Is Panera Bread or Slim Chickens cheaper to open?

Panera Bread costs $1,434,566–$4,651,324 and Slim Chickens costs $1,228,900–$4,466,000 to open (FDD Item 7). Slim Chickens has the lower entry cost.

Which earns more, Panera Bread or Slim Chickens?

Panera Bread reports $2,595,936 average annual unit revenue vs $2,436,728 for Slim Chickens (FDD Item 19). Panera Bread is higher. For Panera Bread: Reported as net sales, not gross sales.

Which is the better franchise, Panera Bread or Slim Chickens?

FranchiseVerdict grades Panera Bread A and Slim Chickens A, from FDD Items 5–7, 19–21 and SBA loan performance. See the full side-by-side above.

Panera Bread vs Slim Chickens

Franchise Comparison 2026

Both Panera Bread and Slim Chickens are quick-service restaurants franchises. Panera Bread requires an investment of $1.4M – $4.7M while Slim Chickens requires $1.2M – $4.5M. In terms of revenue, Panera Bread reports higher average unit revenue at $2.6M. Note: Reported as net sales, not gross sales. FranchiseVerdict rates Panera Bread A (Strongest tier) and Slim Chickens A (Strongest tier).

Metric	Panera Bread	Slim Chickens
Verdict Grade	AStrongest tier	AStrongest tier
Investment Range	$1.4M – $4.7M	$1.2M – $4.5M
Franchise Fee	$35K	$30K
Royalty Rate	5.0%	5.0%
Average Revenue (Item 19)	$2.6M	$2.4M
SBA Charge-Off Rate	Limited data	Limited data
Total Units	2,206	207
Unit Growth (YoY)	-8 units	+24 units
Year Began Franchising	1993	2011
FDD Year	2025	2025