Biscuit Belly isn’t just beloved for its tasty, homemade biscuits and warm Southern charm. Franchisees also appreciate the brand’s efficient operations, strong average sales and its ability to hit that sweet spot where fried chicken, brunch and fast-casual dining all meet. For those looking for a business with strong return potential that doesn’t take over your entire life, Biscuit Belly is a smart choice.
“It’s a lifestyle business that still drives great revenue,” said Chad Coulter, founder and CEO of Biscuit Belly. “Brunch is hot. This concept combines three growing segments all under one roof.”
The total initial investment to open a Biscuit Belly franchise includes several core expenses: franchise fees, buildout costs, kitchen equipment and working capital. The total initial investment ranges from $824,000 to $1,341,500. The brand’s Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) breaks the costs down as follows*:
| Type of Expenditure | Min | Max |
| Initial Franchise Fee | $40,000 | $40,000 |
| Lease Review | $0 | $2,000 |
| Leasehold Improvements | $350,000 | $650,000 |
Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment | $275,000 | $350,000 |
Architect and Engineering Fees | $10,000 | $20,000 |
Signage, Interior and Restaurant Graphics | $20,000 | $30,000 |
Three Month’s Rent and Security Deposit | $19,000 | $34,000 |
| Utility Deposits and Fees | $500 | $3,000 |
| Alcohol Permits | $3,500 | $35,000 |
Opening Inventory and Supplies | $12,000 | $15,000 |
| Computer System | $5,000 | $7,500 |
| Merchandise | $5,000 | $7,000 |
| Smallwares | $25,000 | $30,000 |
Grand Opening Advertising | $15,000 | $20,000 |
| Training Expenses | $5,000 | $40,000 |
Miscellaneous Opening Costs | $5,000 | $10,000 |
| Professional Fees | $2,000 | $5,000 |
Insurance Premiums (3 Months) | $2,000 | $3,000 |
Additional Funds (3 Months) | $30,000 | $40,000 |
The Biscuit Belly system is designed to create strong returns. In fact, the franchise’s target AUV is more than $1.5 million annually, with top-performing stores exceeding that number. **
“Our top 50% of locations are averaging about $1.6 million,” Coulter said. “We have consistently grown that and continue to get better with better locations, better training teams, more support for operations and better PR. We are doing it very differently now than we have in previous years and the stores that we open year over year continue to get better and better from those store volumes.” **
Though the brand doesn’t publicly disclose a specific breakeven timeline, the combination of strong sales and controlled operational costs suggests a promising return profile for experienced operators.
One of Biscuit Belly’s most powerful financial differentiators is its single-shift labor model. Operating primarily from early morning to early afternoon, franchisees benefit from a more manageable staffing structure and simplified scheduling.
“It makes your staff much smaller and much more manageable,” Coulter said. “You have a set of employees who are there for the entire shift. There’s no shift change, no menu change.”
In addition to reducing labor costs, this model also improves employee morale and retention. By offering stable daytime hours, Biscuit Belly appeals to working parents and individuals who prefer a more consistent lifestyle.
“We get some people that work two jobs,” said Coulter. “They love having a daytime gig that they can come to and work a few hours before they go to their second. You have a smaller, more intimate and cohesive staff.”
In a time when rising labor and food costs can crush margins, Biscuit Belly’s smaller footprint and efficient model stand out. “We’re a smaller footprint than most breakfast brands, and we’re fast-casual,” said Coulter. “We can stack up to a lot of the larger footprint restaurants and do about the same sales in a smaller space with fewer staff.”
That efficiency also means lower overhead and greater potential for scalability. The brand is actively expanding with both corporate and franchise locations, and its ownership team has skin in the game.
“We are not a 100% franchised system, so when egg prices go up — which they have been — and chicken goes up, we feel that too,” Coulter said. “Thus we are incentivized to do something about it. I spend a lot of my time on finding better deals on products and figuring out how to make our menu more profitable.”
Biscuit Belly’s operating hours offer another layer of appeal for franchise owners. “You're never working a night, unless you are doing some sort of event, ” Coulter said.
The brand also has a strong catering program and growing off-premise sales, which add new revenue streams without requiring new dayparts or labor shifts. Plus, Biscuit Belly’s Instagram-worthy food and playful interior design create powerful organic marketing.
“We always say the camera eats first,” Coulter said. “People taking their phones out, taking pictures and posting them on social media gives us a lot of word of mouth.”
For existing franchise owners looking to diversify without cannibalizing their other concepts, Biscuit Belly offers a complementary opportunity.
“This brand and the daypart are a good complement to other franchise brands,” said Coulter. “If you don’t want to compete with yourself for lunch or dinner, it fits well. We’ve seen franchisees give opportunities to people they want to promote — who maybe have kids or can’t work late — almost like an owner-operator model.”
Whether you're an experienced restaurateur looking to expand your portfolio or a seasoned franchisee seeking a complementary brand, Biscuit Belly offers a promising combination of operational simplicity and financial upside. With a streamlined labor model, strong AUVs and growing brand momentum, it’s no surprise more investors are jumping on the biscuit bandwagon.
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/biscuit-belly.
*Estimated initial investment assumes a cold dark shell delivery. $0 work letter and $0 in tenant improvement allowance, and includes the franchise fee or ADA fee, 3 months of cash reserves, 3 months of rent among other various start-up expenses. Please see Item 7 in the Biscuit Belly 2025 FDD for more information.
**AUV represents the average unit volume of the top 50% systemwide restaurants that were fully operational for at least 12 months as of January 1, 2025. Numbers are based on Gross Receipts, defined in our 2025 FDD in Item 19.
Biscuit Belly Franchising
Biscuit Belly’s efficient operations, single-shift labor model and fast-casual brunch concept offer franchisees a compelling path to profitability with a lifestyle-friendly schedule.
Biscuit Belly isn’t just beloved for its tasty, homemade biscuits and warm Southern charm. Franchisees also appreciate the brand’s efficient operations, strong average sales and its ability to hit that sweet spot where fried chicken, brunch and fast-casual dining all meet. For those looking for a business with strong return potential that doesn’t take over your entire life, Biscuit Belly is a smart choice.
“It’s a lifestyle business that still drives great revenue,” said Chad Coulter, founder and CEO of Biscuit Belly. “Brunch is hot. This concept combines three growing segments all under one roof.”
The total initial investment to open a Biscuit Belly franchise includes several core expenses: franchise fees, buildout costs, kitchen equipment and working capital. The total initial investment ranges from $824,000 to $1,341,500. The brand’s Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) breaks the costs down as follows*:
| Type of Expenditure | Min | Max |
| Initial Franchise Fee | $40,000 | $40,000 |
| Lease Review | $0 | $2,000 |
| Leasehold Improvements | $350,000 | $650,000 |
Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment | $275,000 | $350,000 |
Architect and Engineering Fees | $10,000 | $20,000 |
Signage, Interior and Restaurant Graphics | $20,000 | $30,000 |
Three Month’s Rent and Security Deposit | $19,000 | $34,000 |
| Utility Deposits and Fees | $500 | $3,000 |
| Alcohol Permits | $3,500 | $35,000 |
Opening Inventory and Supplies | $12,000 | $15,000 |
| Computer System | $5,000 | $7,500 |
| Merchandise | $5,000 | $7,000 |
| Smallwares | $25,000 | $30,000 |
Grand Opening Advertising | $15,000 | $20,000 |
| Training Expenses | $5,000 | $40,000 |
Miscellaneous Opening Costs | $5,000 | $10,000 |
| Professional Fees | $2,000 | $5,000 |
Insurance Premiums (3 Months) | $2,000 | $3,000 |
Additional Funds (3 Months) | $30,000 | $40,000 |
The Biscuit Belly system is designed to create strong returns. In fact, the franchise’s target AUV is more than $1.5 million annually, with top-performing stores exceeding that number. **
“Our top 50% of locations are averaging about $1.6 million,” Coulter said. “We have consistently grown that and continue to get better with better locations, better training teams, more support for operations and better PR. We are doing it very differently now than we have in previous years and the stores that we open year over year continue to get better and better from those store volumes.” **
Though the brand doesn’t publicly disclose a specific breakeven timeline, the combination of strong sales and controlled operational costs suggests a promising return profile for experienced operators.
One of Biscuit Belly’s most powerful financial differentiators is its single-shift labor model. Operating primarily from early morning to early afternoon, franchisees benefit from a more manageable staffing structure and simplified scheduling.
“It makes your staff much smaller and much more manageable,” Coulter said. “You have a set of employees who are there for the entire shift. There’s no shift change, no menu change.”
In addition to reducing labor costs, this model also improves employee morale and retention. By offering stable daytime hours, Biscuit Belly appeals to working parents and individuals who prefer a more consistent lifestyle.
“We get some people that work two jobs,” said Coulter. “They love having a daytime gig that they can come to and work a few hours before they go to their second. You have a smaller, more intimate and cohesive staff.”
In a time when rising labor and food costs can crush margins, Biscuit Belly’s smaller footprint and efficient model stand out. “We’re a smaller footprint than most breakfast brands, and we’re fast-casual,” said Coulter. “We can stack up to a lot of the larger footprint restaurants and do about the same sales in a smaller space with fewer staff.”
That efficiency also means lower overhead and greater potential for scalability. The brand is actively expanding with both corporate and franchise locations, and its ownership team has skin in the game.
“We are not a 100% franchised system, so when egg prices go up — which they have been — and chicken goes up, we feel that too,” Coulter said. “Thus we are incentivized to do something about it. I spend a lot of my time on finding better deals on products and figuring out how to make our menu more profitable.”
Biscuit Belly’s operating hours offer another layer of appeal for franchise owners. “You're never working a night, unless you are doing some sort of event, ” Coulter said.
The brand also has a strong catering program and growing off-premise sales, which add new revenue streams without requiring new dayparts or labor shifts. Plus, Biscuit Belly’s Instagram-worthy food and playful interior design create powerful organic marketing.
“We always say the camera eats first,” Coulter said. “People taking their phones out, taking pictures and posting them on social media gives us a lot of word of mouth.”
For existing franchise owners looking to diversify without cannibalizing their other concepts, Biscuit Belly offers a complementary opportunity.
“This brand and the daypart are a good complement to other franchise brands,” said Coulter. “If you don’t want to compete with yourself for lunch or dinner, it fits well. We’ve seen franchisees give opportunities to people they want to promote — who maybe have kids or can’t work late — almost like an owner-operator model.”
Whether you're an experienced restaurateur looking to expand your portfolio or a seasoned franchisee seeking a complementary brand, Biscuit Belly offers a promising combination of operational simplicity and financial upside. With a streamlined labor model, strong AUVs and growing brand momentum, it’s no surprise more investors are jumping on the biscuit bandwagon.
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/biscuit-belly.
*Estimated initial investment assumes a cold dark shell delivery. $0 work letter and $0 in tenant improvement allowance, and includes the franchise fee or ADA fee, 3 months of cash reserves, 3 months of rent among other various start-up expenses. Please see Item 7 in the Biscuit Belly 2025 FDD for more information.
**AUV represents the average unit volume of the top 50% systemwide restaurants that were fully operational for at least 12 months as of January 1, 2025. Numbers are based on Gross Receipts, defined in our 2025 FDD in Item 19.
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