Franchise opportunities compared
CHARLEYS vs Little Caesars
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.
Initial investment · Item 7
CHARLEYS
$203,736 – $984,732
2025 FDD · Item 7Little Caesars
$376,500 – $1,769,200
2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 29Initial franchise fee · Item 5
CHARLEYS
Not available
Little Caesars
$20,000
2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 15Royalty · Item 6
CHARLEYS
6%
2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12Little Caesars
6%
2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18Before you compare
- CHARLEYS figures come from its 2025 FDD and Little Caesars figures from its 2026 FDD, so the years differ.
- CHARLEYS discloses more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
- Only CHARLEYS has reviewed Item 19 figures here.
Financial commitment
CHARLEYS
Little CaesarsCHARLEYS
Little Caesars
CHARLEYS
Little Caesars
CHARLEYS
Little Caesars
CHARLEYS
Little Caesars
System scale & health
CHARLEYSLittle CaesarsCHARLEYS
Little Caesars
CHARLEYS
Little Caesars
CHARLEYS
Little Caesars
CHARLEYS
Little Caesars
CHARLEYS
Little Caesars
Financial performance (Item 19), by location group
CHARLEYSLittle CaesarsNot disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation
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.
CHARLEYS vs Little Caesars: common questions
- Which costs less to open, CHARLEYS or Little Caesars?
- CHARLEYS: $203,736 – $984,732 (2025 FDD · Item 7); Little Caesars: $376,500 – $1,769,200 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 29). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for CHARLEYS. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
- How do CHARLEYS and Little Caesars royalties compare?
- CHARLEYS: 6% (2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12); Little Caesars: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
- Which has more locations, CHARLEYS or Little Caesars?
- CHARLEYS: 813 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 49); Little Caesars: 4,374 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 74). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
- Do CHARLEYS and Little Caesars disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- CHARLEYS has reviewed Item 19 figures for 1 location group; Little Caesars makes no Item 19 financial performance representation. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.
Answers restate the reviewed figures above. Not a ranking or recommendation.
Keep researching
Full CHARLEYS report
Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure
Full Little Caesars report
Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure
