Franchisor Stories
Franchise Opportunity Deep Dive: Church’s Texas Chicken offers a globally recognized brand, flexible formats and strong unit economics for hands-on, experienced operators.
Church's Texas Chicken is a renowned American fast-food chain specializing in Southern-style fried chicken. Known for its bold flavors and hearty portions, the brand offers a menu featuring hand-battered fried chicken, honey-butter biscuits, and a variety of classic sides. With over 1,500 locations worldwide, Church's serves customers across 24 countries, operating under the name "Texas Chicken" in many international markets to accommodate cultural preferences.
The brand was founded on April 17, 1952, by George W. Church Sr., a retired chicken incubator salesman, who opened the first Church's Fried Chicken To-Go across from the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas. Initially offering only fried chicken, the menu expanded in 1955 to include fries and jalapeños. After Church's death in 1956, his son, George W. "Bill" Church Jr., took over the business and, alongside partner David Bamberger, began franchising in 1969. By the end of that year, the chain had grown to over 100 locations across seven states, marking its emergence as the first Texas-based fast-food brand to achieve national reach.
Mission: Church's Texas Chicken's mission is to provide the bold taste of Texas to guests at a great value. The brand emphasizes delivering authentic traditions and consistent, high-quality food that customers can trust.
Vision: The company's vision is to become the global franchisor of choice. To realize this goal, Church's supports its franchisees in building successful businesses and aims to expand its presence into more than 20 new international markets in the coming years.
While Texas and Oklahoma are currently limited to existing franchisees, Church’s currently has markets available in 34 states in the U.S., with plans to eventually expand into the remaining 14.
Those interested in learning more about territory availability can contact Church’s by filling out and submitting an online form.
Initial Costs: Church’s currently offers five different restaurant models: Blaze Compact, 1400 Blaze, 1700 Blaze, Conversion and End Cap.
Blaze Compact is a free-standing restaurant that is approximately 1,000 square feet with no dine-in seating, but drive-thru and to-go facilities.
Total Investment: $1,114,650 – $1,636,300 (excluding real estate)
Type of Expenditure | Low | High |
| Development Fee | $10,000 | $10,000 |
| Initial Franchise Fee | $20,000 | $20,000 |
| Grand Opening Marketing Funds | $15,500 | $25,000 |
| Real Estate (purchase or lease) | Variable | Variable |
| Site Work | $200,000 | $425,000 |
| Building & Improvements | $475,000 | $600,000 |
| Equipment & Signs | $320,000 | $350,000 |
| Fees, Misc., Architectural & Engineering, Deposits | $45,000 | $125,000 |
| Initial Training | $0 | $23,000 |
| Opening Supplies | $6,350 | $12,700 |
| Insurance | $7,500 | $10,000 |
| Utility Deposits | $5,000 | $15,000 |
| Business Licenses | $300 | $600 |
| Additional Funds (3 Months) | $10,000 | $20,000 |
| TOTAL (Excluding Real Estate) | $1,114,650 | $1,636,300 |
1400 Blaze is a free-standing restaurant that is approximately 1,400 square feet with dine-in and drive-thru facilities.
Total Investment: $1,302,224 – $1,808,972 (excluding real estate)
Type of Expenditure | Low | High |
| Development Fee | $10,000 | $10,000 |
| Initial Franchise Fee | $20,000 | $20,000 |
| Grand Opening Marketing Funds | $15,500 | $25,000 |
| Real Estate (purchase or lease) | Variable | Variable |
| Site Work | $220,000 | $450,000 |
| Building & Improvements | $605,124 | $692,672 |
| Equipment & Signs | $352,450 | $380,000 |
| Fees, Misc., Architectural & Engineering, Deposits | $50,000 | $150,000 |
| Initial Training | $0 | $23,000 |
| Opening Supplies | $6,350 | $12,700 |
| Insurance | $7,500 | $10,000 |
| Utility Deposits | $5,000 | $15,000 |
| Business Licenses | $300 | $600 |
| Additional Funds (3 Months) | $10,000 | $20,000 |
| TOTAL (Excluding Real Estate) | $1,302,224 | $1,808,972 |
1700 Blaze is a free-standing restaurant that is approximately 1,700 square feet with dine-in and drive-thru facilities.
Total Investment: $738,538 – $1,310,700 (excluding real estate)
Type of Expenditure | Low | High |
| Development Fee | $10,000 | $10,000 |
| Initial Franchise Fee | $20,000 | $20,000 |
| Grand Opening Marketing Funds | $15,500 | $25,000 |
| Real Estate (purchase or lease) | Variable | Variable |
| Site Work | $23,782 | $106,400 |
| Building & Improvements | $304,932 | $578,000 |
| Equipment & Signs | $280,174 | $390,000 |
| Fees, Misc., Architectural & Engineering, Deposits | $50,000 | $100,000 |
| Initial Training | $0 | $23,000 |
| Opening Supplies | $6,350 | $12,700 |
| Insurance | $7,500 | $10,000 |
| Utility Deposits | $10,000 | $15,000 |
| Business Licenses | $300 | $600 |
| Additional Funds (3 Months) | $10,000 | $20,000 |
| TOTAL (Excluding Real Estate) | $738,538 | $1,310,700 |
Conversion is a free-standing restaurant that is between 1,000 and 1,800 square feet, which includes drive-thru but may or may not include dine-in.
Total Investment: $738,538 – $1,310,700 (excluding real estate)
Type of Expenditure | Low | High |
| Development Fee | $10,000 | $10,000 |
| Initial Franchise Fee | $20,000 | $20,000 |
| Grand Opening Marketing Funds | $15,500 | $25,000 |
| Real Estate (purchase or lease) | Variable | Variable |
| Site Work | $23,782 | $106,400 |
| Building & Improvements | $304,932 | $578,000 |
| Equipment & Signs | $280,174 | $390,000 |
| Fees, Misc., Architectural & Engineering Services, Deposits | $50,000 | $100,000 |
| Initial Training | $0 | $23,000 |
| Opening Supplies | $6,350 | $12,700 |
| Insurance | $7,500 | $10,000 |
| Utility Deposits | $10,000 | $15,000 |
| Business Licenses | $300 | $600 |
| Additional Funds – 3 Months | $10,000 | $20,000 |
| TOTAL (Excluding Real Estate) | $738,538 | $1,310,700 |
End Cap is located at the end of a retail space in a shopping center. It is approximately 1,500 square feet and may include both dine-in and drive-thru facilities.
Total Investment: $644,366 – $1,273,300 (excluding real estate)
Type of Expenditure | Low | High |
| Development Fee | $10,000 | $10,000 |
| Initial Franchise Fee | $20,000 | $20,000 |
| Grand Opening Marketing Funds | $15,500 | $25,000 |
| Real Estate (purchase or lease) | Variable | Variable |
| Site Work | $30,075 | $152,000 |
| Building & Improvements | $194,641 | $510,000 |
| Equipment & Signs | $290,000 | $375,000 |
| Fees, Misc., Architectural & Engineering Services, Deposits | $50,000 | $100,000 |
| Initial Training | $0 | $23,000 |
| Opening Supplies | $6,350 | $12,700 |
| Insurance | $7,500 | $10,000 |
| Utility Deposits | $10,000 | $15,000 |
| Business Licenses | $300 | $600 |
| Additional Funds – 3 Months | $10,000 | $20,000 |
| TOTAL (Excluding Real Estate) | $644,366 | $1,273,300 |
Initial Franchise Fee: Franchisees must pay a $10,000 development fee and a $15,000 initial franchise fee for each restaurant they want to develop.
Ongoing Fees: According to the 2024 FDD, Church’s franchisees are responsible for the following ongoing payments and fees:
| Type of Fee | Amount |
| Royalty Fee | 5% of gross sales/week |
| Advertising Fund | 5% of gross sales/week (at least $25,000/year) |
| Digital/Tech Fees | $205/week plus 5% of first party digital sales |
| Restaurant Support Fund | $95/4-week period |
ROI Potential: As of December 31, 2024:
Franchised Restaurants – Annualized Gross Sales by Venue Type
Venue Type | Unit Count | Average Annualized Sales | Median | High | Low |
| Freestanding w/ DT | 442 | $1,115,708 | $1,073,236 | $2,386,835 | $407,965 |
| Freestanding | 40 | $1,329,789 | $1,271,543 | $2,278,672 | $651,091 |
| End Cap w/ DT | 24 | $969,359 | $936,235 | $1,486,204 | $346,988 |
| End Cap | 2 | $805,839 | $805,839 | $813,291 | $798,387 |
| C-Store | 83 | $913,178 | $857,588 | $2,068,022 | $379,495 |
| In-Line | 2 | $988,132 | $988,132 | $1,015,240 | $961,025 |
| Other | 3 | $649,475 | $636,465 | $733,671 | $578,290 |
| TOTAL (596 Units) | 596 | $1,092,163 | $936,235 | $2,386,835 | $346,988 |
Church’s offers a robust training program designed to prepare franchisees for success. The "Pathways to Excellence" training includes over 150 hours of both in-restaurant and online instruction, covering daily operations, menu preparation, vendor management, marketing strategies and community engagement.
Operational support from Church’s is continuous and multifaceted. Each new franchise is assigned a Regional Franchise Director (RFD) who provides ongoing assistance in areas such as development, training, budgeting, restaurant accounting and customer service. Additionally, franchisees have 24/7 access to a proprietary Operations Manual detailing essential standards, specifications and procedures to aid in efficient day-to-day operations.
Church’s also equips its franchisees with advanced technology and tools to streamline restaurant management. The brand's top-tier restaurant technology simplifies communications and managerial tasks, allowing staff to focus on delivering quality food and service. Furthermore, franchisees benefit from user-friendly social media management tools for location-specific content and have access to cooperative advertising funds to enhance local marketing efforts.
In terms of experience, Church’s prefers candidates with a strong background in the quick-service restaurant (QSR) industry, particularly those with managerial experience. This experience is crucial for effectively operating and expanding multiple units. However, if a candidate lacks QSR experience, they may partner with an Operating Principal who has the requisite background and holds at least a 10% ownership stake.
Church’s requires franchisees to be actively involved in the operation and growth of their restaurants. The brand does not provide information on semi-absentee ownership, emphasizing the importance of hands-on management.
Church’s does not provide any information on funding assistance or partnerships with financing institutions for prospective franchisees.
The U.S. fast-food chicken restaurant industry has demonstrated significant growth in recent years. The market size reached $61.1 billion in 2024, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.2% between 2019 and 2024. Employment within this sector also expanded, growing at an average rate of 3.5% annually from 2018 to 2023.
Church’s sets itself apart in the competitive chicken QSR space by combining more than 70 years of brand equity with a deep commitment to operational simplicity and scalability. The company’s emphasis on franchisee success — through tailored support, flexible formats and global growth opportunities — helps position it as a preferred choice for multi-unit operators. Additionally, the brand’s expansion into more than 24 countries under the “Texas Chicken” name gives it a broad international presence and cultural adaptability that many U.S.-based competitors have yet to achieve.
Primary competitors include KFC, Popeyes, Chick-fil-A, Raising Cane’s and Bojangles.
For more detailed information or to begin the application process, prospective franchisees are encouraged to fill out and submit the online form on the official Church’s Texas Chicken franchise website.
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