Franchise Deep Dive: Bojangles Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data

The Southern-style restaurant concept’s compounding success and AUV of more than $2 million has continued to position it as a leader in the industry.

By Luca Piacentini1851 Franchise Managing Editor

7:00 AM • 03/30/23

Bojangles is a fast-food restaurant chain that specializes in Southern-style cuisine, particularly its famous "Cajun-style" fried chicken, buttermilk biscuits and iced tea.

How Many Bojangles Locations Are There?

The Bojangles brand has a long and storied history of growth and expansion, starting with its humble beginnings in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1977. The first Bojangles restaurant was opened by Jack Fulk and Richard Thomas, two friends who had a passion for creating delicious, authentic Southern-style food. They wanted to bring the flavors of the South to a wider audience, and they quickly found success with their unique blend of Cajun spices and high-quality ingredients.

In the early years, Bojangles' growth was primarily driven by word-of-mouth advertising and a loyal customer base. The restaurant's popularity continued to spread. By the early 1980s, the brand opened several more locations in the Charlotte area. In the 1990s, Bojangles began to expand its reach beyond North Carolina. The company opened several new restaurants in Virginia, South Carolina and Georgia, and it franchised the brand.

By the early 2000s, Bojangles became a well-established and respected brand in the Southern United States. The company continued to expand, opening new restaurants in Tennessee, Kentucky and Florida. In addition, Bojangles explored international expansion, with the opening of a restaurant in Honduras in 2005.

Bojangles ended 2022 with more than 230 units in its development pipeline. The brand now has over 700 locations in 11 states across the Southeast, as well as international locations in Honduras and the Bahamas. The company was recently ranked No. 151 on Entrepreneur’s 2023 Franchise 500 Rank.

What Is the Bojangles Business Model?

Bojangles offers franchisees two types of restaurant models: Full Size and Express.

“Full-Size Restaurants” refers to domestic free-standing restaurants, which are 1,400 to 3,900 square feet.
“Express Restaurants” refers to domestic restaurants operated and attached to another business such as a convenience store or a grocery store, generally 800 to 3,800 square feet. Also included in “Express Restaurants” are small-unit restaurants operated as part of a food court or contained within an airport; college campus or travel plaza; “drive-thru only” restaurants without interior seating; and walk-up units without drive-thru windows.

How Much Can Bojangles Franchise Owners Make?

The following tables reflect information about the past financial performance of franchised and company-operated Full-Size and Express Restaurants that were operated continuously for the period from December 28, 2020 to December 26, 2021 (the “Fiscal Year 2021”).

Part 1—Summary of Fiscal Year 2021 Gross Sales Ranges of Full-Size Restaurants by Percentage

Percentage of Franchised Restaurants

Over $5,000,000: 0.77%
$3,000,000 to $4,999,999: 13.30%
$2,000,000 to $2,999,999: 35.04%
$1,600,000 to $1,999,999: 18.67%
$1,400,000 to $1,599,999: 13.04%
$1,200,000 to $1,399,999: 11.51%
$1,000,000 to $1,199,999: 4.86%
$900,000 to $999,999: 0.76%
Under $900,000: 2.05%

Percentage of Company-Operated Restaurants

Over $5,000,000: 0.00%
$3,000,000 to $4,999,999: 2.66%
$2,000,000 to $2,999,999: 30.42%
$1,600,000 to $1,999,999: 30.04%
$1,400,000 to $1,599,999: 12.55%
$1,200,000 to $1,399,999: 13.31%
$1,000,000 to $1,199,999: 5.32%
$900,000 to $999,999: 2.28%
Under $900,000: 3.42%

Percentage of All Restaurants

Over $5,000,000: 0.46%
$3,000,000 to $4,999,999: 9.02%
$2,000,000 to $2,999,999: 33.18%
$1,600,000 to $1,999,999: 23.24%
$1,400,000 to $1,599,999: 12.84%
$1,200,000 to $1,399,999: 12.23%
$1,000,000 to $1,199,999: 5.05%
$900,000 to $999,999: 1.38%
Under $900,000: 2.60%

Part 2—Summary of Fiscal Year 2021 Gross Sales Ranges of Express Restaurants by Percentage

Percentage of Franchised Restaurants

Over $4,000,000: 0.00%
$2,000,000 to $3,999,999: 34.48%
$1,000,000 to $1,999,999: 65.52%
$800,000 to $999,999: 0.00%
$600,000 to $799,999: 0.00%
Under $600,000: 0.00%

Percentage of Company-Operated Restaurants

Over $4,000,000: 0.00%
$2,000,000 to $3,999,999: 0.00%
$1,000,000 to $1,999,999: 100.00%
$800,000 to $999,999: 0.00%
$600,000 to $799,999: 0.00%
Under $600,000: 0.00%

Percentage of All Restaurants

Over $4,000,000: 0.00%
$2,000,000 to $3,999,999: 29.41%
$1,000,000 to $1,999,999: 70.59%
$800,000 to $999,999: 0.00%
$600,000 to $799,999: 0.00%
Under $600,000: 0.00%

Part 3—Average Gross Sales of Full-Size Restaurants for Fiscal Year 2021

Franchised

Number of Restaurants: 391
Average Gross Sales: $2,111,968
Number and Percentage of Restaurants Above Average: 165 (42%)
Median Gross Sales: $1,972,608
Lowest Gross Sales: $589,891
Highest Gross Sales: $6,003,148

Company-Owned

Number of Restaurants: 263
Average Gross Sales: $1,818,592
Number and Percentage of Restaurants Above Average: 119 (45%)
Median Gross Sales: $1,760,624
Lowest Gross Sales: $670,510
Highest Gross Sales: $3,826,315

All Restaurants

Number of Restaurants: 654
Average Gross Sales: $1,993,989
Number and Percentage of Restaurants Above Average: 281 (43%)
Median Gross Sales: $1,859,516
Lowest Gross Sales: $589,891
Highest Gross Sales: $6,003,148

Part 4—Average Gross Sales of Express Restaurants for Fiscal Year 2021

Franchised

Number of Restaurants: 29
Average Gross Sales: $1,891,167
Number and Percentage of Restaurants Above Average: 13 (45%)
Median Gross Sales: $1,697,226
Lowest Gross Sales: $1,011,002
Highest Gross Sales: $3,642,439

Company-Owned

Number of Restaurants: 5
Average Gross Sales: $1,645,979
Number and Percentage of Restaurants Above Average: 2 (40%)
Median Gross Sales: $1,569,574
Lowest Gross Sales: $1,342,063
Highest Gross Sales: $1,942,145

All Restaurants

Number of Restaurants: 34
Average Gross Sales: $1,855,110
Number and Percentage of Restaurants Above Average: 14 (41%)
Median Gross Sales: $1,688,063
Lowest Gross Sales: $1,011,002
Highest Gross Sales: $3,642,439

How Much Does It Cost To Open a Bojangles?

Bojangles franchise costs (traditional restaurants), based on Item 7 of the company’s 2022 Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), can range from $1,906,400 to $3,020,750. Costs include:

Insurance: $5,000 to $10,000
Pre-opening Salaries, Travel, Living Expenses During Initial Training: $98,000 to $149,000
Site Selection: $100 to $10,000
Building: $770,000 to $950,000
Site Work: $462,000 to $850,000
Soft Costs: $60,000 to $200,000
Equipment, Furniture, Signage and Fixtures: $440,000 to $600,000
Initial Inventory: $13,800 to $28,750
Utility Deposits and Business Licenses: $2,500 to $13,000
Additional Funds (3 months initial phase): $20,000 to $175,000
Total Estimated Bojangles Franchise Costs: $1,906,400 to $3,020,750

What Is the Franchise Fee for Bojangles?

The initial franchise fee for a Bojangles restaurant ranges, based on Items 5 and 6 of the company’s 2022 FDD, ranges from $20,000 to $35,000. Other fees include:

Standard Royalty: 4% of Total Monthly Gross Sales
Royalty for Restaurants Acquired Under the Refranchising Program: 5% of Gross Sales
Marketing Development Fund: 1% of Total Monthly Gross Sales
Local Marketing Expenditure: 3% of Total Monthly Gross Sales Less Amounts Spent On Cooperative Advertising
Cooperative Advertising: Typically 2% of Gross Sales

Who Is the Leadership of Bojangles?

What Helpful Articles Can I Read To Learn More About Bojangles?

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