Start a Buffalo's Cafe Franchise in 2026

Franchise 500 Rank: N/R Not ranked last year

Initial investment: $857K - $2.9M

Units as of 2025: 12 14% over 3 years

When Buffalo’s Cafe first opened its doors in 1985 in Roswell, Georgia, the founders probably didn’t believe just how far it would grow over the years. Founded on the basic principles of a family business, which were fresh ingredients and tasty menu items, this restaurant continues to dish up wings, sauces, and other menu items that are a hit with their growing consumer base.

Since beginning to franchise in 1990, Buffalo’s Cafe has opened several locations and has maintained a successful business for multiple decades.

Why You May Want To Start a Buffalo’s Cafe Franchise

Buffalo’s Cafe signature is found in its buffalo wings and wide selection of over one dozen distinctive sauces. However, they not only serve wings, but have a host of menu items, including burgers, salads, steaks, and a host of classic American foods. It franchises under the FAT Brands Inc. family.

Buffalo’s Cafe themes its dining concept around family. Therefore it would be great if a potential franchisee holds family values close to their heart. Additionally, franchisees should be good team players with a knack to learning on the job. Customer service is also a key asset to have as a potential franchisee.

A franchisee should be prepared to synergize with the family concept and bring their A-game to the business. A franchisee will be part of a vibrant business; they should be ready to keep up.

What Might Make a Buffalo’s Cafe Franchise a Good Choice?

Buffalo’s Cafe prides itself on its buffalo wings. The consistent size, flavor, and texture have been the backbone behind their success over all these years. The founders claim that “they made wings a thing, and now, wings are their thing.”

If you are also keen on investing in international markets, then this may just be the right opportunity for you. Buffalo’s Cafe’s parent company, FAT Brands Inc., is looking to venture into more international markets as well as domestic markets.

To be part of Buffalo’s Cafe franchise team, you should make sure you’re financially ready for an initial investment made up of a franchise fee and other startup costs. In addition, you should prepare yourself for ongoing fees that will include advertising, royalty, and potential renewal fees. Franchisees will also need to meet the company’s set net worth and liquid capital requirements.

How To Open a Buffalo’s Cafe Franchise

Before making any financial commitment or signing an agreement with Buffalo’s Cafe, you must perform your due diligence and establish if this is the right opportunity for you. As part of your due diligence, you may want to speak to existing franchisees and ask the Buffalo’s Cafe franchising team questions.

Buffalo’s Cafe offers franchisees support in operation, architecture and design, equipment selection, training, and recruitment support. A franchisee will also not be left in the dark concerning advertising and marketing, as well as purchasing support. When you are ready to open your doors to the public, the franchise team will be at hand to ensure that your location has the potential to succeed.

Company Overview

About Buffalo's Cafe

Industry	Food
Related Categories	Miscellaneous Full-Service Restaurants, Chicken
Founded	1985
Parent Company	FAT Brands Inc.
Leadership	Taylor Wiederhorn, Chief Development Officer
Corporate Address	9720 Wilshire Blvd., #500 Beverly Hills, CA 90212
Social	Facebook, Instagram, TikTok

Business Overview

Franchising Since	1990 (36 years)
# of employees at HQ	335
Where seeking	This company is offering new franchises throughout the US. This company is offering new franchises worldwide.
# of Units	12 (as of 2025)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Buffalo's Cafe franchise.

Financial Requirements & Ongoing Fees

Here's what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.

Initial Franchise Fee Definition: The initial fee paid to a franchisor to join their system What you need to know: Found in Item 5 of the FDD, this may be a flat fee, or may vary based on territory size, experience, or other factors.The franchise fee is an up-front (one-time) cost that a new franchisee pays to the franchisor. This fee is usually due at the signing of the franchise agreement and covers the right to use the franchisor's trademarks, name, and related business systems.	$50,000
Initial Investment Definition: The total amount necessary to begin operation of the franchise What you need to know: The initial investment includes the franchise fee, along with other startup expenses such as real estate, equipment, supplies, business licenses, and working capital. This is outlined in a chart in Item 7 of the FDD, showing a range of possible costs from low to high.	$857,300 - $2,930,600
Net Worth Requirement Definition: The minimum net worth you must have in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company What you need to know: Net worth is the value of a person's assets minus liabilities. Assets include cash, stocks, retirement accounts, and real estate. Liabilities include items like mortgages, car payments, and credit card debt.	$1,500,000
Cash Requirement Definition: The minimum liquid capital you must have available in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company.	$500,000
Royalty Fee Definition: A ongoing fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis. What you need to know: Most franchisors require franchisees to pay an ongoing royalty fee, which is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD. This fee is typically a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales, but may also be a flat weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	6%
Ad Royalty Fee Definition: An going fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis to support advertising or marketing efforts. What you need to know: This may also be called advertising fee, marketing fee, brand fund fee, and more, but the basic purpose is the same-- to support promotion of the brand systemwide. As with the royalty fee, it is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD, and can be a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales or a weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	2%
Term of Agreement Definition: The length of time your franchise agreement will last. What you need to know: Franchise terms are typically anywhere from 5 to 20 years in length, but are sometimes instead dependent on factors such as the term of your lease. Once your term is up, you may have the option to renew your agreement, typically for a smaller fee than the original franchise fee.	15 years
Is franchise term renewable?	Yes

Financing Options

Some franchisors offer in-house financing, while others have relationships with third-party financing sources to which they refer qualified franchisees.

Third Party Financing	Buffalo's Cafe has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: startup costs, equipment, inventory, accounts receivable, payroll

Training & Support Offered

Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.

On-The-Job Training	76 hours
Classroom Training	24 hours
Ongoing Support	Purchasing Co-ops Meetings & Conventions Grand Opening Online Support Security & Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Support	Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social Media Website Development Email Marketing

Operations

Additional details about running this franchise.

Is absentee ownership allowed?	No
Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit? Definition: The business can be run from your home and/or a vehicle, and it is not necessary to have a retail facility, office space, or warehouse.	No
Can this franchise be run part time? Definition: This business can be run by the owner on a part-time basis (less than 40 hours per week) and/or as a side business; it is not necessary for the business to be open/run full-time.	No
# of employees required to run	15-30
Are exclusive territories available? Definition: An exclusive territory is a fixed area in which you are given the right to operate and in which no other units of the same franchise may be opened. What you need to know: Territory size may be based on factors such as radius, population size, zip codes, and more. Details can be found in Item 12 of the FDD.	Yes