Fat Shack
Fat Shack Inc. · reviewed 2026 disclosure data
Researching Fat Shack franchise opportunities? Every figure below is cited to the FDD.
Fat Shack: Specialty quick service sandwich restaurants selling Fat Sandwiches, burgers, wings, appetizers, desserts, beverages and related merchandise for dine-in, takeout and delivery, specializing in late-night delivery.
Headline figures
Fat Shack quick facts
- Is Fat Shack a franchise?
- Yes. Fat Shack offers franchises through a Franchise Disclosure Document. At the end of 2025, it reported 28 franchised and 3 company-owned outlets (2026 FDD, Item 20, PDF p. 48).
- How much does it cost to open a Fat Shack franchise?
- The Fat Shack Franchise Disclosure Document reports an estimated initial investment of $183,250–$487,600 (2026 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 18). This is the franchisor's disclosed estimate, not a quote. Details
- What ongoing fees does Fat Shack charge?
- The disclosed ongoing royalty is 6% · percent of Gross Sales (2026 FDD, Item 6, PDF p. 14). The brand or advertising fund contribution is 1.5% · percent of Gross Sales (2026 FDD, Item 6, PDF p. 14). Other recurring fees are listed in Item 6. Details
- Does Fat Shack disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- Yes. The Fat Shack FDD includes an Item 19 financial performance representation (2026 FDD, Item 19, PDF p. 46). Figures apply only to the locations and period each one covers. Details
- How many Fat Shack locations are there?
- The FDD reports 31 outlets at the end of 2025 (2026 FDD, Item 20, PDF p. 48). Existing locations do not indicate territory availability. Details
- Is Fat Shack a good franchise to buy?
- Franopolis does not rate or recommend franchises. From the reviewed FDD: Item 19 includes financial performance figures; check which locations and period they cover; Item 20 lists outlet openings, closures and transfers; Item 6 includes a brand or advertising fund contribution on top of royalty; Item 20 also lists current and former franchisees you can contact. Review the full FDD with a franchise attorney and accountant before deciding.
From reviewed FDD figures only. Not a recommendation or projection.
What the disclosures show
- 1Opening costs are estimated at $183,250 – $487,600 in the 2026 FDD (Item 7); several initial fee options apply.
- 2Item 19 covers 2 separate groups: revenue for 24 franchised locations; revenue for 2 company-owned locations. They are not combined.
- 3Outlets grew by 2 in 2025, to 31 (Systemwide, as labeled in the FDD, Item 20).
From reviewed FDD figures only. Not a recommendation or projection.
Fat Shack head-to-head
Closest peers in the same subcategory, side by side from reviewed FDD figures. Not a ranking or recommendation.
Costs · Items 5–7
What does it cost to open?
Estimated opening costs and the fees payable to the franchisor.
Startup Investment — Item 7
Total estimated initial investment
2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 18
Ongoing Fees — Item 6
Selected recurring charges; payment bases and conditions remain attached to each fee.
- RoyaltyMain ongoing fee
20 reported fees, each with its payment basis, are listed below; they haven't been sorted into recurring, initial and occasional groups yet.
Financial Performance — Item 19
What results are disclosed—and for which locations?
Two separate populations, not a revenue-and-profit comparison. Revenue is not owner income.
Franchised locations
Revenue · 24 locations
- Who is counted
- franchisee-owned Units that operated for the entire calendar year 2025
- Period
- calendar year 2025
- Method
- annual Gross Sales taken from sales reports obtained from the company-owned, affiliate-owned and franchisee-owned Units; these sales reports have not been reviewed or audited by an independent accountant
Company-owned locations
Revenue · 2 locations
- Who is counted
- company-owned and affiliate-owned FAT SHACK Restaurants (each a “Unit”) that operated for the entire calendar year 2025
- Period
- calendar year 2025
- Excluded
- three Units that were owned and operated for part of the year by our affiliate and for part of the year by a franchisee
- Method
- annual Gross Sales taken from sales reports obtained from the company-owned, affiliate-owned and franchisee-owned Units; these sales reports have not been reviewed or audited by an independent accountant
These groups are never combined.
Outlet Changes — Item 20
How has the outlet count changed?
Systemwide, as labeled in the FDD · counts as of year end of each year.
2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 48
Net +1 outlets, 2023–2025
Year-end counts reported in Item 20. The scale starts at zero, so the line looks nearly flat; the labels between the dots show each year's change. Openings and closures for 2025 haven't been pulled from the Item 20 tables yet, so no turnover or churn is shown.
Questions to investigate
Prompts based on what this brand's reviewed disclosures do and don't show — not conclusions. Join free as a member to save questions to your research.
For the franchisor
Which line items in the 2026 Item 7 estimate ($183,250 – $487,600) vary most by market, and why?
Which initial fee option would apply to my situation, and what conditions or discounts affect it?
Which locations are included in the Item 19 figures, and which were excluded?
Reported units went from 29 to 31 in 2025. How many new units opened, closed or changed hands?
Is a territory available in my area, and how is it defined in my agreement?
For current and former owners
How did your actual startup costs and timeline compare with the Item 7 estimate?
How many hours a week do you work in the business, and in what role?
How do your results compare with the Item 19 figures, and what explains the difference?
What support from the franchisor has been most and least useful?
For your advisors
Ask a franchise attorney to review the territory, renewal, transfer and termination terms.
Ask an attorney what the Item 3 litigation disclosures mean for a new franchisee.
Ask an accountant to build a cash-flow plan using your own assumptions, not the franchisor's.
Sources & vintage history
Every displayed fact is retained with its disclosure vintage, item, page, and reviewed status. Prior vintages remain on file rather than being overwritten.
Citations (2026 FDD)
- [1]Estimated initial investment — Item 7 · PDF p. 18
- [2]Item 19 — Franchised (24 locations) — revenue · PDF p. 46
- [3]Item 19 — Company-owned (2 locations) — revenue · PDF p. 46
- [4]Outlet counts — Item 20, Table 1 · PDF p. 48
"PDF p." is the page in the PDF file; "printed p." is the number printed on the FDD page. Source document: FDD
Territory & operations
36 addresses in Franopolis's imported location list. Coverage may differ from Item 20 outlet counts.
These are contract disclosures, not confirmation that any territory is currently available.
Legal & agreement
Litigation disclosure
Bankruptcy disclosed
Initial term
Franchisor financial statements
No verified franchisor financial statement figures have been reviewed yet.
SBA-backed loans to franchisees
Loading…
Source: U.S. Small Business Administration 7(a) & 504 FOIA data. Loan volume is not a measure of franchisee success.
Related research
Brands in the same subcategory first, then the wider industry, ordered by shared business format and overlapping investment range. This is not a ranking or recommendation.
Head-to-head comparisons
At a glance
Business history
Owner participation
Territory language
Litigation disclosure
Bankruptcy disclosure
Agreement term
Reader notes on wording
Our automated check found that these summaries may not match the FDD's exact wording. Read the FDD excerpt itself; it is the authoritative text. Core cost, fee, Item 19 and outlet figures are not affected.
Item 6 · PDF p. 14 · 2026 FDD
Our summary: Marketing and Promotion Fee (percent of Gross Sales)
“1½% of your Gross Sales”
Note: Page 7 states "1 % of your gross sales", not the quoted fractional rate.
Item 6 · PDF p. 15 · 2026 FDD
Our summary: Interest and Late Payment Charges (percent per month, lesser of stated rate or highest rate allowed by law, plus $50 late filing charge)
“Lesser of 1½% per month or highest rate of interest allowed by law, plus a $50 late filing charge”
Note: Page 8 states "1 % per month", not the quoted fractional rate; "$50 late filing charge" agrees.
Item 11 · PDF p. 29 · 2026 FDD
Our summary: Marketing and Promotion Fund contribution: 1½% of Gross Sales
“You must remit to us a Marketing and Promotion Fee, in the amount of 1½ percent of Gross Sales.”
Note: Page 22 states "1 percent of gross sales", not the extracted rate.
Item 11 · PDF p. 35 · 2026 FDD
Our summary: First-restaurant on-site training: Not less than 30 days
“If you are opening your first FAT SHACK Restaurant, in addition to the on-the-job training referred to in the above chart, we provide 30 days of on-site training to you and your staff at your FAT SHACK Restaurant.”
Note: Page 28: "we provide 30 days of on site training" specifies a duration, not a minimum.
Independent analysis of franchisor-provided data. Not investment advice. Franopolis does not distribute FDDs.