Nathan’s Famous

Nathan’s Famous Franchise FDD, Costs & Fees (2025)

Fast-food franchise famous for its hot dogs and crinkle-cut fries, serving a variety of classic American comfort foods in a casual dining setting.

Nathan's Famous, known for its premium all-beef hot dogs and diverse quick-service menu, embarked on its culinary journey in 1916. The brand was established by Nathan Handwerker, a Polish immigrant, who started with a small hot dog stand in Coney Island, New York.

Over the years, it has grown into a prominent player in the quick-service restaurant (QSR) industry. Nathan's began franchising in 1975 and is currently based in Jericho, New York.

What sets Nathan's Famous apart is its extensive menu, featuring not only its iconic hot dogs but also Fresh Angus Burgers, Black Angus Ribeye New York Cheesesteaks by Pat LaFrieda, Hand-Breaded Chicken, Onion Rings, and Fresh Crinkle Cut French Fries. The brand is well-regarded for its lively and inviting restaurant ambiance, which has bolstered its reputation for over a century.

Nathan's Famous provides various franchise models to accommodate different investment levels and space requirements, ranging from custom-built standalone stores to mobile carts, all serving the brand’s popular menu items.

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.

Nathan’s Famous offers 4 types of franchises:

Franchise Option Initial Investment
Nathan's Famous traditional free-standing restaurant $554,350 to $2,032,610
"In-line" restaurant or restaurant operated in a food court $359,100 to $1,146,860
Restaurant operated from a kiosk $103,850 to $305,000
Restaurant operated as a Mobile Unit $82,200 to $364,100

We are summarizing below the main costs associated with opening a Nathan's Famous traditional free-standing restaurant franchise.

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

Nathan's Famous traditional free-standing restaurant

Type of Expenditure Amount
Initial Franchise Fee $30,000
Real Estate Rent $60,000 - $195,000
Restaurant Construction $250,000 to $1,300,000
Site Preparation $25,000 to $170,000
Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment $145,000 to $245,000
Pre-Opening and Inventory Expenses $10,000 to $15,000
Training Expenses $2,250 to $10,360
Insurance $5,000 to $7,500
Security Deposits $0
Utility Deposits $2,500 to $6,500
Professional Fees $12,000 to $25,000
Business Licenses $100 to $750
Additional Funds (for first three months) $10,000 to $25,000
Grand Opening Advertising $2,500
Total (Without Co-branding) $554,350 to $2,032,610

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

Nathan’s Famous

key competitors in the

Sandwich

sector.

Started franchising
Franchisees

?

Franchise fee

?

Royalty fee

?

Investment

?

Revenue (AUV)

?

Gross Profit

?

EBITDA

?

Home-based

?

Passive investment

?

FDD
Nathan’s Famous
1988
72
+
-15%
-15%
$30,000
5.50%

$82,000

-

$1,235,000

n.a.

$725,000

Upgrade

n.a.

n.a.

Upgrade

n.a.

n.a.

Upgrade
Yes
Upgrade
Yes
No
Upgrade
No
1970
97
+
-15%
-15%
$18,000
6.00%

$90,000

-

$589,000

Upgrade

n.a.

$0

n.a.

n.a.

Upgrade

n.a.

n.a.

Upgrade
No
Upgrade
No
Yes
Upgrade
Yes
2009
95
+
111%
111%
$40,000
6.00%

$654,000

-

$1,274,000

Upgrade

n.a.

$1,299,000

n.a.

n.a.

Upgrade

n.a.

n.a.

Upgrade
Upgrade
Upgrade
78
+
2500%
2500%
$49,500
5.00%

$286,000

-

$569,000

Upgrade

n.a.

$719,000

n.a.

n.a.

Upgrade

n.a.

n.a.

Upgrade
Upgrade
Upgrade
2017
33
+
267%
267%
$35,000
5.00%

$330,000

-

$809,000

Upgrade

n.a.

$0

n.a.

n.a.

Upgrade

n.a.

n.a.

Upgrade
No
Upgrade
No
Yes
Upgrade
Yes
2003
1
+
0%
0%
$25,000
5.00%

$321,000

-

$607,000

Upgrade

n.a.

$1,183,000

71.0%

n.a.

Upgrade

n.a.

n.a.

Upgrade
No
Upgrade
No
No
Upgrade
No
1997
25
+
-22%
-22%
$22,500
5.00%

$107,000

-

$227,000

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 

Nathan's Famous provides an extensive training program for its franchisees, blending classroom and practical on-the-job training sessions. The program covers a range of critical topics, including:

Food Preparation: Franchisees learn the intricacies of preparing dishes to meet Nathan's Famous quality standards.

Equipment Operation: This segment teaches proper equipment operation to ensure consistent and high-quality food.

Sanitation: Franchisees are trained in adhering to strict sanitation standards.

Food Cost Management: Understanding and managing food costs is essential for profitability, and this segment addresses these skills.

Labor Scheduling: Franchisees learn to effectively manage staff schedules to optimize operations.

Train the Trainer: This unique segment empowers franchisees to train their staff, maintaining the brand’s standards across all locations.

Customer Service: Emphasizing the importance of customer satisfaction, this segment focuses on delivering exceptional service.

Territory Protection

Nathan's Famous does not grant franchisees an exclusive territory, which means franchisees may encounter competition from other franchisees, company-owned outlets, or other distribution channels and competitive brands controlled by the company.

Franchisees are authorized to operate a "Nathan's Famous" restaurant only at the specific location designated in their Franchise Agreement. Any relocation of the restaurant requires prior approval from the company. For franchisees operating a Mobile Unit, there are additional territorial restrictions.

The Mobile Unit Territory excludes any area within a two-mile radius of any existing or newly-established permanent "Nathan's Famous" restaurants within the Mobile Unit Territory.

Number of units

2023
Franchised units

85

79

72

Company-owned units

3

4

4

Total units

88

83

76

Competitors

Blimpie

Franchisees

?

97
+
-15%
-15%
Investment

?

$90,000 - $589,000

Potbelly Sandwich

Franchisees

?

95
+
111%
111%
Investment

?

$654,000 - $1,274,000

Sourdough & Co

Franchisees

?

78
+
2500%
2500%
Investment

?

$286,000 - $569,000

I Heart Mac and Cheese

Franchisees

?

33
+
267%
267%
Investment

?

$330,000 - $809,000

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