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Food & Beverage
Ice Cream

Dairy Queen Franchise FDD, Costs & Fees (2026)

Dairy Queen is a fast-food franchise known for its soft-serve ice cream, Blizzard treats, and burgers, offering a menu of indulgent treats and satisfying meals.

KEY FRANCHISE STATS

Franchisees

?

1969
+
0%
0%
Franchise fee

?

$45,000
Investment

?

$1,516,000 - $2,543,000
Revenue (AUV)

?

Undisclosed

$1,355,000

+
2.9%
2.9%
Sign up

Dairy Queen is a cherished franchise in frozen desserts and fast food, established in 1940 by John Fremont McCullough in Joliet, Illinois. With headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota and owned by Berkshire Hathaway since 1997, Dairy Queen has been franchising since 1944 and operates 7,000+ locations worldwide. Famous for its Blizzard treats, soft-serve ice cream, and its motto "Fan Food, Not Fast Food," DQ has one of the lowest royalty rates (4%) in QSR.

Want to know what Dairy Queen franchise owners actually earn? See the full income analysis, break-even timeline, and owner salary breakdown at SharpSheets → Dairy Queen Franchise Owner Income.

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Initial investment

The initial investment required for a Dairy Queen franchise is $1,516,000 - $2,543,000. That is the total cost you would need to finance if you were to start this franchise. These costs are provided by the franchisor in the Franchise Disclosure Document.

For more information on the costs required to start a Dairy Queen franchise, refer to the Franchise Disclosure Document (Item 7).


Type of Expenditure Amount
Initial Franchise Fee$45,000
ALTA Survey and/or Site Investigation Report$0 to $5,000
Initial Training Fees and Costs$1,200 to $12,600
Travel and Living Expenses for Training Programs$23,000 to $42,950
Building, Construction and Leasehold Improvements$800,000 to $1,400,000
Construction Consultation Services$0 to $7,500
Building Plans, Design Intent Plans and Architectural Seal$15,000 to $60,000
Equipment - Includes Signs and Point-of-Sale Systems$550,000 to $700,000
Training Inventory$6,000 to $12,000
Opening Inventory$20,000 to $35,000
Utility Deposits, Business Licenses and Government Charges$4,000 to $17,000
Attorneys’ Fees$1,000 to $8,000
Additional Funds - 3 Months$51,000 to $198,000
Total Estimated Initial Investment$1,516,200 to $2,543,050

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For more information on the costs required to start a Dairy Queen franchise, refer to the Franchise Disclosure Document (Item 7).


Type of Expenditure Amount
Initial Franchise Fee$45,000
ALTA Survey and/or Site Investigation Report$0 to $5,000
Initial Training Fees and Costs$1,200 to $12,600
Travel and Living Expenses for Training Programs$23,000 to $42,950
Building, Construction and Leasehold Improvements$800,000 to $1,400,000
Construction Consultation Services$0 to $7,500
Building Plans, Design Intent Plans and Architectural Seal$15,000 to $60,000
Equipment - Includes Signs and Point-of-Sale Systems$550,000 to $700,000
Training Inventory$6,000 to $12,000
Opening Inventory$20,000 to $35,000
Utility Deposits, Business Licenses and Government Charges$4,000 to $17,000
Attorneys’ Fees$1,000 to $8,000
Additional Funds - 3 Months$51,000 to $198,000
Total Estimated Initial Investment$1,516,200 to $2,543,050

Franchise Disclosure Document

Below is Dairy Queen's 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document. Sign up for free to view the document.

Number of units

Dairy Queen had 1971 total units in 2026, of which 1969 were franchised-owned and 2 company-owned.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the royalty fee of
Dairy Queen
?
What is the total investment of
Dairy Queen
?
What is the initial franchise fee of
Dairy Queen
?
What is the AUV of
Dairy Queen
?

Competitors

Below are some of

Dairy Queen

key competitors in the

Ice Cream

sector.

Franchise
Franchisees
Royalty fee
Total investment
Revenue
Sign up
EBITDA
Sign up

1969

New
+
0%
0%

4.00%

$1,516,000

-

$2,543,000

$1,355,000

n.a.

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

38

New
+
27%
27%

$500 per month

$173,000

-

$185,000

n.a.

$0

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

15

New
+
-21%
-21%

6.00%

$217,000

-

$461,000

n.a.

$0

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

194

New
+
-3%
-3%

6.00%

$232,000

-

$637,000

n.a.

$855,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

125

New
+
-26%
-26%

6.00%

$135,000

-

$699,000

n.a.

$397,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

0

New
+
n.a.
n.a.

6.00%

$129,000

-

$190,000

n.a.

$0

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

205

New
+
10%
10%

5.00%

$409,000

-

$2,644,000

n.a.

$673,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

Training 

Dairy Queen offers a thorough initial training program for franchisees and their teams, aimed at ensuring they are well-prepared to operate a Dairy Queen franchise successfully.

Initial Training Components

ADQ's Initial Training: This primary training segment is divided into three phases, covering operational procedures, product preparation, customer service, and management practices specific to Dairy Queen standards.

Management Training Readiness Assessment (MTRA): An evaluation to confirm readiness for management roles within a Dairy Queen franchise.

SERVSAFE Course: A mandatory food safety course to ensure all trainees adhere to food handling and safety regulations.

Training Requirements

Trainees: At least three individuals per store, including the designated manager and two assistant managers, must complete the entire training program. Dairy Queen may also offer additional training options, such as EPOS (Electronic Point Of Sale) training, at its discretion.‍

Territory Protection

Dairy Queen typically does not grant protected territories to subfranchisees under its operating agreements. Instead, a subfranchisee is given the right to operate a store or restaurant at a specified location, without any promise from Dairy Queen to avoid establishing new stores or restaurants nearby.

However, there may be instances where Dairy Queen, at its discretion, opts not to open a new store or restaurant close to an existing one.

This policy means that while franchisees are assigned a specific location for their Dairy Queen store or restaurant, they do not receive exclusive territorial rights preventing Dairy Queen from granting additional subfranchises or operating competing businesses within the area.

Dairy Queen

Food & Beverage
Ice Cream
Franchisees

?

1969
+
0%
0%
Franchise fee

?

$45,000
Investment

?

$1,516,000 - $2,543,000
Revenue (AUV)

?

Undisclosed
Sign up

$1,355,000

+
2.9%
2.9%
Operating Profit

?

n.a.

Sign up
Year of FDD

2026

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Competitors

Below are some of Dairy Queen's key competitors in the Ice Cream sector.

Alsies

Franchisees

?

0
+
n.a.
n.a.
Investment

?

$129,000 - $190,000
Revenue

?

Sign up
Undisclosed

$0

The Meadows Original Frozen Custard

Franchisees

?

29
+
21%
21%
Investment

?

$134,000 - $512,000
Revenue

?

Sign up
Undisclosed

$0

Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams

Franchisees

?

0
+
n.a.
n.a.
Investment

?

$696,000 - $1,266,000
Revenue

?

Sign up
Undisclosed

$997,000

Morelia Gourmet Paletas

Franchisees

?

15
+
150%
150%
Investment

?

$116,000 - $387,000
Revenue

?

Sign up
Undisclosed

$449,000

Dumont Creamery and Café

Franchisees

?

1
+
n.a.
n.a.
Investment

?

$271,000 - $573,000
Revenue

?

Sign up
Undisclosed

$0

Fosters Freeze

Franchisees

?

61
+
-5%
-5%
Investment

?

$178,000 - $1,009,000
Revenue

?

Sign up
Undisclosed

$1,265,000

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?

Revenue (AUV) and profits (Item 19)

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