The totals Rev. 2026-08-15

What it costs to open

Item 7 totals for every small-format restaurant in the set, cheapest high estimate first. Five filings are broken out line by line.

Item 7 is the franchisor’s own estimate of everything you will spend to get the doors open. It is a range, it is theirs, and the high end is the number to plan against.

Construction is usually the line that decides which end you land on. A second-generation restaurant with a working hood sits near the low figure. A shell sits near the high one. Working capital is the other quiet variable: most filings cover three months, one in this set covers six, and three months is optimistic for a shop that has not found its trade yet.

Five of the filings below are broken out line by line. The rest are totals only, because a total without the rows is still a comparable number and an invented breakdown is not. Döner Haus is listed by its issued total; that figure is from the 2026 FDD. Two totals that look close often are not — what the range hides, and why rent is not in the total.

Ranked by the high estimate

The high end is the planning number. A range that wide is usually the difference between a second-generation restaurant and a shell.

# Brand Total investment Typical size Line items
1 Shah's Halal Food Mediterranean & halal · Full-sized restaurant, 1,200–2,000 sq ft $197,000–$405,000 1,200–2,000 sq ft 15 rows
2 375° Chicken 'n Fries Chicken · Single outlet, 800–1,500 sq ft $324,100–$521,500 800–1,500 sq ft 15 rows
3 Döner Haus German döner $359,500–$586,000 700–1,200 sq ft Total only
4 Dog Haus Hot dogs & sausages $357,437–$625,800 — Total only
5 Mad for Chicken Chicken · Full restaurant, 2,000–4,000 sq ft $320,125–$687,700 2,000–4,000 sq ft 14 rows
6 Capriotti's Sandwiches $417,100–$748,500 — Total only
7 The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill Mediterranean & halal · Single in-line or end-cap restaurant, 1,800–2,000 sq ft $582,014–$1,088,560 1,800–2,000 sq ft 12 rows
8 German Doner Kebab German döner · Single outlet of 1,200–1,400 sq ft, inside a five-outlet minimum $690,500–$1,123,000 1,200–1,400 sq ft 20 rows
9 Crave Hot Dogs and BBQ Hot dogs & sausages $301,500–$1,192,500 — Total only
10 The Halal Guys Mediterranean & halal $461,400–$1,333,500 — Total only
11 Pepper Lunch Asian fast casual $609,200–$1,471,500 — Total only