Start a Church's Texas Chicken Franchise in 2026

Company Overview

About Church's Texas Chicken

Industry	Food
Related Categories	Chicken
Founded	1952
Parent Company	Cajun Global LLC
Leadership	Roland Gonzalez, CEO
Corporate Address	980 Hammond Dr., #1100 Atlanta, GA 30328
Social	Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram

Business Overview

Franchising Since	1969 (57 years)
# of employees at HQ	100
Where seeking	This company is offering new franchises throughout the US. This company is offering new franchises worldwide.
# of Units	1,474 (as of 2025)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Church's Texas Chicken 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.	$20,000
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.	$644,366 - $1,808,972
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.	$500,000
Cash Requirement Definition: The minimum liquid capital you must have available in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company.	$250,000
Veteran Incentives Definition: A discount or other incentive offered to military veterans who buy a franchise with this company.	50% off franchise fee
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.	5%
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.	5%
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.	20 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	Church's Texas Chicken has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: startup costs, equipment, inventory

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	116-154 hours
Classroom Training	13-17 hours
Ongoing Support	Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings & Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security & Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Support	Co-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social Media SEO Email Marketing Loyalty Program/App

Operations

Additional details about running this franchise.

Is absentee ownership allowed?	Yes
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	4
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

Franchise 500 Ranking History

Compare where Church's Texas Chicken landed on this year's Franchise 500 Ranking versus previous years.

Additional Rankings

Curious to know where Church's Texas Chicken ranked on other franchise lists? Find out below.

Ranked #335 in 2026

Franchise 500

Ranked #116 in 2025

Top Global Franchises

Ranked #106 in 2025

Top Food Franchises

Hatching its beginnings back in 1952 by George W. Church Sr., Church's Chicken franchise first started in San Antonio, Texas. Church's Chicken is a chain of fast-food restaurants that serves various chicken dishes like chicken nuggets, chicken tender strips, and french fries, among others.

Church's Chicken is now headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The brand started franchising restaurants in 1969 and has more than 1,000 units today. The Church's Chicken restaurants are located in high-traffic commercial ventures like malls, convenience stores, sales plazas, and tertiary institutions.

The Church's Chicken restaurants are drive-in, but also offer delivery and can cater for large events. In some cases, there are sit-in locations available. All of the above options depend on financing, franchisee preferences, and brand availability.

Why You May Want to Operate a Church's Chicken Franchise

Church's Chicken has been operational for over 50 years, so when you franchise with the brand, you are opening a restaurant with a plethora of experience. The Church's Chicken franchise may help franchisees grow by sharing their existing values.

Besides sharing core values, Church's Chicken helps with site selection for a new restaurant and provides almost all of the necessary training for operations. The Church's Chicken franchise will help you pick a convenient location for customers to ensure constant patronization and possible long-term growth.

What Might Make a Church's Chicken Franchise a Good Choice?

To be part of the Church's Chicken team, you should make sure you are 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, or renewal fees. It may be a good idea to check in with an attorney or financial advisor to ensure that you are financially sound enough to begin and operate a Church’s Chicken franchise. Franchisees will also need to meet the company's set net worth and liquid capital requirements.

The Church's Chicken franchise strives to optimize growth by creating loyal customers and reliable services. Their food menus are simple, and they have an in-house real estate team and construction program to reduce the cost of setting up a new location. Additionally, franchisees can purchase an existing location that can easily be converted to restaurants, potentially saving the franchisee money.

How to Open a Church's Chicken Franchise

As you decide if opening a Church's Chicken franchise is right for you, make sure you take time to explore the opportunity. Research the brand and your local area to see if a franchise location would do well in your community. While competition is healthy, too much of it may not allow for the most possible growth.

Additionally, before making any financial commitment or signing an agreement, you must perform your due diligence and establish if this is the right opportunity for you.

Suppose you are chosen to start the process of opening a Church’s Chicken franchise. In that case, you should be allowed to speak to existing franchisees and ask the Church's Chicken team questions at the company discovery day and various interviews.

To get started, check out Church's Chicken and submit an inquiry form!

More from Church's Texas Chicken

CHURCH’S TEXAS CHICKEN®: A LEGACY BRAND BUILT FOR FRANCHISE GROWTH

Founded in 1952 by George W. Church Sr. in San Antonio, Texas, Church’s Texas Chicken® has grown from a single neighborhood restaurant into one of the world’s most recognized quick-service chicken brands. With more than 70 years of heritage, the brand has earned a loyal following by delivering bold flavor, craveable comfort food and exceptional value — day after day, market after market.

Now headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Church’s Texas Chicken® began franchising in 1969 and has since expanded to more than 1,400 restaurants globally. Its long-standing franchise model, operational expertise and scalable footprint have made Church’s Texas Chicken® a trusted growth platform for entrepreneurs seeking both stability and opportunity.

Restaurants are strategically located in high-traffic commercial corridors, including malls, convenience stores, sales plazas and tertiary institutions — allowing franchisees flexibility to meet the needs of their local communities.

^{*This is the average annualized gross sales of the top quartile of domestic free-standing Company and Franchised Restaurants with drive-thrus from 2024. As of December 31, 2024, there were 588 domestic, free-standing Restaurants with drive-thrus. The Top Quartile was derived from 576 domestic, free-standing Restaurants, excluding 112 Franchised Restaurants in Puerto Rico and 12 Franchised Restaurants that were not open for at least 26 weeks or Restaurants classified as C-Stores. See Item 19 of the Franchise Disclosure Document for more information.}

A FLEXIBLE MODEL DESIGNED FOR TODAY’S OPERATORS

Church’s Texas Chicken® offers a variety of restaurant formats, including drive-thru-focused locations, delivery-enabled kitchens and select dine-in restaurants. Many locations are also equipped to support large catering orders, opening additional revenue streams beyond everyday transactions.

Store format options are determined by market dynamics, franchisee goals, site availability and financing structure, allowing operators to pursue growth with a model tailored to their business strategy.

WHY ENTREPRENEURS CHOOSE CHURCH’S TEXAS CHICKEN®

Franchising with Church’s Texas Chicken® means aligning with a brand that combines legacy strength with modern operational discipline. Franchisees benefit from decades of experience, proven systems and a brand culture rooted in consistency, quality and community connection.

Church’s Texas Chicken® supports franchise owners with:

• Comprehensive training programs covering operations, food safety and business management

• Real estate and site selection support, helping identify locations positioned for long-term success

• An in-house development and construction program designed to streamline build-outs and control costs

• Marketing and brand support focused on driving traffic, building loyalty and sustaining demand

This end-to-end support structure allows franchisees to focus on what matters most: running great restaurants and growing profitable businesses.

A FRANCHISE MODEL BUILT FOR SMART GROWTH

Church’s Texas Chicken® is purpose-built for scalability. The menu is intentionally focused, helping operators manage food costs, simplify training and maintain consistency across locations. Franchisees also have the opportunity to convert existing restaurant spaces, which may reduce upfront development costs and accelerate time to opening.

To protect the long-term health of the system, prospective franchisees must meet net worth and liquid capital requirements, along with paying an initial franchise fee and ongoing royalty and marketing contributions. As with any franchise investment, candidates are encouraged to consult legal and financial advisors to ensure alignment with their business goals.

IS A CHURCH’S TEXAS CHICKEN® FRANCHISE RIGHT FOR YOU?

Successful Church’s Texas Chicken® franchisees are typically hands-on operators or experienced multi-unit owners who understand their local markets and are committed to operational excellence. While competition can signal demand, thoughtful market analysis is essential to identify territories with the strongest potential for sustainable growth.

Before moving forward, candidates are expected to conduct thorough due diligence, including reviewing the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) and evaluating how the opportunity fits their long-term plans.

Qualified candidates will have the opportunity to:

• Engage directly with the Church’s Texas Chicken® development team

• Speak with existing franchisees about their experiences

• Participate in discovery days and interviews to ensure mutual alignment

TAKE THE FIRST STEP TOWARD FRANCHISE OWNERSHIP

Church’s Texas Chicken® offers entrepreneurs the chance to build a business backed by a time-tested brand, proven systems and a growth-oriented support team. For those seeking a franchise opportunity with both heritage and momentum, Church’s Texas Chicken® stands apart.

To learn more and begin the conversation, submit a franchise inquiry today.

Disclaimer

The information on this page is not intended as an endorsement or recommendation of any particular franchise or business opportunity by Entrepreneur Media. Our listings and rankings are solely research tools you can use to compare opportunities. Entrepreneur stresses that you should always conduct your own independent investigation before investing in a franchise or business opportunity. That should include reviewing the company's legal documents, consulting with an attorney and an accountant, and talking to former and current franchisees/licensees/dealers.

Updated: December 12th, 2022

For reprints and licensing questions, click here.

Update Your Listing | Submit New Listing