Buffalo Wild Wings

Home
Food & Beverage
Chicken

Buffalo Wild Wings

Buffalo Wild Wings Franchise FDD, Costs & Fees (2025)

Buffalo Wild Wings is a sports bar and casual dining franchise known for its wings, burgers, and wide selection of draft beers, offering a vibrant atmosphere to watch sports and socialize with friends.

Buffalo Wild Wings, a popular casual dining and sports bar franchise, was founded in 1982. It began offering franchise opportunities in 1991 and has since become a leading name in the dining industry, famed for its Buffalo-style chicken wings and diverse range of sauces. The company's headquarters is located in Atlanta, Georgia.

Buffalo Wild Wings is renowned for its lively sports bar ambiance, serving an extensive menu that includes a variety of chicken wings, sandwiches, and other dishes, along with a selection of beverages, including alcoholic drinks.

The franchise's sports-centric environment provides guests with an energetic venue to enjoy sports events, paired with a menu that appeals to various palates.

Initial investment

Here's what you would need to invest if you were to start this franchise. These costs are provided by the franchisor in the Franchise Disclosure Document.

Type of Expenditure Amount (Low to High)
Fees related to site approval $1,200 to $53,800
Initial franchise fee $25,000
Reimbursement of expenses and administrative fee for on-site training $0 to $105,000
Total Site Approval, Franchise and Administrative Fees, and Expenses for On-Site Training $26,200 to $183,800
Architecture fees $90,000 to $135,000
Construction and leasehold improvements $1,200,000 to $1,800,000
Furniture, fixtures, equipment and other fixed assets $570,000 to $850,000
Audio/Visual equipment $275,000 to $425,000
Computer POS system/kitchen display unit $28,245 to $50,520
Office equipment and supplies $6,000 to $13,000
Sports memorabilia $12,500 to $26,500
Signage and graphics $43,000 to $100,000
Total Building/Construction/Equipment $2,224,745 to $3,400,020
Training expenses $15,000 to $40,000
Initial inventory $15,000 to $19,000
Insurance $14,400 to $48,000
Additional funds – 3 months $100,000 to $150,000
Rent $7,500 to $40,000
Lease and utility security deposits $10,000 to $20,000
Grand opening advertising $12,500
Liquor license $5,000 to $500,000
Professional fees $20,000 to $70,000
Total Pre-Opening / Operating Deposits $199,400 to $899,500
Total Estimated Initial Investment $2,450,345 to $4,483,320

Franchise Disclosure Document

Sign up and download one FDD for free

Already have an account? Login here
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Thank you for signing up
Complete your upgrade now
Signup successful!
Download the FDD
Complete your upgrade

Competitors

Below are some of

Buffalo Wild Wings

key competitors in the

Chicken

sector.

Started franchising
Franchisees

?

Franchise fee

?

Royalty fee

?

Investment

?

Revenue (AUV)

?

Gross Profit

?

EBITDA

?

Home-based

?

Passive investment

?

FDD
Buffalo Wild Wings
1991
538
+
2%
2%
$25,000
5.00%

$2,450,000

-

$4,883,000

n.a.

$3,443,000

Upgrade

n.a.

n.a.

Upgrade

n.a.

n.a.

Upgrade
No
Upgrade
No
No
Upgrade
No
2022
2
+
n.a.
n.a.
$30,000
5.00%

$478,000

-

$834,000

Upgrade

n.a.

$1,073,000

n.a.

n.a.

Upgrade

n.a.

n.a.

Upgrade
Upgrade
Upgrade
2023
0
+
n.a.
n.a.
$50,000
6.00%

$418,000

-

$1,000,000

Upgrade

n.a.

$1,854,000

n.a.

n.a.

Upgrade

n.a.

n.a.

Upgrade
Upgrade
Upgrade
2002
38
+
-19%
-19%
$35,000
5% - 8%

$192,000

-

$795,000

Upgrade

n.a.

$0

n.a.

n.a.

Upgrade

n.a.

n.a.

Upgrade
No
Upgrade
No
No
Upgrade
No
2022
5
+
n.a.
n.a.
$40,000
6.00%

$206,000

-

$688,000

Upgrade

n.a.

$0

n.a.

n.a.

Upgrade

n.a.

n.a.

Upgrade
No
Upgrade
No
No
Upgrade
No
2004
30
+
-3%
-3%
$40,000
5.00%

$408,000

-

$1,233,000

Upgrade

n.a.

$1,802,000

63.4%

n.a.

Upgrade

14.9%

n.a.

Upgrade
No
Upgrade
No
Yes
Upgrade
Yes
2010
21
+
0%
0%
$25,000
5.00%

$358,000

-

$2,699,000

Upgrade

n.a.

$0

n.a.

n.a.

Upgrade

n.a.

n.a.

Upgrade
Upgrade
Upgrade

Access the most comprehensive franchise database

For franchisees

Find the best franchises to invest into

For franchisors

Compare your brand to competitors

Upgrade to Pro
$49 / month
Total investment

?

Revenue (AUV)

?

Revenue growth (last 3 years)

?

Profit margin

?

Franchise Disclosure Documents
Advanced filtering and sorting
Watchlist

?

Priority support

?

A comprehensive and transparent look at franchising finances. The inclusion of profit margins and disclosure documents offers insights you can’t find elsewhere. Essential for anyone considering a franchise investment.

Darren M.

Franchisee

Been waiting for years for this. All the most important franchises and their latest Franchise Documents to download. The team also updates the franchises very quickly.

Emily V.

Franchisee

Training 

Buffalo Wild Wings ensures its franchisees are thoroughly equipped to manage their franchises through a detailed training program.

This comprehensive program is designed to provide the management team, including the Control Person, Unit General Manager, and at least two assistant managers, with the essential skills and knowledge needed for efficient Sports Bar operations. The training is structured into several key segments:

  • HOH (Heart of House) Operations: This section focuses on back-of-house operations, including 10 hours of classroom training and 40 hours of on-the-job training at a National Certified Training Sports Bar (NCTSB).
  • FOH (Front of House) Operations: Covering front-of-house activities, this segment includes 10 hours of classroom training and 40 hours of on-the-job training at an NCTSB.
  • Running a Shift: Critical for ensuring smooth operations during different shifts, this training consists of 30 hours of classroom instruction and 120 hours of on-the-job training at an NCTSB.
  • Role-Specific Training: Tailored to particular roles within the Sports Bar, this segment offers 10 hours of classroom training and 90 hours of on-the-job training at an NCTSB.

Territory Protection

Franchisees are granted the right to operate a Buffalo Wild Wings Sports Bar at a specific location approved by Buffalo Wild Wings. This location is situated within a "Designated Area" as outlined in the Franchise Agreement.

The Designated Area is intended exclusively for site selection and does not provide any territorial exclusivity or protection to the franchisees. This means that while franchisees have an assigned area for their operations, they do not possess exclusive rights to a broader territory.

Number of units

2025
Franchised units

530

533

538

Company-owned units

659

652

645

Total units

1189

1185

1183

Competitors

Chuck's Hot Chicken

Franchisees

?

2
+
n.a.
n.a.
Investment

?

$478,000 - $834,000

Angry Chickz

Franchisees

?

0
+
n.a.
n.a.
Investment

?

$418,000 - $1,000,000

WOW American Eats

Franchisees

?

38
+
-19%
-19%
Investment

?

$192,000 - $795,000

HCK Hot Chicken

Franchisees

?

5
+
n.a.
n.a.
Investment

?

$206,000 - $688,000

Access the most comprehensive franchise database

For franchisees

Find the best franchises to invest into

For franchisors

Compare your brand to competitors

Get unlimited access to:
2,145 franchises data
Number of locations
Franchise fees
Total investment

?

Download unlimited FDDs
Revenue (AUV)

?

Revenue growth (last 3 years)

?

Profit metrics

?

Upgrade to Pro