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Franchise 500 Rank
N/R Not ranked last year
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Initial investment
$482K - $4.5M
Units as of 2020
125 Decrease

Company Overview

After 25 years spent sampling barbecue across the country and developing his own sauce recipes and smoking techniques, Dave Anderson opened the first Famous Dave's BBQ Shack in Hayward, Wisconsin, in 1994. His Rich & Sassy sauce won first place in 1995 at the American Royal Barbecue Sauce Contest in Kansas City, Missouri. More awards, and more restaurants, followed, and franchising began in 1998.

About Famous Dave's

Industry Food
Related Categories Miscellaneous Full-Service Restaurants
Founded 1995
Parent Company BBQ Holdings Inc.
Leadership Al Hank, SVP, Operations
Corporate Address 12701 Whitewater Dr., #190
Minnetonka, MN 55343
Social Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube

Business Overview

Franchising Since 1998 (26 years)
# of employees at HQ 60
Where seeking

This company is offering new franchises throughout the US.

This company is offering new franchises worldwide.

# of Units 125 (as of 2020)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Famous Dave's 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 Information Circle
$45,000
Initial Investment Information Circle
$481,750 - $4,495,750
Net Worth Requirement Information Circle
$1,000,000 - $1,500,000
Cash Requirement Information Circle
$500,000 - $750,000
Royalty Fee Information Circle
5%
Ad Royalty Fee Information Circle
1%
Term of Agreement Information Circle
10 years
Is franchise term renewable? Yes
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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 Famous Dave's has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: franchise fee, 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 280 hours
Classroom Training 75 hours
Ongoing Support
Purchasing Co-ops
Newsletter
Meetings & Conventions
Toll-Free Line
Grand Opening
Online Support
Security & Safety Procedures
Lease Negotiation
Field Operations
Site Selection
Proprietary Software
Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Support
Co-op Advertising
Ad Templates
National Media
Regional Advertising
Social Media
SEO
Website Development
Email Marketing
Loyalty Program/App

Operations

Additional details about running this franchise.

Is absentee ownership allowed? No
Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit? Information Circle
No
Can this franchise be run part time? Information Circle
No
# of employees required to run 65
Are exclusive territories available? Information Circle
No
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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