Well, first of all, Chick-fil-A only gives out operating licenses to around 70 to 80 of the 20,000 applicants they receive a year. And franchisees must adhere to certain rules.
According to The Balance, Chick-fil-A restaurants must be closed on Sundays “to give employees a day off to rest or worship.” Franchisees can’t select their own locations, and can’t operate more than one Chick-fil-A. And, Chick-fil-A operators do not have equity in their businesses, nor can they pass on their restaurants to family members.
Also, that relatively low start-up fee comes with bigger costs down the line. Chick-fil-A franchisees pay an ongoing fee of 15 percent of sales and have to fork over 50 percent of pre-tax profits to the company—far more than the industry standard.
McDonald’s, for example, charges an ongoing monthly service fee equal to only 4 percent of gross sales, plus an additional fee for rent that is typically between 8.5 and 12 percent of sales.
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Still want to get into the chicken business? Visit the Chick-Fil-A website to submit an interest form.