Is Green Mill or Famous Dave’s cheaper to open?

Green Mill costs $1,671,700–$2,493,000 and Famous Dave’s costs $1,254,500–$2,865,000 to open (FDD Item 7). Famous Dave’s has the lower entry cost.

Which is the better franchise, Green Mill or Famous Dave’s?

FranchiseVerdict grades Green Mill B and Famous Dave’s B, from FDD Items 5–7, 19–21 and SBA loan performance. See the full side-by-side above.

Green Mill vs Famous Dave’s

Franchise Comparison 2026

Both Green Mill and Famous Dave’s are full-service restaurants franchises. Green Mill requires an investment of $1.7M – $2.5M while Famous Dave’s requires $1.3M – $2.9M. Famous Dave’s discloses average revenue of $2.9M; Green Mill makes no financial performance representation in its Item 19, which is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule. Note: Reported as net sales, not gross sales. FranchiseVerdict rates Green Mill B (Above average) and Famous Dave’s B (Above average).

Metric	Green Mill	Famous Dave’s
Verdict Grade	BAbove average	BAbove average
Investment Range	$1.7M – $2.5M	$1.3M – $2.9M
Franchise Fee	$45K	$35K
Royalty Rate	4.0%	5.0%
Average Revenue (Item 19)	N/ANo Item 19 representation	$2.9M
SBA Charge-Off Rate	Limited data	Limited data
Total Units	16	100
Unit Growth (YoY)	-1 units	-6 units
Year Began Franchising	2010	1998
FDD Year	2024	2026