page 8 of the 2024 FDD
- CEO title
- Manager and President
- Manolis Alpogianis
- CEO experience
- 2015 yrs
- Years in role or industry
- Founder active
- Yes
- Original founder still leading the business
- Incorporated in
- IL
- HQ
- 700 E. Grand Avenue, Suite 121, Chicago, Illinois 60611
- Auditor
- A&G, LLP
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $23K
- vs $1K prior year
Overview
About
- CEO
- Manolis Alpogianis
- Headquarters
- IL
- Founded
- 2015
- FDD year
- 2024
- States available
- 1
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost is about typical for a quick-service restaurants franchise (near the category median).
Source: FDD 2024 · Items 5–7
Full Item 7 breakdown15 line items
Initial investment breakdown
| Line item | Low | High | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Feenot refundable | $30K | $30K | |
| Lease Deposit and rent for 3 months | $12K | $25K | |
| Blue prints, plans, and permits | $10K | $20K | |
| Leasehold Improvements | $113K | $390K | |
| Furniture, Fixtures, and equipment | $55K | $100K | |
| Signage and graphics (interior and exterior) | $3K | $15K | |
| Office Equipment and Supplies | $2K | $4K | |
| Travel and related expenses while training | $20K | $25K | |
| Initial marketing campaign | $5K | $10K | |
| POS Software and Hardware (including one year maintenance/support contract) | $8K | $13K | |
| Initial Inventory/Supplies | $4K | $7K | |
| Professional Services | $2K | $4K | |
| Insurance | $8K | $12K | |
| Government permits and licenses | $300 | $750 | |
| Additional Funds | $20K | $40K | |
| Total initial investment | $290K | $694K |
Line items extracted from FDD Item 7. Ranges reflect the franchisor's stated low and high per line. Total is the sum of line-item lows / highs — actual costs may fall outside this range depending on market and build-out scope.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $290K – $694K
- Middle of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $20K – $40K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $30K – $30K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- 5.0%
- Tiered by sales volume · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 2.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 7.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 5.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 2.0% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $0 |
| Training fee | $500 |
| Transfer fee | $18K |
| Renewal fee | $5K |
| Inventory (initial) | $4K – $7K |
| Total fee load | 7.0% of rev |
What do units actually make?
Source: FDD 2024 · Item 19
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
No Item 19 revenue figure for AMERICA’S DOG & BURGER is on file. The return models need a revenue figure to start from, and the operating costs that turn gross sales into a profit are in no FDD. Enter your own and the calculator runs on your assumptions — nothing here is modelled until you do.
Returns model · single-unit ROIC
What would one AMERICA’S DOG & BURGER unit return on the cash you put in?
Illustrative category typicals — not sourced to any filing, survey or sample. Replace them with figures from franchisee validation calls before you rely on the output.
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Your modelled return on total invested capital, before any debt financing.
—
An FDD discloses gross sales, not profit. We hold no sourced figure for annual revenue, COGS, labour, rent / occupancy and other operating costs, and will not substitute an assumed one. Enter your own and the model runs on your assumptions.
These models are for research and scenario planning only. Not investment advice. Actual results depend on your specific location, management, and market conditions. Consult a franchise attorney and accountant before signing any franchise agreement.
Item 19 · Source: 2024 FDD
Financial Performance
Item 19 reports outlet revenue, but not in a form that yields a per-outlet average we can compare across brands. We omit it from rankings.
Item 19 · by group
What the filing does disclose
Item 19 of this FDD reports performance in more than one group. We publish no single average for this brand; the groups the filing does disclose are listed below, quoted from its own Item 19 table.
Each row below is quoted from the FDD's own Item 19 table. Gross sales are not profit.
Outlet subsetItem 19 detail
affiliate owned
| Segment | Sample | Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Navy Pier (affiliate-owned) | 1 | $1.6M |
| O'Hare Airport (affiliate-owned) | 1 | $2.9M |
licensed
| Segment | Sample | Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Midway Airport (licensed) | 1 | $200K |
Operator outlook
What the numbers say
Data-driven interpretation of this brand's financial disclosures, fee structure, and system trajectory.
Fee burden
Total ongoing fee load of 7.0% (near the Quick-Service Restaurants median).
Disclosure
Item 19 reports outlet revenue, but not in a form that yields a per-outlet average we can compare across brands.
Source: FDD Item 19 financial performance representations and publicly filed FDD data. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Verify all figures with the franchisor and current franchisees before making any investment decision.
vs Quick-Service Restaurants medians
How America’s Dog & Burger Compares
Category median of published Quick-Service Restaurants brands that report the figure; the middle half spans the 25th to 75th percentile and n counts the brands behind it. Medians are used because a few very large systems pull an average far from the typical brand. Revenue is disclosed gross sales, not profit.
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2024 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 3
- Opened
- 1
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 0
- Terminated
- 0
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 0
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- N/A
- Company-owned
- 2
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 33%
- vs corporate-owned
Last fiscal year · Item 20 exits and transfers
- Terminated
- 0
- Not renewed
- 0
- Transferred
- 0
- Reacquired
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
- Signed, not yet open
- 1
- 0.33 per open outlet · Item 20 Table 5
- Projected new
- 0
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 12 · 1 state reported
The Territory Map
FDD Item 12 reports the state count, but the specific list isn't in our current data. The map will appear once we re-extract from the FDD or enough franchisee contacts are available.
1
states with franchisees (per FDD Item 12)
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
No SBA loan data available for this brand.
What could kill this investment?
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 4, 8, 16, 21
Risk & Legal
Early-stage micro-franchise with unproven unit economics, no earnings disclosure, zero territorial protection, and minimal system scale—unsuitable for risk-averse investors seeking established franchise stability.
Litigation (Item 3)
Subject: officers or affiliates. The franchisor is not a named party in these cases.
No litigation required to be disclosed in Item 3.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · A&G, LLP
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
FY2023 total revenues of $23,238 comprise franchise and license fee revenue of $13,239 and royalty revenue of $9,999. Net loss for the year was $24,253; the franchisor has a members' deficit of $(118,508). Financial statements are unaudited interim (5/31/2024) plus audited statements for years ended 12/31/2023, 2022, 2021. The notes to the FY2023 statements say the company's losses and its dependence on funding from its owners raised substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern, and that management concluded a funding commitment alleviates that doubt. The auditor's report is unmodified and carries no going-concern section.
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: No
- Kickbacks from required suppliers: No
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
- Can negotiate own supplier terms: No
Score breakdown · what drove the 41 / 100 verdict
- 01MINOROnly 3 units in system with unknown/likely stagnant growth trajectory raises sustainability concerns
- 02MEDNet income not disclosed in FDD Item 19 prevents accurate ROI validation and profitability assessment
- 03MINORNo territorial protection allows franchisor or competitors to saturate franchisee's market
- 04MINORWide investment range ($289K-$694K) suggests inconsistent unit economics or undefined buildout standards
- 05MEDMicro-system size (3 units) indicates limited operational track record and high execution risk
- 06MINORUnproven franchise model with minimal comparable unit performance data available
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 7.0% of sales (royalty + ad fund), before rent and labor.
Source: FDD 2024 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 10 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 5 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 2 |
| Territory type | No territory protection |
| Protected territory | No |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| Online sales rightsℹ | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Not allowed |
| Owner-operator | Required |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Non-compete (miles)ℹ | 1 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | No |
| Arbitration location | Chicago, IL (AAA offices in city where franchisor maintains principal place of business) |
| Jury trial waiver | No |
| Governing law | IL |
| Litigation count | 0 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
No litigation required to be disclosed in Item 3.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 16 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 132 hrs
- Training location
- Chicago, IL
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Site selection
- franchisee with franchisor approval
- Franchisor financing
- Not offered
- Item 10
- POS system
- Silverware POS
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: Silverware POS
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
2 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a AMERICA’S DOG & BURGER franchise?
The total investment to open a AMERICA’S DOG & BURGER franchise ranges from $290K – $694K, with an initial franchise fee of $30K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do AMERICA’S DOG & BURGER franchise owners earn?
Item 19 of the AMERICA’S DOG & BURGER FDD discloses figures for part of the system but no single average across all outlets. These are gross sales figures, not profit; the Revenue section shows what the filing reports and on what basis. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Who owns AMERICA’S DOG & BURGER?
AMERICA’S DOG & BURGER is franchised by America's Dog Franchise Systems, LLC. The FDD names no parent company. The ultimate parent named in the FDD is America's Dog Franchise, LLC (owns intellectual property). Source: FDD Item 1, 2024 filing.
What is Item 19 in the AMERICA’S DOG & BURGER FDD?
The FDD section where a franchisor may disclose financial performance of its outlets. Disclosure is optional and formats vary; figures are typically gross sales, which is revenue before expenses, not profit. FranchiseVerdict extracts these figures directly from the AMERICA’S DOG & BURGER FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is AMERICA’S DOG & BURGER's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for AMERICA’S DOG & BURGER (fewer than 10 loans on file). Charge-off rates are one way to gauge franchise risk, but not all franchise loans go through the SBA program. We recommend reviewing turnover and closure data in the FDD and speaking with current franchisees.
How many AMERICA’S DOG & BURGER franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, AMERICA’S DOG & BURGER has 3 total units in the United States, including 1 franchised units and 2 company-owned units. 1 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is AMERICA’S DOG & BURGER a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates AMERICA’S DOG & BURGER as a C-grade franchise with a verdict score of 41 out of 100 (higher is better). The grade is a deterministic score built from six weighted dimensions — financial health, unit economics, unit growth, scale, legal, and transparency — then calibrated against SBA loan charge-off rates and FDD age. Transparency is one of the six, so a filing that discloses less scores lower on that dimension than one that discloses more. Our rating is based solely on publicly available FDD and government data; we recommend speaking with current franchisees before making any investment decision. This is not investment advice.
Data sourced from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) FOIA records. Not financial advice.
For franchisors
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Data extracted from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan disclosures (FOIA). This information is provided for research purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Verify all figures with the franchisor's current Franchise Disclosure Document before making any investment decision.