Quick Verdict · who it fits
Chicken in a Barrel BBQ fits first-time franchise buyers looking for an emerging food & beverage concept.
The numbers a buyer needs first — straight from the filing.
Initial investment (Item 7)
$228K - $596K
Franchise fee (Item 5)
$35K
Royalty (Item 6)
6% + 2% ad
Item 19 median rev
$866k population not disclosed in this filing
System size (Item 20)
6 +1
Agreement term
10 yrs
Years in business
10+ yrs
Company-owned units
1
Model Chicken in a Barrel BBQ's costs in the investment calculator → Prefilled from this filing — startup cost, cash flow and break-even.
Data extracted from the 2026 FDD filed with state regulators. Fees and terms may have changed since filing — request the current FDD from the franchisor before deciding. Not legal, financial, or investment advice. Full disclaimer.
Drag to your projected annual sales. Royalty 6% + ad fund 2% on gross sales.
PROJECTED ANNUAL SALES$870,000
$100k$2M
Royalty (6%)
—
Ad fund (2%)
—
Total / year
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▪ Of-sales fees only · excludes rent, labor, COGS, and one-time costs · for illustration
How Chicken in a Barrel BBQ ranks against 811 Food & Beverage peers we've analyzed.
Initial investment
27th pct · of 811 peers
Franchise fee
35th pct · of 811 peers
System size
29th pct · of 811 peers
Food & Beverage industry averages
Avg investment
$528K - $1.3M
Avg franchise fee
$38K
Avg system size
235
Franchises analyzed
811
Closest concepts by category and investment.
| Brand | Item 19 | Fee | Investment | Royalty | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken in a Barrel BBQ | Disclosed | $35K | $228K - $596K | 6% | 6 |
| Primos Franchise Holdings ViiiSimilar price | None | $40K | $100K - $595K | 5% | 9 |
| Doctor's AssociatesBiggest system | None | $15K | $227K - $630K | 8% | 18,773 |
| Vintage Hospitality GroupTop-rated in category | Disclosed | $50K | $3.5M - $6.4M | 5.5% | 33 |
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Free explainers to go deeper before you sign.
Brand Analysis
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Brand Analysis
Chipotle reported 4,186 company-operated restaurants and 15 international licensed restaurants as of June 30, 2026. None are franchised, there is no FDD, and there is nothing to apply for. Qdoba is the franchised version of the same order line, and its 12/25 FDD puts a traditional restaurant at $548,100 to $1,294,000.
Brand Analysis
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. reported 656 company-operated stores in 43 states as of January 30, 2026, and the brand has never sold a franchise. Huddle House and Another Broken Egg cover the same daypart with filed FDDs, at $555,375 to $1,715,275 and $792,500 to $1,804,000.
Chicken in a Barrel BBQ requires a $35,000 initial franchise fee and a total initial investment range of $228,000–$595,500, per the most recent FDD on file.
Chicken in a Barrel BBQ is franchised by Chicken in a Barrel Franchising, LLC, the franchisor entity of record on its Franchise Disclosure Document. Item 1 of the FDD discloses the franchisor's corporate history, parents, and predecessors.
Yes. Chicken in a Barrel BBQ discloses Item 19 financial performance representations with reported revenue around $866,155. See the financials sub-page for the full distribution.
Franchisees pay a royalty of 6% and an advertising fund contribution of Up to 2% on gross sales as defined in Item 6 of the FDD.
As of their 2026 FDD, Chicken in a Barrel BBQ has 6 total locations, with 1 new locations opened in the most recent reporting year. This information comes from Item 20 of the FDD.
Per the FDD, Chicken in a Barrel BBQ discloses an initial agreement term of 10 years, a transfer fee of $10,000. Review Items 10 and 17 for the full renewal and termination provisions.
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