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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Culver Franchising System vs Wingstop

    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.

    Culver Franchising System2026 FDDWingstop2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Culver Franchising System

    $3,406,350 – $10,294,100

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 15

    Wingstop

    $310,400 – $1,048,500

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 22

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Culver Franchising System

    Not available

    Wingstop

    $25,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 13

    Royalty · Item 6

    Culver Franchising System

    Not available

    Wingstop

    6%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Item 19 figures cover the location groups each FDD names (Culver Franchising System: 45, Wingstop: 5). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Culver Franchising System

    $3,406,350 – $10,294,100
    Totals
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 15

    Wingstop

    $310,400 – $1,048,500
    Total initial investment, excluding real estate
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 22
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Culver Franchising System

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified

    Wingstop

    $25,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 13
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Culver Franchising System

    Not available
    No reviewed royalty record

    Wingstop

    6%
    Royalty
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Culver Franchising System

    2.5%
    Advertising Fee — 2.5%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13

    Wingstop

    $5,000
    Transfer marketing expenditure
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 19

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Culver Franchising System

    1,041
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 46

    Wingstop

    2,586
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 67
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Culver Franchising System

    +149
    Calculated: 892 at end of 2022 → 1,041 at end of 2025

    Wingstop

    +660
    Calculated: 1,926 at end of 2023 → 2,586 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Culver Franchising System

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Wingstop

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

    Culver Franchising System

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Wingstop

    1997
    From a verified franchisor listing
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Culver Franchising System

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Wingstop

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Culver Franchising System
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchised Culver’s Restaurants open for the entire 12-month period ended Decem…
    $1,103,114
    other Lowest sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 37
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Seven company-owned Culver’s Restaurants open for the full 12-month period ende…
    $7,801,703
    other Food cost
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 38
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchised Culver’s Restaurants included in Part 2 and open for the entire 12-m…
    $9,030,702
    other Highest sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 41
    +42 more groups in the full report
    Wingstop
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — All Wingstop Restaurants in the U.S. open entire 2025 Measured Period, franchis…
    55 restaurants
    other Systemwide WRI-owned count
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 65
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — WRI-owned Wingstop Restaurants open entire 2025 Measured Period
    $4,038,428
    other WRI-owned highest annual net sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 66
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchised Wingstop Restaurants open entire 2025 Measured Period
    $1,890,866
    other Franchised median annual net sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 65
    +2 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.

    Culver Franchising System vs Wingstop: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Culver Franchising System or Wingstop?
    Culver Franchising System: $3,406,350 – $10,294,100 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 15); Wingstop: $310,400 – $1,048,500 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 22). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Wingstop. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    Which has more locations, Culver Franchising System or Wingstop?
    Culver Franchising System: 1,041 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 46); Wingstop: 2,586 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 67). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Culver Franchising System and Wingstop disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Culver Franchising System has reviewed Item 19 figures for 45 location groups; Wingstop has reviewed Item 19 figures for 5 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

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    Full Culver Franchising System report

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

    Full Wingstop report

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

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