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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar vs Golden Corral

    Reviewed figures from each brand's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), side by side. Each figure carries its FDD year and page. This is not a ranking or recommendation, and the two FDDs may cover different years and location groups.

    Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar2026 FDDGolden Corral2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar

    $616,682 – $5,822,933

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Golden Corral

    $2,237,950 – $6,162,930

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar

    Not available

    Golden Corral

    $50,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 12

    Royalty · Item 6

    Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar

    4%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15

    Golden Corral

    4%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar and Golden Corral disclose more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Item 19 figures cover the location groups each FDD names (Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar: 5, Golden Corral: 9). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar

    $616,682 – $5,822,933
    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Golden Corral

    $2,237,950 – $6,162,930
    2026 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified

    Golden Corral

    $50,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 12
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar

    4%
    Royalty rate
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15

    Golden Corral

    4%
    Royaltyweekly GrossSales
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar

    4.25%
    National Advertising Fund rate through December 31, 2026 — 4.25%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15

    Golden Corral

    $10,000
    Openingadvertising first90days
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar

    1,480
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 54

    Golden Corral

    348
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 80
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar

    −65
    Calculated: 1,545 at end of 2023 → 1,480 at end of 2025

    Golden Corral

    −7
    Calculated: 355 at end of 2023 → 348 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Golden Corral

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year
    Franchising since (Item 1)

    Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Golden Corral

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Golden Corral

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Traditional franchised Applebee's Restaurants — South
    $2,450,367
    other Annualized average gross sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 53
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Traditional franchised Applebee's Restaurants — West
    $3,292,418
    other Annualized average gross sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 53
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Traditional franchised Applebee's Restaurants — Midwest
    $2,662,918
    other Annualized average gross sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 53
    +2 more groups in the full report
    Golden Corral
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Small
    $3,698,944
    other Table1 Small 2025 Average Gross Sales dollars
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 71
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Nontraditional
    $4,475,585
    other Table1 Nontraditional 2025 Average Gross Sales dollars
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 71
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Metro
    $1,884,452
    other Table1 Metro Average Food Cost dollars
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 71
    +6 more groups in the full report

    Item 19 groups are shown separately and never combined. Revenue or sales figures are not profit. Net outlet change and turnover are Franopolis calculations from the disclosed counts; turnover is a count-based rate, not a measure of owner earnings.

    Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar vs Golden Corral: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar or Golden Corral?
    Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar: $616,682 – $5,822,933 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Golden Corral: $2,237,950 – $6,162,930 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar and Golden Corral royalties compare?
    Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar: 4% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15); Golden Corral: 4% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar or Golden Corral?
    Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar: 1,480 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 54); Golden Corral: 348 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 80). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar and Golden Corral disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar has reviewed Item 19 figures for 5 location groups; Golden Corral has reviewed Item 19 figures for 9 location groups. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

    Answers restate the reviewed figures above. Not a ranking or recommendation.

    How Franopolis reviews FDD figures

    Keep researching

    Full Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

    Full Golden Corral report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

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