Franopolis
    vs

    Franchise opportunities compared

    Church’s Chicken vs Cousins Maine Lobster

    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.

    Church’s Chicken2025 FDDCousins Maine Lobster2025 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Church’s Chicken

    $1,114,650 – $1,636,300

    2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 25

    Cousins Maine Lobster

    $193,500 – $651,200

    2025 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Church’s Chicken

    $20,000

    2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 17

    Cousins Maine Lobster

    Not available

    Royalty · Item 6

    Church’s Chicken

    5%

    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 19

    Cousins Maine Lobster

    8%

    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2025 FDDs.
    • Cousins Maine Lobster discloses more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Only Cousins Maine Lobster has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Church’s Chicken

    $1,114,650 – $1,636,300
    Estimated initial investment, Blaze Compact model
    2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 25

    Cousins Maine Lobster

    $193,500 – $651,200
    2025 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Church’s Chicken

    $20,000
    2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 17

    Cousins Maine Lobster

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Church’s Chicken

    5%
    Royalty fee
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 19

    Cousins Maine Lobster

    8%
    Royalty rate
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Church’s Chicken

    Not available
    No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee

    Cousins Maine Lobster

    2%
    Advertising Fund Contribution cap — 2%
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Church’s Chicken

    873
    Outlets at end of 2024
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 62

    Cousins Maine Lobster

    146
    Outlets at end of 2024
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 49
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Church’s Chicken

    −52
    Calculated: 925 at end of 2022 → 873 at end of 2024

    Cousins Maine Lobster

    +58
    Calculated: 88 at end of 2022 → 146 at end of 2024
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Church’s Chicken

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Cousins Maine Lobster

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

    Church’s Chicken

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Cousins Maine Lobster

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

    Church’s Chicken

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Cousins Maine Lobster

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Church’s Chicken

    No reviewed Item 19 figures

    Cousins Maine Lobster
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchised Food Trucks open and operating for the full 12-month period in 2024,…
    $132,973
    other Monthly Sales
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 47
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — affiliate-owned units
    50 percent
    other Percentage at or Above Average
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 48
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Cousins Maine Lobster Food Trucks owned by franchisees that operated for a full…
    $102,689
    other Table 1 Food Truck #1
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 46
    +7 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.

    Church’s Chicken vs Cousins Maine Lobster: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Church’s Chicken or Cousins Maine Lobster?
    Church’s Chicken: $1,114,650 – $1,636,300 (2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 25); Cousins Maine Lobster: $193,500 – $651,200 (2025 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Cousins Maine Lobster. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Church’s Chicken and Cousins Maine Lobster royalties compare?
    Church’s Chicken: 5% (2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 19); Cousins Maine Lobster: 8% (2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, Church’s Chicken or Cousins Maine Lobster?
    Church’s Chicken: 873 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 62); Cousins Maine Lobster: 146 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 49). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Church’s Chicken and Cousins Maine Lobster disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Church’s Chicken has no reviewed Item 19 figures on file; Cousins Maine Lobster has reviewed Item 19 figures for 10 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 Church’s Chicken report

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

    Full Cousins Maine Lobster report

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

    Compare Church’s Chicken with

    Compare Cousins Maine Lobster with

    Add a third brand

    Compare up to four side by side

    Explore by brand

    Filter every published report

    FDD glossary

    Plain-language meaning of each Item