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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Doner Shack Franchising vs DQ Grill Chill

    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.

    Doner Shack Franchising2025 FDDDQ Grill Chill2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Doner Shack Franchising

    $498,000

    2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 17

    DQ Grill Chill

    $250,000 – $1,200,000

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 30

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Doner Shack Franchising

    $40,000

    2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 12

    DQ Grill Chill

    $10,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 21

    Royalty · Item 6

    Doner Shack Franchising

    6% of gross sales

    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13

    DQ Grill Chill

    4%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 26

    Before you compare

    • Doner Shack Franchising figures come from its 2025 FDD and DQ Grill Chill figures from its 2026 FDD, so the years differ.
    • Only DQ Grill Chill has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Doner Shack Franchising

    $498,000
    Total
    2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 17

    DQ Grill Chill

    $250,000 – $1,200,000
    If you purchase land, your investment for land generally will range from — $250000
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 30
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Doner Shack Franchising

    $40,000
    Honorably discharged veterans who meet the qualifications receive a 20% discount on their first franchise fee.
    2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 12

    DQ Grill Chill

    $10,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 21
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Doner Shack Franchising

    6% of gross sales
    Royalty
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13

    DQ Grill Chill

    4%
    be the mid-point between the continuing license fee in effect for years 1-5 and — 4%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 26
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Doner Shack Franchising

    0% of gross sales
    Brand Fund Contribution
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13

    DQ Grill Chill

    Not available
    No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Doner Shack Franchising

    0
    Outlets at end of 2024
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 48

    DQ Grill Chill

    Not available
    No reviewed outlet counts
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Doner Shack Franchising

    +0
    Calculated: 0 at end of 2022 → 0 at end of 2024

    DQ Grill Chill

    Not available
    Only one year reported
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Doner Shack Franchising

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    DQ Grill Chill

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

    Doner Shack Franchising

    2024
    2025 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 9

    DQ Grill Chill

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

    Doner Shack Franchising

    2020
    2025 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 9

    DQ Grill Chill

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Doner Shack Franchising

    Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation

    DQ Grill Chill
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Schedule A restaurants
    110 units
    other Schedule A restaurants excluded from Schedule B 2024
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 69
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Schedule A: newly constructed freestanding, franchisee-owned and operated DQ Gr…
    $3,135,208
    other aurants Meeting or Exceeding the Average 45% 44% 42% 44% High Annual Gross Sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 66
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Schedule B subset: restaurants with usable franchisee P&Ls for the year
    31.76 percent
    other Sales 157 $1,410,815 $3,135,532 $1,376,354 $650,772 70 45%
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 67
    +20 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.

    Doner Shack Franchising vs DQ Grill Chill: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Doner Shack Franchising or DQ Grill Chill?
    Doner Shack Franchising: $498,000 (2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 17); DQ Grill Chill: $250,000 – $1,200,000 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 30). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for DQ Grill Chill. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Doner Shack Franchising and DQ Grill Chill royalties compare?
    Doner Shack Franchising: 6% of gross sales (2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13); DQ Grill Chill: 4% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 26). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Do Doner Shack Franchising and DQ Grill Chill disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Doner Shack Franchising makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; DQ Grill Chill has reviewed Item 19 figures for 23 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 Doner Shack Franchising report

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

    Full DQ Grill Chill report

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

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