Franchisor Stories
Franchise Opportunity Deep Dive: Burger King offers one of the world’s most iconic quick-service restaurant franchises, blending global brand strength with multi-unit growth opportunities.
Burger King is the original Home of the Whopper and one of the largest quick-service burger chains in the world, with 19,900 restaurants worldwide and 6,650 in the U.S. at the end of 2025. The brand grows mainly through multi-unit acquisitions and new restaurant development.
Burger King opened in Miami in 1954 and began franchising the same year. Burger King Company LLC, a Florida LLC, became the franchisor in August 2022 through an internal reorganization. The brand is part of Restaurant Brands International (RBI), which also owns Tim Hortons, Popeyes and Firehouse Subs.
Mission: To serve guests quality food, crafted quickly and affordably, in a welcoming environment.
Vision: To grow as a global leader in quick-service restaurants, delivering memorable guest experiences and strong community connections.
Burger King offers franchise opportunities in the United States and Canada, primarily through multi-unit acquisitions and new restaurant development. Single-unit acquisitions may also be available in certain markets. Specific geographic opportunities are determined through the franchise development process, and prospective owners can propose new markets for consideration.
Initial Costs: The estimated initial investment required to open a Burger King franchise ranges from $2,039,200 to $4,730,600 for a traditional restaurant, $896,200 to $1,682,800 for a co-brand restaurant, $944,800 to $1,942,800 for an in-line/end cap restaurant, $655,720 to $1,131,700 for a mall food court restaurant and $348,400 to $789,100 for an indoor MRS restaurant. The 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) breaks these costs down as follows:
Traditional Restaurant
| Type of Expenditure | Min | Max |
| Franchise Fee | $50,000 | $50,000 |
| New Franchisee Training Fee, Travel & Living Expenses | $7,500 | $25,000 |
| Real Property/Occupancy Charge | $300,000 | $1,500,000 |
| Civil & Architectural Drawings/Professional Fees | $50,000 | $125,000 |
| Zoning Expenses | $5,000 | $40,000 |
| Improvements/Construction | $1,200,000 | $1,800,000 |
| Landscaping | $25,000 | $60,000 |
| Equipment | $250,600 | $304,600 |
| Décor Package | $48,000 | $95,000 |
| Signage & Drive Thru | $150,000 | $230,000 |
| Pre-Opening Wages | $67,100 | $72,500 |
| Opening Inventory | $6,400 | $12,800 |
| Cash, Inventory Control & Order Taking System | $20,000 | $25,000 |
| Insurance | $14,000 | $25,000 |
| Working Capital/Additional Funds | $45,000 | $90,000 |
| Business Licenses, Utility Deposits, Lease Deposits & Payments | $10,000 | $30,000 |
| 2-Story Interior Playground | $0 | $245,000 |
| BK University/Support & Training Material | $600 | $700 |
Non-Traditional Restaurant (Co-Brand or In-Line/End Cap)
| Type of Expenditure | Co-Brand | In-Line/End Cap | ||
Min | Max | Min | Max | |
| Franchise Fee | $25,000 | $50,000 | $25,000 | $25,000 |
| New Franchisee Training Fee, Travel & Living Expenses | $7,500 | $25,000 | $7,500 | $25,000 |
| Real Property/Occupancy Charge | $50,000 | $125,000 | $90,000 | $300,000 |
| Civil & Architectural Drawings/Professional Fees | $30,000 | $50,000 | $30,000 | $60,000 |
| Zoning Expenses | $2,000 | $15,000 | $2,000 | $15,000 |
| Improvements/Construction | $300,000 | $650,000 | $400,000 | $850,000 |
| Landscaping | $10,000 | $60,000 | $0 | $5,000 |
| Equipment | $250,000 | $304,600 | $199,600 | $304,600 |
| Décor Package | $30,000 | $60,000 | $30,000 | $60,000 |
| Signage & Drive Thru | $50,000 | $125,000 | $30,000 | $125,000 |
| Pre-Opening Wages | $44,700 | $49,900 | $44,700 | $49,900 |
| Opening Inventory | $6,400 | $8,600 | $6,400 | $8,600 |
| Cash, Inventory Control & Order Taking System | $20,000 | $25,000 | $20,000 | $25,000 |
| Insurance | $10,000 | $14,000 | $10,000 | $14,000 |
| Working Capital/Additional Funds | $45,000 | $90,000 | $45,000 | $65,000 |
| Business Licenses, Utility Deposits, Lease Deposits & Payments | $15,000 | $30,000 | $4,000 | $10,000 |
| BK University/Support & Training Material | $600 | $700 | $600 | $700 |
Non-Traditional Restaurant (Mall Food Court or Indoor MRS)
| Type of Expenditure | Mall Food Court | Indoor MRS | ||
Min | Max | Min | Max | |
| Franchise Fee | $15,000 | $50,000 | $15,000 | $50,000 |
| New Franchisee Training Fee, Travel & Living Expenses | $7,500 | $25,000 | $7,500 | $25,000 |
| Real Property/Occupancy Charge | $80,000 | $125,000 | $90,000 | $150,000 |
| Civil & Architectural Drawings/Professional Fees | $30,000 | $45,000 | $30,000 | $45,000 |
| Zoning Expenses | $1,000 | $3,000 | $1,000 | $3,000 |
| Improvements/Construction | $200,000 | $380,000 | $30,000 | $150,000 |
| Equipment | $173,600 | $279,600 | $84,600 | $204,600 |
| Décor Package | --- | --- | $0 | $25,000 |
| Signage & Drive Thru | $15,000 | $35,000 | $5,000 | $8,000 |
| Pre-Opening Wages | $43,600 | $48,700 | $33,000 | $35,600 |
| Opening Inventory | $6,420 | $10,700 | $2,700 | $3,200 |
| Cash, Inventory Control & Order Taking System | $20,000 | $25,000 | $20,000 | $25,000 |
| Insurance | $8,000 | $14,000 | $8,000 | $14,000 |
| Working Capital/Additional Funds | $45,000 | $65,000 | $15,000 | $35,000 |
| Business Licenses, Utility Deposits, Lease Deposits & Payments | $10,000 | $25,000 | $6,000 | $15,000 |
| BK University/Support & Training Material | $600 | $700 | $600 | $700 |
Initial Franchise Fee: The standard franchise fee is $50,000 for a 20-year term and is fully earned when the franchise agreement is signed. Shorter terms, which are common for non-traditional restaurants, carry a prorated fee with a $15,000 minimum. Developers who qualify through Burger King’s Franchise Success System can pay $25,000 per restaurant under a development agreement. Applicants also pay a nonrefundable $250 application fee per individual and $5,000 per entity.
Ongoing Fees: According to the 2026 FDD, Burger King franchisees are responsible for the following ongoing payments and fees:
Type of Fee | Amount |
| Royalty | 4.5% of gross sales/month |
| Advertising Fund | 4.5% of gross sales/month |
| Investment Spending (local DMA marketing) | Up to 2% of gross sales/month |
| Digital Services Fee | $110/month plus 1% of digital sales, capped at $4,500/year |
| BK University/Support & Training Material | $700/year |
| Service Desk Fee | $750–$1,200/year |
| Burger King Foundation | $1,000/restaurant/year |
ROI Potential: According to the 2026 FDD, 5,747 traditional and 661 non-traditional Burger King restaurants that operated for all of 2025 reported the following gross sales:
Restaurants | Average | Median | High | Low |
| Traditional, Franchised (4,730) | $1,692,549 | $1,593,606 | $5,532,973 | $188,523 |
| Traditional, Company (1,017) | $1,779,702 | $1,685,154 | $4,287,457 | $661,763 |
| Traditional, Total (5,747) | $1,707,974 | $1,610,633 | $5,532,973 | $188,523 |
| Non-Traditional, Franchised (630) | $1,381,645 | $1,197,033 | $7,717,024 | $228,551 |
| Non-Traditional, Company (31) | $1,521,448 | $1,379,670 | $4,603,273 | $641,695 |
| Non-Traditional, Total (661) | $1,387,999 | $1,210,626 | $7,717,024 | $228,551 |
After leadership approval, an onboarding team holds alignment meetings on expectations and timelines and gives new owners access to onboarding materials. The team also helps transition services such as point of sale, restaurant technology and operational systems.
New owners train at an assigned training restaurant, shadowing district managers, field trainers and company operations leaders, and must earn ServSafe food safety certification. Restaurant training averages about three weeks, with programs lasting from a week and a half to five weeks. Owners then spend two days with departments at the Restaurant Support Center in Miami. The training fee is $7,500 per trainee.
A member of Burger King’s field team is onsite for the first week after opening. Owners then have ongoing access to the franchising team and the wider network of franchisees.
Franchisees buy their own point-of-sale and inventory control systems, including self-order kiosks, from approved options. Burger King’s digital platforms handle ordering, delivery and loyalty through the BK app, website and third-party channels. BK University houses training modules and digital logs.
Burger King prefers candidates with quick-service restaurant (QSR) experience, a track record of guest service and the infrastructure to run a fast-paced operation.
Individual franchisees must name an Operating Partner who works full-time in the restaurant, lives nearby and holds at least 50% of the equity. Entity franchisees must name an approved Managing Owner. An owner with a single restaurant must also serve as its restaurant manager, so semi-absentee ownership is not an option at the single-unit level.
Burger King does not offer direct financing for new development. Owners may lease or sublease real estate that Burger King controls. Burger King may also finance part of the purchase price for buyers of company restaurants through its Crown Your Career Program, at the Wall Street Journal prime rate plus about 1% to 4%, with terms typically 10 years or less.
“Burger King was a part of so many fond moments in my childhood and young adult life and it’s exciting to be a part of this brand while it is at such a turning point. I find so much pride in being able to be involved in the community and provide guests with the same great experiences I had.”
- Chris Johnson, Multi-Unit Franchisee — New York/New Jersey
Visit the Burger King franchise website for more franchisee testimonials and success stories.
The U.S. quick-service restaurant market is large and steadily expanding. As consumers increasingly prioritize speed, convenience and affordability, QSRs that deliver true value continue to thrive. The National Restaurant Association projected that consumers’ desire for the restaurant experience will persist despite economic pressures, and total U.S. restaurant and foodservice sales will reach $1.55 trillion in 2026.
Burger King’s flame-grilled menu and RBI’s scale set it apart, and its turnaround is showing in the numbers. RBI reported Burger King U.S. comparable sales growth of 8.4% for the third quarter of 2026. Primary competitors include McDonald’s, Wendy’s and regional burger chains.
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