Brown's ChickenFranchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Brown's Chicken franchise requires a total initial investment of $366K – $2.7M, including a $25K franchise fee and an ongoing 5.0% royalty[2]. The 2024 FDD does not disclose unit-level revenue (no Item 19). Verdict grade: F. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified June 18, 2026 · figures per the 2024 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $366K – $2.7M
- 68th pct Service Resta…
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- 59th pct Service Resta…
- Royalty
- 5.0%
- 13th pct Service Resta…
- Units
- 21
- 47th pct Service Resta…
- SBA default
- N/A
Quick verdict · Quick-Service Restaurants · color = vs category peers
Green = >15% above Quick-Service Restaurants avg · No shading = within ±15% · Red = >15% below avg · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Franchising since 1965. Systems this mature have refined operations and brand recognition.
Bottom line
- Total investment $366K – $2.7M including a $25K franchise fee, 5.0% ongoing royalty.
- No Item 19 financial performance data disclosed. The franchisor chose not to publish revenue figures.
- Verdict F (Bottom Quintile) with a risk score of 83/100.
- Bankruptcy history disclosed in the FDD. Review Item 4 for details before proceeding.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
- Legal entity
- BROWN’S CHICKEN, LLC
- Incorporated in
- IL
- HQ
- 55 E. Park Boulevard, Villa Park, Illinois 60181
- Auditor
- Catalano, Caboor & Co.
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $789K
- vs $768K prior year
Overview
About
Brown's Chicken franchisees operate quick-service chicken restaurants, managing daily food preparation, customer service, inventory, and staff operations. Franchisees are responsible for generating revenue through dine-in, carry-out, and delivery channels while maintaining brand standards and paying royalties.
- CEO
- Timothy R. Kennefick
- Headquarters
- IL
- Founded
- 1964
- FDD year
- 2024
- States available
- 1
FDD Item 7 · 2024 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $25K | $25K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $25K | $52K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $316K | $2.6M |
| Total initial investment | $366K | $2.7M |
Source: Brown's Chicken 2024 FDD, Items 5 and 7[2]. “Equipment, build-out, other” is computed as total minus disclosed line items above.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $366K – $2.7M
- Below avg, review vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $25K – $52K
- Near category avg vs category
- Franchise fee
- $25K – $25K
- Better than avg vs category
- Royalty
- 5.0%
- Gross Sales · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 4.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 9.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 5.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 4.0% of gross sales |
| Transfer fee | $5K |
| Renewal fee | $5K |
| Total fee load | 9.0% of rev |
Financial Performance
This franchisor did not disclose financial performance representations in Item 19, or our extractor could not parse them.
vs Quick-Service Restaurants averages
How Brown's Chicken Compares
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 21
- Opened
- 0
- 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
- 0.0%
- Company-owned
- 0
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 100%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (yr3)
- +0.0%
- Net unit change last year
- 3-yr CAGR
- +0.0%
- Compounded over last 3 years
3-year detail · Item 20
- Transfers (3yr)
- 0
- Projected new
- 2
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
- Continuity rate
- 100.0%
- Units that stayed open
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 loan disclosures. This brand has only 1 7(a) loan on file; statistical reliability is limited below 10 loans.
- Total loans
- 1
- Loan volume
- $153K
- Median loan
- $153K
- 50th percentile
- Charge-off rate
- N/A
Historical SBA 7(a) lending data, not predictive of future performance. How SBA charge-off rates are calculated
- Repayment rate (PIF)
- N/A
- 5-yr charge-off
- N/A
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 1
- Defaults
- 0
Explore lender portfolios on Bank Reports or regional data on State Reports.
Premium insight
SBA Lending Report
Deep-dive into Brown's Chicken's SBA lending history: lender network, geographic footprint, interest rates, and more.
SBA Lending Report
- Principal loss rate and NAICS industry benchmark
- 1 lenders with concentration factor
- Per-state charge-off rates across 1 states
- Startup risk premium and job creation velocity
- 1-year lending trend
Instant access. No subscription.
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 5, 6, 12, 17
Risk & Legal
Brown's Chicken presents CAUTION-to-HIGH RISK profile due to going concern status, absence of financial disclosure, recent multi-party litigation, minimal unit count, and opaque unit economics.
Litigation (Item 3)
Joan Portillo v. Bonnie Kennefick and Brown's Chicken, LLC (Circuit Court, 18th Judicial Circuit, Illinois, Case No. 2013 CH 1098). Shareholder derivative action alleging fiduciary duty breach and conversion. Claims include improper sublease arrangement, unauthorized sale, rent diversion, corporate opportunity usurpation, equipment conversion, and wrongful assumption of control over corporate assets. Amended complaint filed April 28, 2014. Status: ongoing as of document date.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
Disclosed in last 7 years
BCP (franchisor predecessor) filed Chapter 11 on December 29, 2009 (Case #09-49094, Northern District of Illinois). POPGRIP (franchisor predecessor) purchased all assets via Section 363 sale on October 22, 2010. POPGRIP filed Adversary Case 11-02395 on November 14, 2011 to recover $59,565.22 for undelivered purchased property. Amended Judgment Order entered December 16, 2013 in favor of POPGRIP. Judgment recorded as foreign judgment in Will County, Illinois on January 17, 2014 (Case No. 14 LM 128). Garnishment order issued March 23, 2015 directing Bank of America to turn over $25,582.25.
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Catalano, Caboor & Co.
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: Yes
- 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 83 / 100 rating
- 01HIGHGoing Concern status is FALSE — indicates potential solvency or operational viability issues at franchisor level
- 02MEDNo Item 19 financial disclosure (Avg Revenue/Net Income not disclosed) — impossible to validate ROI claims or unit economics
- 03HIGHFour concluded litigations in 2016 involving breach of franchise agreements, non-payment disputes, and trademark issues — suggests systemic franchisor-franchisee conflict
- 04MINOROnly 21 units with unknown growth trajectory — unusually small system raises sustainability questions
- 05MINORWide investment range ($366K–$2.7M) with no corresponding revenue data — unclear what drives cost variance or profit potential
- 06MED5% royalty + undisclosed advertising fees on unknown revenue base — unable to model true cash flow burden
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
FDD Items 5, 6, 12, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 15 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 5 years |
| Territory type | Radius |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Territory radius | 1 mi |
| Online sales rightsℹ | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Optional |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 1.5 years |
| Non-compete (miles)ℹ | 5 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| RoFR response window | 30 days |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | No |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Illinois |
| Litigation count | 4 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
Joan Portillo v. Bonnie Kennefick and Brown's Chicken, LLC (Circuit Court, 18th Judicial Circuit, Illinois, Case No. 2013 CH 1098). Shareholder derivative action alleging fiduciary duty breach and conversion. Claims include improper sublease arrangement, unauthorized sale, rent diversion, corporate opportunity usurpation, equipment conversion, and wrongful assumption of control over corporate assets. Amended complaint filed April 28, 2014. Status: ongoing as of document date.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 48 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 320 hrs
- Training location
- Brown's restaurant at location determined by Brown
- Field support
- 320 hrs/yr
- On-site visits per year
- POS system
- Square
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: Square
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
4 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
Brown's Chicken · FDD (2024) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Brown's Chicken franchise?
The total investment to open a Brown's Chicken franchise ranges from $366K – $2.7M, with an initial franchise fee of $25K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Brown's Chicken franchise owners earn?
Brown's Chicken does not disclose average franchise owner earnings in their FDD Item 19. Not all franchisors are required to make financial performance representations. We recommend asking existing franchisees directly about their financial experience.
What is Brown's Chicken's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Brown's Chicken (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 Brown's Chicken franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Brown's Chicken has 21 total units in the United States, including 21 franchised units and 0 company-owned units.
Is Brown's Chicken a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Brown's Chicken as a F-grade franchise with a risk score of 83 out of 100, based on our analysis of investment costs, revenue data, SBA loan performance, and growth trends. 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.