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Country Kitchen Restaurants

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Food & Beverage
Breakfast

Country Kitchen Restaurants

Country Kitchen Restaurants Franchise FDD, Costs & Fees (2025)

Country Kitchen Restaurants serves a variety of homestyle American dishes, offering a cozy and family-friendly dining experience with a focus on comfort food.

Country Kitchen is a classic American restaurant franchise that has been serving hearty, homestyle meals for over 85 years. Founded in 1939 by Bill Johnson and Bill Goodman in Cincinnati, Ohio, the brand began as a humble hamburger stand offering five-cent burgers and ten-cent steak sandwiches.

By 1958, the founders began franchising the concept, expanding its reach across the United States. Today, Country Kitchen is headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, and continues to uphold its tradition of warm hospitality and quality food.

The franchise offers a diverse menu that caters to all-day dining, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner options. Signature dishes feature the “Best Pancakes in Town,” hearty skillets, omelets, sandwiches, burgers, and savory dinners.

Country Kitchen’s commitment to comfort food and a welcoming atmosphere has made it a favorite among families and travelers alike.

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.

Country Kitchen offers 2 types of franchises:

Type of franchise Initial Investment
Standard Country Kitchen $575,000 to $1,685,000
Limited Service Café Style Country Kitchen $425,000 to $900,000

We are summarizing below the main costs associated with opening a Standard Country Kitchen Franchise.

For more information on the various types of franchises and its costs, refer to the Franchise Disclosure Document (Item 7).

Type of Expenditure Amount
Franchise Fee $40,000
Rent, Deposits, Licenses and Permits $13,500 – $44,500
Leasehold Improvements / Construction Costs $195,000 – $840,000
Utility Deposits $2,500 – $5,000
Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment $165,500 – $385,000
Point of Sale System, Software $15,000 – $21,000
Signage $12,000 – $75,000
Initial Inventory $15,000 – $20,000
Interior Décor $5,000 – $15,000
Travel, Living and Salary Expenses While Training $20,000 – $50,000
Insurance $8,000 – $20,000
Grand Opening Advertising $5,000
Legal & Accounting $2,000 – $12,000
Start-Up Supplies $1,500 – $2,500
Additional Funds – 3 months $75,000 – $150,000
Total Franchise Business Cost (Excluding Real Estate) $575,000 – $1,685,000

Country Kitchen offers 2 types of franchises:

Type of franchise Initial Investment
Standard Country Kitchen $575,000 to $1,685,000
Limited Service Café Style Country Kitchen $425,000 to $900,000

We are summarizing below the main costs associated with opening a Standard Country Kitchen Franchise.

For more information on the various types of franchises and its costs, refer to the Franchise Disclosure Document (Item 7).

Type of Expenditure Amount
Franchise Fee $40,000
Rent, Deposits, Licenses and Permits $13,500 – $44,500
Leasehold Improvements / Construction Costs $195,000 – $840,000
Utility Deposits $2,500 – $5,000
Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment $165,500 – $385,000
Point of Sale System, Software $15,000 – $21,000
Signage $12,000 – $75,000
Initial Inventory $15,000 – $20,000
Interior Décor $5,000 – $15,000
Travel, Living and Salary Expenses While Training $20,000 – $50,000
Insurance $8,000 – $20,000
Grand Opening Advertising $5,000
Legal & Accounting $2,000 – $12,000
Start-Up Supplies $1,500 – $2,500
Additional Funds – 3 months $75,000 – $150,000
Total Franchise Business Cost (Excluding Real Estate) $575,000 – $1,685,000

Country Kitchen Restaurants

2023

Franchise Disclosure Document

Number of units

Training

The franchise training provided by Country Kitchen International as the franchisor is comprehensive and structured to prepare franchisees both before and after launching their restaurant. Here are the training programs offered:

  1. Pre-Opening Management Training Program
    This training is required before the restaurant opens. It includes an initial management training session which is scheduled at locations and times designated by the franchisor. It covers operational, administrative, and procedural aspects necessary for running a Country Kitchen.
  2. Initial Training Materials and Supplies
    Franchisees are provided with training materials and initial supplies to support their learning and preparation for operations.
  3. Standardized Operating Tools
    Franchisees receive a sample of standardized documents such as a chart of accounts, statement of earnings, and balance sheet templates to facilitate accurate and consistent financial reporting.

Territory Protection

Country Kitchen does not provide exclusive or protected territories to its franchisees. The franchise agreement specifically states that the franchisee does not receive an exclusive territory and that the franchisor may establish other franchises or operate company-owned outlets near the franchisee's location.

This means that franchisees must be prepared to compete with other Country Kitchen locations that could be established nearby. Furthermore, Country Kitchen retains the right to offer and sell franchises to others at any location without geographical limitation.

This open-territory approach allows the franchisor flexibility in expanding its brand but may affect the individual franchisee’s market share. Therefore, prospective franchisees should assess the competitive risks associated with this territorial policy when evaluating the franchise opportunity.

Competitors

Below are some of

Country Kitchen Restaurants

key competitors in the

Breakfast

sector.

Franchise
Franchisees
Initial fee
Total investment
Revenue
Sign up
Gross Profit
Sign up
EBITDA
Sign up

20

New
+
-26%
-26%

$40,000

$425,000

$1,685,000

n.a.

$0

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

Competitors

Famous Toastery

Famous Toastery is a breakfast, brunch, and lunch restaurant franchise offering made-from-scratch dishes and specialty beverages, serving families and daytime diners, and known for closing by midafternoon, fresh ingredients, attentive team-service, and a strong focus on the booming brunch segment.

Franchisees

?

16
+
-16%
-16%
Investment

?

$688,000 - $1,206,000

Vicious Biscuit

Vicious Biscuit is a breakfast-and-brunch franchise offering overstuffed biscuit sandwiches, coffee and brunch fare, serving early-day diners, families and brunch crowds, and known for Southern-flavor innovation, fast-casual scalability and strong repeat business.

Franchisees

?

2
+
n.a.
n.a.
Investment

?

$799,000 - $1,317,000

Squeeze In

Squeeze In is a brunch-focused restaurant franchise offering extensive omelette menus, pancakes, and lunch items, serving breakfast and lunch diners, and known for vibrant atmosphere, unique menu, and expansion through franchising.

Franchisees

?

4
+
0%
0%
Investment

?

$202,000 - $522,000

Rachel's Kitchen

Rachel’s Kitchen is a fresh-casual café franchise offering wholesome, made-to-order food from breakfast through dinner, serving singles, families and health-minded consumers, and known for fresh ingredients, broad appeal and growth-oriented franchise model.

Franchisees

?

0
+
n.a.
n.a.
Investment

?

$298,000 - $816,000

Friendly's

Friendly’s is a casual-dining franchise offering ice cream, burgers, breakfasts and family meals, serving families and casual diners, and known for nostalgic American fare, classic ice-cream sundaes and broad national recognition.

Franchisees

?

94
+
96%
96%
Investment

?

$1,111,000 - $2,682,000

Biscuit Belly

Biscuit Belly is a Southern-inspired café franchise offering biscuit sandwiches, brunch fare, coffee, and comfort dishes, serving brunch lovers and urban diners, and known for handcrafted biscuits, bold flavour profiles, and stylish café environments.

Franchisees

?

6
+
200%
200%
Investment

?

$824,000 - $1,342,000

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