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    Franchise opportunities compared

    DQ Grill Chill 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.

    DQ Grill Chill2026 FDDLittle Caesars2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    DQ Grill Chill

    $250,000 – $1,200,000

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 30

    Little Caesars

    Not available

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    DQ Grill Chill

    $10,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 21

    Little Caesars

    $20,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 15

    Royalty · Item 6

    DQ Grill Chill

    4%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 26

    Little Caesars

    6%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Only DQ Grill Chill has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    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

    Little Caesars

    Not available
    No reviewed Item 7 total
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    DQ Grill Chill

    $10,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 21

    Little Caesars

    $20,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 15
    Royalty (Item 6)

    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

    Little Caesars

    6%
    Weekly royalty greater of 6% of Gross Sales or $300
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    DQ Grill Chill

    Not available
    No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee

    Little Caesars

    7%
    Advertising fee up to 7% of Gross Sales — 7%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    DQ Grill Chill

    Not available
    No reviewed outlet counts

    Little Caesars

    4,374
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 74
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    DQ Grill Chill

    Not available
    Only one year reported

    Little Caesars

    +3,799
    Calculated: 575 at end of 2023 → 4,374 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    DQ Grill Chill

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Little Caesars

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

    DQ Grill Chill

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Little Caesars

    1962
    From a verified franchisor listing
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    DQ Grill Chill

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Little Caesars

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    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
    Little Caesars

    Not 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.

    DQ Grill Chill vs Little Caesars: common questions

    How do DQ Grill Chill and Little Caesars royalties compare?
    DQ Grill Chill: 4% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 26); Little Caesars: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Do DQ Grill Chill and Little Caesars disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    DQ Grill Chill has reviewed Item 19 figures for 23 location groups; 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.

    How Franopolis reviews FDD figures

    Keep researching

    Full DQ Grill Chill 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

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