Is LaRosa’s or Hardee's cheaper to open?

LaRosa’s costs $1,431,000–$2,595,000 and Hardee's costs $1,385,000–$2,637,395 to open (FDD Item 7). Hardee's has the lower entry cost.

Which is the better franchise, LaRosa’s or Hardee's?

FranchiseVerdict grades LaRosa’s B and Hardee's C, from FDD Items 5–7, 19–21 and SBA loan performance. See the full side-by-side above.

LaRosa’s vs Hardee's

Franchise Comparison 2026

Both LaRosa’s and Hardee's are quick-service restaurants franchises. LaRosa’s requires an investment of $1.4M – $2.6M while Hardee's requires $1.4M – $2.6M. Hardee's discloses average revenue of $1.3M; LaRosa’s makes no financial performance representation in its Item 19, which is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule. Hardee's has SBA lending data on file with a 39.0% charge-off rate. FranchiseVerdict rates LaRosa’s B (Above average) and Hardee's C (Average).

Metric	LaRosa’s	Hardee's
Verdict Grade	BAbove average	CAverage
Investment Range	$1.4M – $2.6M	$1.4M – $2.6M
Franchise Fee	$25K	$25K
Royalty Rate	4.0%	4.0%
Average Revenue (Item 19)	N/ANo Item 19 representation	$1.3M
SBA Charge-Off Rate	Limited data	39.0% (55 loans)
Total Units	64	1,485
Unit Growth (YoY)	-2 units	-82 units
Year Began Franchising	1967	2013
FDD Year	2024	2026