Franchise opportunities compared
Doner Shack Franchising vs Hickory River Smokehouse
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.
Before you compare
- Doner Shack Franchising figures come from its 2025 FDD and Hickory River Smokehouse figures from its 2026 FDD, so the years differ.
- Hickory River Smokehouse discloses more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
- Only Hickory River Smokehouse has reviewed Item 19 figures here.
| Disclosure |  Doner Shack Franchising |  Hickory River Smokehouse |
|---|---|---|
| Financial commitment | ||
| Estimated initial investment (Item 7) | $498,000 Total 2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 17 | $315,000 – $1,084,500 2026 FDD · Item 7 |
| Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5) | $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 | $30,000 2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 8 |
| Royalty (Item 6) | 6% of gross sales Royalty 2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13 | $5.00 Royalty Fee — 5% 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 8 |
| Brand / advertising fund (Item 6) | 0% of gross sales Brand Fund Contribution 2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13 | $3.00 National Marketing Fee — 3% 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 8 |
| System scale & health | ||
| Total outlets (Item 20) | 0 Outlets at end of 2024 2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 48 | 5 Outlets at end of 2025 2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 34 |
| Net outlet change (Item 20) | +0 Calculated: 0 at end of 2022 → 0 at end of 2024 | −1 Calculated: 6 at end of 2023 → 5 at end of 2025 |
| Outlet exits (Item 20) | Not available No complete exit records for a year | Not available No complete exit records for a year |
| Franchising since (Item 1) | 2024 2025 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 9 | Not available Not in reviewed records |
| Franchisor founded (Item 1) | 2020 2025 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 9 | Not available Not in reviewed records |
| Performance (Item 19) | ||
| Financial performance (Item 19), by location group | Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation | Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record $1,536,579 other Revenue · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 33 |
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.