How much is a DQ Grill & Chill franchise? $1,516,200 – $2,542,250 to open, per its disclosure filings
$1,516,200 – $2,542,250
Opening a DQ Grill & Chill franchise takes $1,516,200 – $2,542,250 all-in, per its franchise disclosure filings (data as of 2026-05). The initial franchise fee is $45,600. To qualify, DQ Grill & Chill asks for $400,000 in liquid cash and a $750,000 net worth. Anything the filings do not state is marked "Not disclosed" below — never estimated.
DQ Grill & Chill cost table
| Verification mark | Cost item | Low | High | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise feeOne-time, paid to the franchisor at signing | $45,600 | $45,600 | $45,600 | |
| Initial investment (all-in)FDD Item 7-derived range: build-out, equipment, opening costs | $1,516,200 | $2,542,250 | $1,516,200 to $2,542,250 | |
| Net worth requiredFranchisor's stated qualification minimum | $750,000 | $750,000 | $750,000 | |
| Liquid cash requiredFranchisor's stated qualification minimum | $400,000 | $400,000 | $400,000 | |
| Cash to open (all-in range) | $1,516,200 | $2,542,250 | $1,516,200 to $2,542,250 |
| RoyaltyOngoing, % of sales | Not disclosed |
|---|---|
| Ad fundOngoing, % of sales | Not disclosed |
| Initial termLength of the first franchise agreement | Not disclosed |
What's in that number — and what isn't
The $1,516,200 – $2,542,250 range is derived from DQ Grill & Chill's filed initial-investment disclosure (FDD Item 7 class): build-out, equipment, and opening costs as the franchisor stated them. Your market's real estate, labor, and build-out prices can land you outside it.
Not in the opening number: ongoing royalties (rate not disclosed), and your operating losses while the unit ramps. Every figure marked "Not disclosed" above is a gap in the filings, not a zero.
How DQ Grill & Chill's cost compares
A dollar figure means more with a yardstick. Here is where DQ Grill & Chill's disclosed cost sits against the Food & Beverage category:
- Minimum startup cost of $1,516,200 — about 5.4× the Food & Beverage median of $282,500.
- Initial franchise fee of $45,600 — about 1.3× the Food & Beverage median of $35,000.
Category medians are computed from the Food & Beverage brands in our data that disclosed each figure — a benchmark for scale, not a quality judgment. See all Food & Beverage franchises
What about earnings?
We don't publish per-brand earnings figures — for DQ Grill & Chill or anyone else. The only primary source is Item 19 of the brand's own franchise disclosure document (FDD), and no law requires a franchisor to publish one, so the "average owner income" numbers circulating elsewhere are usually unsourced or survivorship-biased. Ask DQ Grill & Chill for its current FDD and read Item 19 yourself — and if there is no Item 19, that silence is information too.
What is the DQ Grill & Chill franchise fee?
$45,600, one-time, per disclosure filings as of 2026-05.
How much money do you need to qualify for a DQ Grill & Chill franchise?
DQ Grill & Chill's filings ask for $400,000 in liquid cash and a $750,000 minimum net worth (as of 2026-05). Capital figures are the franchisor's stated minimums, not our advice.