Is Earl of Sandwich or HCK Hot Chicken cheaper to open?

Earl of Sandwich costs $307,500–$584,000 and HCK Hot Chicken costs $205,500–$688,000 to open (FDD Item 7). HCK Hot Chicken has the lower entry cost.

Which is the better franchise, Earl of Sandwich or HCK Hot Chicken?

FranchiseVerdict grades Earl of Sandwich B and HCK Hot Chicken B, from FDD Items 5–7, 19–21 and SBA loan performance. See the full side-by-side above.

Earl of Sandwich vs HCK Hot Chicken

Franchise Comparison 2026

Both Earl of Sandwich and HCK Hot Chicken are quick-service restaurants franchises. Earl of Sandwich requires an investment of $308K – $584K while HCK Hot Chicken requires $206K – $688K. Neither Earl of Sandwich nor HCK Hot Chicken makes a financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD — a voluntary item under the FTC Franchise Rule — so the two cannot be compared on disclosed unit revenue. FranchiseVerdict rates Earl of Sandwich B (Above average) and HCK Hot Chicken B (Above average).

Metric	Earl of Sandwich	HCK Hot Chicken
Verdict Grade	BAbove average	BAbove average
Investment Range	$308K – $584K	$206K – $688K
Franchise Fee	$25K	$40K
Royalty Rate	6.0%	6.0%
Average Revenue (Item 19)	N/ANo Item 19 representation	N/ANo Item 19 representation
SBA Charge-Off Rate	Limited data	N/A
Total Units	31	7
Unit Growth (YoY)	-3 units	+3 units
Year Began Franchising	2004	2021
FDD Year	2025	2024