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Slim Chickens Franchise FDD, Costs & Fees (2025)

Fast-casual restaurant franchise specializing in hand-breaded chicken tenders and wings, offering a variety of dipping sauces and southern-inspired sides.

KEY FRANCHISE STATS

Franchisees

?

192
+
43%
43%
Franchise fee

?

$30,000
Investment

?

$1,229,000 - $4,466,000
Revenue (AUV)

?

Undisclosed

$2,396,000

+
-4.0%
-4.0%

Founded by Greg Smart and Tom Gordon in 2003, Slim Chickens is a fast-casual restaurant chain based in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Slim Chickens offers a variety of delicious menu options including freshly prepared chicken tenders, wings, salads, sandwiches, wraps, chicken & waffles, and an array of southern-fried sides such as pickles, okra, and fried mushrooms.

The chain began franchising in 2011 and has since expanded significantly. Known for its commitment to quality, Slim Chickens uses only fresh, premium ingredients and prepares meals to order, ensuring a consistent and satisfying dining experience.

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
Initial Franchise Fee $30,000
Real Property / Site Lease / Site Review Fees $45,000 to $1,200,000
Construction/ Building Conversion $400,000 to $1,700,000
Site Work $50,000 to $600,000
Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment $295,000 to $345,000
Smallwares $21,000 to $27,000
Building Signage and Interior Graphics $45,000 to $75,000
Soft Costs $90,000 to $120,000
Insurance $9,000 to $15,000
Opening Inventory $6,000 to $10,000
Training Costs/Opening Assistance Reimbursement $60,000 to $80,000
POS System/Drive-Thru/Kiosks/Components/Menu Boards $85,000 to $125,000
Low voltage/Security/Network Installation $40,000 to $50,000
Security and Utility Deposits $2,500 to $12,000
Business Licenses (excluding beer and wine license) $400 to $2,000
Grand Opening Ad Expenditure $10,000
Additional Funds – 3 months $40,000 to $65,000
Total for a Single Franchise $1,228,900 to $4,466,000

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Type of Expenditure Amount
Initial Franchise Fee $30,000
Real Property / Site Lease / Site Review Fees $45,000 to $1,200,000
Construction/ Building Conversion $400,000 to $1,700,000
Site Work $50,000 to $600,000
Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment $295,000 to $345,000
Smallwares $21,000 to $27,000
Building Signage and Interior Graphics $45,000 to $75,000
Soft Costs $90,000 to $120,000
Insurance $9,000 to $15,000
Opening Inventory $6,000 to $10,000
Training Costs/Opening Assistance Reimbursement $60,000 to $80,000
POS System/Drive-Thru/Kiosks/Components/Menu Boards $85,000 to $125,000
Low voltage/Security/Network Installation $40,000 to $50,000
Security and Utility Deposits $2,500 to $12,000
Business Licenses (excluding beer and wine license) $400 to $2,000
Grand Opening Ad Expenditure $10,000
Additional Funds – 3 months $40,000 to $65,000
Total for a Single Franchise $1,228,900 to $4,466,000

Franchise Disclosure Document

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Number of units

Training 

Slim Chickens Franchise provides comprehensive training to ensure that franchisees and their teams are well-prepared to operate their restaurants successfully. The training typically includes the following components:

  1. Initial Training: Franchisees and key management staff undergo an extensive initial training program, which usually lasts several weeks. This program covers all aspects of restaurant operations, including food preparation, customer service, and daily management tasks.
  2. On-Site Training: Slim Chickens provides on-site training at one of their established restaurants. This hands-on experience allows franchisees and their teams to learn in a real-world environment under the guidance of experienced trainers.
  3. Ongoing Support: After the initial training, Slim Chickens offers ongoing support, which may include refresher courses, updates on new menu items, and additional training sessions to ensure franchisees stay current with the brand’s standards and practices.

Territory Protection

Franchisees are authorized to operate a Slim Chickens restaurant at a specific Approved Location as outlined in their Franchise Agreement. However, they are not granted an exclusive territory for their operations.

This means that while they have a designated location, they are not protected from potential competition from other franchisees or company-owned outlets within the same area. The franchisor and its affiliates retain the right to establish and operate additional outlets, including Special Outlets, within the franchisee's Designated Area.

These outlets can be permanent, temporary, or seasonal. Additionally, they can promote their products and services within or attract customers from the Designated Area without providing any compensation to the franchisee.

Competitors

Below are some of

Slim Chickens

key competitors in the

Chicken

sector.

Franchise
Franchisees
Initial fee
Total investment
Revenue
Upgrade
Gross Profit
Upgrade
EBITDA
Upgrade

192

New
+
43%
43%

$30,000

$1,229,000

$4,466,000

n.a.

$2,396,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

Competitors

Houston TX Hot Chicken

Houston TX Hot Chicken is a fast-casual restaurant franchise offering Nashville-style hot chicken sandwiches, tenders, and sides, serving spice-loving diners and families, and known for tiered heat levels, modern interiors, and rapid expansion across multiple U.S. markets.

Franchisees

?

17
+
n.a.
n.a.
Investment

?

$671,000 - $1,760,000

Nashville Hot Chicken

Nashville Hot Chicken is a fast-casual fried chicken franchise offering spicy chicken sandwiches, tenders, and fries, serving guests seeking bold Southern flavors, and known for proprietary sauces, flexible restaurant, food-truck, and ghost-kitchen models, and streamlined operations designed for rapid expansion.

Franchisees

?

9
+
n.a.
n.a.
Investment

?

$237,000 - $482,000

Starbird

Starbird is a fast-casual chicken restaurant franchise offering crispy chicken sandwiches, tenders, salads, and digital-forward ordering, serving convenience-driven diners, and known for super-premium fast food positioning, tech-driven guest experience, and craveable feel-good chicken focused on quality ingredients.

Franchisees

?

0
+
n.a.
n.a.
Investment

?

$843,000 - $2,027,000

Wingers Restaurant & Alehouse

Wingers Restaurant & Alehouse is a sports-bar franchise offering wings, burgers, craft beer and live game broadcasts, serving sports fans and groups, and known for high-energy environment, full-menu variety and strong franchise support.

Franchisees

?

14
+
-7%
-7%
Investment

?

$399,000 - $1,499,000

Hot Chikn Kitchn

Hot Chikn Kitchn is a fast-casual franchise offering elevated chicken sandwiches, tenders and comfort sides, serving millennials and lunch-dinner diners, and known for chef-driven taste, quality ingredients and modern franchise model.

Franchisees

?

5
+
n.a.
n.a.
Investment

?

$206,000 - $688,000

Duff's Famous Wings

Duff's Famous Wings is a casual restaurant franchise offering Buffalo-style wings, sauces, and pub fare, serving sports fans and families, and known for authentic heat levels, hometown heritage, and a lively, welcoming environment.

Franchisees

?

2
+
0%
0%
Investment

?

$535,000 - $1,155,000

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