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

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

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

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

HCK Hot Chicken vs Earl of Sandwich

Franchise Comparison 2026

Both HCK Hot Chicken and Earl of Sandwich are quick-service restaurants franchises. HCK Hot Chicken requires an investment of $206K – $688K while Earl of Sandwich requires $308K – $584K. Neither HCK Hot Chicken nor Earl of Sandwich 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 HCK Hot Chicken B (Above average) and Earl of Sandwich B (Above average).

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