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PopeyesFranchise Cost 2026

Popeyes franchise cost in the US (2026): $505K–$2M investment · $50K franchise fee · 5% royalty — verified from primary sources · data as of Oct 2026

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Operating Locations

Market position · peer cohort

Popeyes operates one of this cohort's growing breadth networks, with customer response in the softer band.

Mapped against 8 verified peers sharing its industry and store format — network breadth across, observed customer response up. Qualitative bands, relative to this cohort. Tags show how each network is run.

Brands sharing a band sit side by side — the gap between them is a tie, not a ranking.

Popeyesfranchise-owned

Applebee'sfranchise-owned

Golden Corralfranchise-owned

Crumblfranchise-owned

Buffalo Wild Wingsfranchise-owned

Sonicfranchise-owned

Burger Kingfranchise-owned

Arby'sfranchise-owned

Chicken Salad Chickfranchise-owned

Popeyes and peer brands by network-breadth band and customer-response band
Brand	Breadth	Response
Popeyesfranchise-owned	Growing breadth	Softer
Burger Kingfranchise-owned	Broad	Softer
Applebee'sfranchise-owned	Growing breadth	Middle
Crumblfranchise-owned	Growing breadth	Stronger

+ 5 more peers in the full cohort · all shown on the map above

How this is built. Positions come from source-verified records in the FRANticc dataset — India's provenance-first franchise data platform. Every figure is traceable to a named source, tiered S1 (brand-official) to S7 (estimated, labelled as such). Network positions use only store counts with a documented source; customer response is the review-count-weighted average of documented Google review samples across Indian states. Brands whose network totals conflict across sources are excluded from the map rather than plotted — FRANticc fails closed on bad data. Not an investment recommendation.

Cohort verified 2026-10-22 · relative to this peer cohort

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Enquire about a Popeyes franchise ↓

We’ll retain your enquiry for Popeyes's franchise team while we verify the correct person to receive it. You can also apply through Popeyes's own site below.

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Professional Background

FRANticc operates as an independent research platform. We are not a franchise broker, agent or seller, and we neither offer nor sell franchises. Only Popeyes can make a franchise offer, through its Franchise Disclosure Document. How we handle your details

Prefer to apply yourself? Visit Popeyes's official franchise site

Frequently asked · Popeyes

What does a Popeyes franchise cost in the US?

The total investment for a Popeyes franchise for the Free Standing format is $1.2M–$3.9M. That total includes a $50K franchise fee.

What royalty does Popeyes charge?

Popeyes charges a 5% royalty. A separate 5% marketing fund contribution also applies.

How much space does a Popeyes franchise need?

A Popeyes outlet needs from 1600 sq ft for the Free Standing format.

How many Popeyes outlets are there in the US?

Popeyes operates 3,134 outlets in the US, and has been trading since 1972.

Who is eligible for a Popeyes franchise?

You will need capital of at least $1.2M, a site of 1600+ sq ft, readiness for a semi-absentee (a manager runs day-to-day) role. Territory: Non-exclusive; Protected Area = lesser of 1-mi radius or 50,000-population catchment.

What training and support does Popeyes provide?

Popeyes provides 30 days of formal training. Supply chain: Franchisor-designated sole suppliers for Trade Secret/Proprietary Products; separately approved-supplier list for all other items; franchisor is sole supplier of required digital ordering/loyalty platforms.

How long is the Popeyes franchise agreement?

Agreement terms: 20-yr initial term; one 10-yr renewal + optional 10-yr Supplemental Renewal Term.

How does a Popeyes franchisee earn?

A Popeyes franchisee earns from customer sales at their own outlet across its 2 formats (Free Standing, In-Line). You keep outlet takings and pay the brand a royalty on sales. FRANticc does not publish per-outlet earnings for US brands unless the franchisor discloses them.

Is the Popeyes franchise offer genuine?

Popeyes' franchise programme is verified against a primary source. FRANticc links the source rather than relaying agent claims — https://franchising.popeyes.com/. Always confirm terms directly with the franchisor before paying any fee.

How current is Popeyes' franchise disclosure?

These figures come from Popeyes' Franchise Disclosure Document for fiscal year 2025, filed with state regulators.

Is a Popeyes franchise SBA-eligible?

Popeyes is not listed on the SBA Franchise Directory, so SBA-backed financing may not be available. Confirm with your lender.

How many Popeyes units opened and closed recently?

Popeyes' FDD Item 20 for fiscal 2025 reports 104 openings and 49 franchised-unit exits: 14 terminated, 2 not renewed and 33 ceased operations for other reasons. Item 20 is the franchisor's own filed count of unit turnover.

Have a different question? Ask Franchise Pixie.

According to FRANticc's verified franchise database, Popeyes requires a minimum investment of $505K under a In-Line model. Popeyes operates 3134 outlets across the US, established in 1972. Data confidence: Reported. FRANticc provides the full franchise prospectus including verified FDD earnings, fee-load and capital-ask breakdowns, and franchisee contacts at franticc.com.

Popeyes

Popeyes is a Food & Beverage brand operating in the US. This page is the editorial franchise profile, covering operating format, investment range, store distribution, and side-by-side comparisons with peer brands. The data is independent — FRANticc never accepts payment from brands to influence coverage.

Founded: 1972
Total stores in the US: 3134
Industry: Food & Beverage — Fried Chicken / QSR
Franchise model: In-Line
Setup CapEx: $505K
Royalty: 5%
Franchise fee: $50K

Popeyes Franchise Formats Available in the US

In-Line — Investment from $505K
Free Standing — Investment from $1.2M, 1600+ sqft

Compare Popeyes with other franchise opportunities on FRANticc. FRANticc turns each brand's FDD into source-verified investment data — every figure traceable to the franchisor's own filing.

Premium tools available for Popeyes: Verified Earnings (FDD Item 19 unit economics), the Capital Ask and Captive-Economy breakdowns, Franchisee Connect (talk to existing Popeyes operators), Legal Vault (litigation, directors, financials), and SBA loan-eligibility signals. Visit franticc.com/brands/popeyes.html for the full interactive prospectus.