The Budlong Southern Chicken Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
- Investment
- $135K – $828K
- Disclosed sales
- not disclosed
- SBA charge-off
- Not SBA-matched
Data from FDD filing
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
The Budlong Southern Chicken is a fast-casual franchise serving Nashville-style hot fried chicken and Southern sides. Franchisees run the restaurants, managing food prep, staffing, and counter service.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A The Budlong Southern Chicken franchise requires a total initial investment of $135K – $828K, including a $35K franchise fee and an ongoing 6.0% royalty[2]. This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. FranchiseVerdict grade: D (Below 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: medium - issued 12 to 24 months ago; a newer filing is likely on file
Evidence: partial✓ 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
- $135K – $828K
- 9th pct Service Resta…
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- 48th pct Service Resta…
- Units
- 6
- 27th 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 $135K – $828K including a $35K franchise fee, 6.0% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSThis franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that.
- RISKVerdict D (Below average), verdict score 35/100 (higher is better).
- GROWTHPositive: net +1 franchised outlets in the latest year (1 opened, 0 closed) (Item 20).
- FLAGItem 4 discloses a bankruptcy of an officer or of a company an officer ran, not of the franchisor. Review Item 4 for details.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- The Budlong Franchise Nevada LLC
- Parent company
- Craveworthy LLC
- FDD Item 1, page 9 of the 2025 FDD
- Ultimate parent
- Craveworthy Brands LLC
- FDD Item 1, page 12 of the 2025 FDD
- Predecessor
- SSC Hospitality LLC
- Prior franchisor entity
- CEO title
- Manager
- Gregg Majewski
- Incorporated in
- Nevada
- HQ
- 755 Schneider Drive, South Elgin, Illinois 60177
- Auditor
- Muhammad Zubairy, CPA PC
- Audited financials
- Management churn noted
- Frequent turnover
- Item 2 disclosed frequent executive changes
Same owner · FDD Item 1, page 12
7 other brands on this site name Craveworthy Brands LLC as parent or ultimate parent in their own FDD.
- Big ChickenC
- DIRTY DOUGH® COOKIESC
- Genghis GrillC
- Sigri Indian BBQC
- Taffer’s TavernD
- Taim Mediterranean KitchenD
- Wing It On!C
Grouped by the owner's name as each filing prints it (this page: the 2025 FDD). Spelling variants of the same group may be listed apart; a brand is never grouped with an owner its filing does not name.
Overview
About
- CEO
- Gregg Majewski
- Headquarters
- IL
- Founded
- 2023
- FDD year
- 2025
- States available
- 2
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 2025 · Items 5–7
FDD Item 7 · 2025 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $35K | $35K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $20K | $40K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $80K | $753K |
| Total initial investment | $135K | $828K |
Source: The Budlong Southern Chicken 2025 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
- $135K – $828K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $20K – $40K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $35K – $35K
- Middle of category vs category
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 2.5%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 8.5%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 6.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 2.5% |
| Technology fee | $0 |
| Transfer fee | $10K |
| Renewal fee | $15K |
| Inventory (initial) | $8K – $15K |
| Total fee load | 8.5% of rev |
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
The Budlong Southern Chicken makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD - a voluntary item under the FTC Franchise Rule - so no unit revenue figures are disclosed. 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 The Budlong Southern Chicken 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: 2025 FDD
Financial Performance
No financial performance representation
This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that.
Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
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 8.5% (near the Quick-Service Restaurants median).
Disclosure
This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Multi-unit rate
Only 1% of franchisees own multiple units. Could indicate challenging economics or a young system where operators haven't had time to expand.
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 The Budlong Southern Chicken 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 2025 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 6
- 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
- 6
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 0%
- vs corporate-owned
- Multi-unit owners
- 1.0%
Last fiscal year · Item 20 exits and transfers
- Terminated
- 0
- Not renewed
- 0
- Transferred
- 0
- Reacquired
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
- Projected new
- 1
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
Last reporting year only, multi-year history not disclosed in this brand's FDD.
Item 12 · 2 states 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.
2
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
Recent officer-linked Chapter 11 (Roti Restaurants, filed Aug 2024, confirmed Feb 2025) plus active litigation with a fraudulent-misrepresentation counterclaim naming a franchisor officer. financial_distress flagged; franchisor has near-zero financials ($100,000 net worth, $0 revenue, 0 franchised units) and no Item 19. Very early/thin franchisor.
Litigation (Item 3)
Subject: officers or affiliates. The franchisor is not a named party in these cases.
BC Licensing, LLC v. DMD Chicken, LLC et al. (United States District Court for the District of Nevada, Case No. 2:25-cv-00453-JAD-NJK, filed November 19, 2024). BC Licensing sued former franchisee DMD Chicken and co-founders Frederick Burgess and Jack Flechner for breach of contract, breach of personal guarantees, and interference with contractual relations. DMD filed counterclaim against BCIP, LLC, JRS Hospitality LLC, Perry Rogers, Shaquille O'Neal, Corey Jenkins, Joshua Halpern, Matthew Silverman and Samuel Stanovich for fraudulent and negligent misrepresentation, breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, and Nevada deceptive trade practices act violations. As of April 30, 2025, parties await response to counterclaim.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
Subject: an officer. An officer’s own bankruptcy or a company an officer ran, not the franchisor’s
In re Roti Restaurants, LLC (United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Case No. 24-13827, filed August 23, 2024). Roti, a fast-casual restaurant chain, filed for Chapter 11 reorganization due to rising costs, mixed location performance, and difficult market conditions. Court issued plan confirmation order on February 26, 2025.
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Muhammad Zubairy, CPA PC
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Figures from the audited balance sheet and statement of operations of The Budlong Franchise Nevada LLC (the franchisor) as of/for the year ended December 31, 2024. This is a newly formed franchisor shell: Total Assets $100,000 (Cash $100 + Due from related party $99,900), no liabilities, Members' Equity $100,000, and $0 revenue and $0 net income for 2024. Balance sheet reconciles ($100,000 = $0 + $100,000).
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 35 / 100 verdict
- 01MINORRecent officer-linked Roti Chapter 11 (2024-2025)
- 02HIGHActive litigation with fraud/misrepresentation counterclaim naming officer
- 03MINORfinancial_distress flagged; $0 revenue, 0 franchised units, $100,000 net worth
- 04MINORNo Item 19 disclosure
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 8.5% of sales (royalty + ad fund), before rent and labor.
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 10 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 10 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 1 |
| Territory type | No territory protection |
| Protected territory | No |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| Territory radius | 2 mi |
| Territory population | 30,000 |
| Online sales rights | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Optional |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Non-compete (miles)ℹ | 10 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| RoFR response window | 60 days |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | Carson City, Nevada |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Nevada |
| Litigation count | 1 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
BC Licensing, LLC v. DMD Chicken, LLC et al. (United States District Court for the District of Nevada, Case No. 2:25-cv-00453-JAD-NJK, filed November 19, 2024). BC Licensing sued former franchisee DMD Chicken and co-founders Frederick Burgess and Jack Flechner for breach of contract, breach of personal guarantees, and interference with contractual relations. DMD filed counterclaim against BCIP, LLC, JRS Hospitality LLC, Perry Rogers, Shaquille O'Neal, Corey Jenkins, Joshua Halpern, Matthew Silverman and Samuel Stanovich for fraudulent and negligent misrepresentation, breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, and Nevada deceptive trade practices act violations. As of April 30, 2025, parties await response to counterclaim.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 23 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 56 hrs
- Training location
- On-site and corporate
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Field support
- 14 hrs/yr
- On-site visits per year
- Site selection
- franchisor approves site; franchisee locates
- Franchisor financing
- Not offered
- Item 10
- POS system
- Toast POS
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: Toast POS
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a The Budlong Southern Chicken franchise?
The total investment to open a The Budlong Southern Chicken franchise ranges from $135K – $828K, with an initial franchise fee of $35K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do The Budlong Southern Chicken franchise owners earn?
The Budlong Southern Chicken makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD - a voluntary item under the FTC Franchise Rule - so no unit revenue figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Who owns The Budlong Southern Chicken?
The Budlong Southern Chicken is franchised by The Budlong Franchise Nevada LLC. Its parent company is Craveworthy LLC. The ultimate parent named in the FDD is Craveworthy Brands LLC. Source: FDD Item 1, 2025 filing.
What is Item 19 in the The Budlong Southern Chicken 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 The Budlong Southern Chicken FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is The Budlong Southern Chicken's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for The Budlong Southern 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 The Budlong Southern Chicken franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, The Budlong Southern Chicken has 6 total units in the United States. 1 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is The Budlong Southern Chicken a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates The Budlong Southern Chicken as a D-grade franchise with a verdict score of 35 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.