The Budlong Southern Chicken Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
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]. The 2025 FDD does not disclose unit-level revenue (no Item 19). FranchiseVerdict grade: D (Below average), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified · figures per the 2025 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $135K – $828K
- 10th pct Service Resta…
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- 46th 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 avg · 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.
- RETURNSNo Item 19 financial performance data disclosed. The franchisor chose not to publish revenue figures.
- RISKVerdict D (Below average), verdict score 34/100 (higher is better).
- FLAGBankruptcy history disclosed in the FDD. Review Item 4 for details before proceeding.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- The Budlong Franchise Nevada LLC
- Parent company
- Craveworthy LLC
- Ultimate parent
- Craveworthy Brands LLC
- 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
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 runs 27% below the typical quick-service restaurants franchise.
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%
- Gross Revenue · 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% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $0 |
| Transfer fee | $10K |
| Renewal fee | $15K |
| Total fee load | 8.5% of rev |
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
The Budlong Southern Chicken did not disclose financial performance in FDD Item 19. The ROIC and return models require Item 19 revenue. Without it all inputs are estimates. You can still run the calculator with your own assumptions by entering an expected revenue figure.
Returns model · single-unit ROIC
What would one The Budlong Southern Chicken unit return on the cash you put in?
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Estimated return on your total franchise investment, before any debt financing.
20%
Below the 30–60% attractive-franchise band
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
This franchisor did not disclose financial performance representations in Item 19, or our extractor could not parse them.
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 average).
Disclosure
Franchisor chose not to disclose financial performance representations. You will need to gather unit economics directly from existing franchisees.
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 averages
How The Budlong Southern Chicken Compares
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
- 0.0%
- Company-owned
- 6
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 0%
- vs corporate-owned
- Multi-unit owners
- 1.0%
3-year detail · Item 20
- Opened (3yr)
- 1
- Closed (3yr)
- 0
- Terminated (3yr)
- 0
- Non-renewed (3yr)
- 0
- Transfers (3yr)
- 0
- Reacquired (3yr)
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
- Projected new
- 0
- 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)
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)
Disclosed in last 7 years
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
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 34 / 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 | Radius |
| 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
- 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 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 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, including 0 franchised units and 6 company-owned units. 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 34 out of 100 (higher is better), 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.