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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken vs Happy Joe

    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.

    Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken2026 FDDHappy Joe2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken

    $305,500 – $518,000

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 15

    Happy Joe

    $322,862 – $546,643

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken

    $35,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 11

    Happy Joe

    $40,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 11

    Royalty · Item 6

    Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken

    6.5%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11

    Happy Joe

    6%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Happy Joe discloses more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Only Happy Joe has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken

    $305,500 – $518,000
    Single restaurant — Total initial investment: $305,500 $518,000
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 15

    Happy Joe

    $322,862 – $546,643
    2026 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken

    $35,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 11

    Happy Joe

    $40,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 11
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken

    6.5%
    Royalty fee
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11

    Happy Joe

    6%
    Royalty fee
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken

    2%
    Advertising fee maximum rate — 2%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11

    Happy Joe

    2%
    Future advertising fee range if HJNFB terminated — high end — 2%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken

    95
    Outlets at end of 2024
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 34

    Happy Joe

    32
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 22
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken

    +73
    Calculated: 22 at end of 2022 → 95 at end of 2024

    Happy Joe

    +32
    Calculated: 0 at end of 2022 → 32 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Happy Joe

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

    Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Happy Joe

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

    Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Happy Joe

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken

    Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation

    Happy Joe
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Affiliate-owned full-size HAPPY JOE’S Restaurant — Bettendorf location, kept se…
    $973,003
    other Bettendorf
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 41
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — West 50th affiliate-owned full-size HAPPY JOE’S Restaurant; period October 1, 2…
    $477,680
    other West 50th
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 41
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Full-Size HAPPY JOE’S Restaurants that operated for at least the last nine mont…
    10 stores
    other Full-Size Restaurants
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 42
    +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.

    Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken vs Happy Joe: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken or Happy Joe?
    Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken: $305,500 – $518,000 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 15); Happy Joe: $322,862 – $546,643 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken and Happy Joe royalties compare?
    Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken: 6.5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11); Happy Joe: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken or Happy Joe?
    Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken: 95 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 34); Happy Joe: 32 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 22). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken and Happy Joe disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; Happy Joe 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 Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken report

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

    Full Happy Joe report

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

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