The Original Hot Chicken Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
The Original Hot Chicken is a quick-service franchise serving Nashville-style hot chicken sandwiches and tenders. Franchisees run the restaurants, managing food prep, staffing, and counter service.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A The Original Hot Chicken franchise requires a total initial investment of $215K – $698K, including a $25K franchise fee and an ongoing 6.0% royalty[2]. The 2023 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 2023 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $215K – $698K
- 29th pct Service Resta…
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Company-owned onlyn=2
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- 46th pct Service Resta…
- Units
- 1
- 3rd 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 $215K – $698K including a $25K franchise fee, 6.0% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSItem 19 reports Actual sales of company-owned outlets rather than annual gross sales, so unit revenue is not directly comparable.
- RISKVerdict D (Below average), verdict score 33/100 (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
- TOHC Franchising LLC
- Parent company
- TOHC Strategic Company LLC
- Ultimate parent
- Dandle Ventures LLC
- CEO title
- Executive Chairman
- Aziz Hashim
- Incorporated in
- Delaware
- HQ
- 2859 Paces Ferry Road, Suite 412, Atlanta, Georgia 30339
- Auditor
- Plante & Moran, PLLC
- Audited financials
Overview
About
- CEO
- Aziz Hashim
- Headquarters
- GA
- Founded
- 2023
- FDD year
- 2023
- States available
- 1
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 31% below the typical quick-service restaurants franchise.
Source: FDD 2023 · Items 5–7
FDD Item 7 · 2023 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $25K | $25K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $10K | $50K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $180K | $623K |
| Total initial investment | $215K | $698K |
Source: The Original Hot Chicken 2023 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
- $215K – $698K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $10K – $50K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $25K – $25K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- percentage_of_gross · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 2.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 8.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 6.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 2.0% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $250 |
| Training fee | $300 |
| Transfer fee | $13K |
| Renewal fee | $13K |
| Total fee load | 8.0% of rev |
What do units actually make?
Source: FDD 2023 · Item 19
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
The Original Hot 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 Original Hot Chicken unit return on the cash you put in?
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Estimated return on your total franchise investment, before any debt financing.
22%
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: 2023 FDD
Financial Performance
Company-owned outlets only - not franchisee performance
Based on a sample of only 2
- Item 19 type
- Actual sales of company-owned outlets
- Sample size
- 2
- vs category median 20 · small
- Reporting year
- 2023
- Fiscal year the figures cover
- Source filing
- FDD 2023
- The FDD edition these figures were read from
- Transparency
- 0 / 10
- vs category median 4 / 10 · below
Compared against 782 Quick-Service Restaurants brands
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 8.0% (near the Quick-Service Restaurants average).
Disclosure
Item 19 reports Actual sales of company-owned outlets rather than annual gross sales, so unit revenue is not directly comparable.
Multi-unit rate
Only 4% 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 Original Hot Chicken Compares
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2023 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 1
- 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
- 1
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 0%
- vs corporate-owned
- Multi-unit owners
- 3.8%
3-year detail · Item 20
- Opened (3yr)
- 0
- Closed (3yr)
- 0
- Terminated (3yr)
- 0
- Non-renewed (3yr)
- 0
- Transfers (3yr)
- 0
- Reacquired (3yr)
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
- Projected new
- 9
- 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
Bankruptcy disclosures relate to an officer's prior roles (Ruby Tuesday 2020, Buyk 2022) at other companies, not this franchisor — low weight. Brand itself is pre-launch (began 2023, 1 company unit, 0 franchised). Item 19 disclosed and audited; limited history is the main concern.
Litigation (Item 3)
No litigation information disclosed in Item 3
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
Disclosed in last 7 years
Two bankruptcy filings disclosed: (1) Ruby Tuesday, Inc. et al. - Chapter 11 filed October 7, 2020 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Delaware (Case Nos. 1:20-BK-12456 to 124507); reorganization plan effective February 24, 2021; case closed December 10, 2021. Principal addresses: 333 East Broadway Avenue, Maryville, TN 37804 and 4170 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Suite #390, Atlanta, GA 30319. (2) Buyk Corp - Chapter 11 filed March 17, 2022 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of New York (Case No. 22-10328); converted to Chapter 7 on October 31, 2022; claims period ended March 27, 2023; case not yet discharged. Principal address: 360 West 31st Street, Floor 6, New York, NY 10001.
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Plante & Moran, PLLC
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: No
- Kickbacks from required suppliers: Yes
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
- Can negotiate own supplier terms: No
Score breakdown · what drove the 33 / 100 verdict
- 01MINORBankruptcies are officer's prior affiliations, not franchisor
- 02MINORVery early: 1 unit, 0 franchised
- 03MEDItem 19 disclosed, audited
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 8.0% of sales (royalty + ad fund), before rent and labor.
Source: FDD 2023 · 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 | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| Online sales rights | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Required |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Non-compete (miles)ℹ | 15 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| RoFR response window | 30 days |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | Atlanta, Georgia |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Delaware |
| Litigation count | 0 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
No litigation information disclosed in Item 3
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 10 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 38 hrs
- Training location
- On-site and corporate
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
1 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
The Original Hot Chicken · FDD (2023) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a The Original Hot Chicken franchise?
The total investment to open a The Original Hot Chicken franchise ranges from $215K – $698K, 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 The Original Hot Chicken franchise owners earn?
The Original Hot 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 Original Hot 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 Original Hot Chicken FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is The Original Hot Chicken's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for The Original Hot 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 Original Hot Chicken franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, The Original Hot Chicken has 1 total units in the United States, including 0 franchised units and 1 company-owned units.
Is The Original Hot Chicken a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates The Original Hot Chicken as a D-grade franchise with a verdict score of 33 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.