LAST UPDATED: May 2026
FRANCHISE WEBSITE: https://www.urbanbirdhotchicken.com/franchise/
1851 NEWSROOM: https://1851franchise.com/urban-bird-hot-chicken
NUMBER OF LOCATIONS: 23
REPORTED COST TO GET IN: $431,300 - $837,800 (first-generation buildout), $236,300 - $587,800 (second-generation buildout)
REPORTED ROI (Item 19): $1,803,101 (average gross sales, 2025)
Urban Bird Hot Chicken is a fast-casual Nashville hot chicken concept built around scratch-made food, disciplined systems and a people-first operating culture. The brand focuses on fresh preparation, consistency and menu execution that holds up well for dine-in, takeout and delivery, reflecting lessons learned during its early growth period.
Urban Bird Hot Chicken was founded in Houston, Texas, by Brandon and Chantel Gawthorp. The concept was born out of necessity after the founders closed a pizza restaurant in 2018 and remained locked into an expensive lease. Rather than walk away, they negotiated with their landlord to move into a smaller vacant space and start over.
The idea for Urban Bird emerged after the founders discovered Nashville hot chicken while traveling and were unable to find a version in Houston that matched the flavor and quality they sought. They spent roughly nine months and more than 60 recipe iterations refining the chicken, breading and spice levels before opening the first Urban Bird location in late 2020, just ahead of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Urban Bird officially opened its first location in 2020 and has since grown to 29 locations across Texas in under five years by prioritizing systems, training and internal team development.
Mission: Urban Bird Hot Chicken’s mission is to serve high-quality, scratch-made food while investing in people and delivering a consistent, welcoming guest experience.
Vision: The brand’s vision is to grow a scalable restaurant system built on strong operations, training and culture, allowing Urban Bird to expand without sacrificing food quality or consistency.
Urban Bird Hot Chicken is actively expanding beyond Texas and offers both single-unit and multi-unit development opportunities.
Initial Costs: The estimated initial investment required to begin operation of an Urban Bird Hot Chicken franchise ranges from $431,300 to $837,800 for a first-generation buildout and from $236,300 to $587,800 for a second-generation buildout. The 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) breaks these costs down as follows:
Type of Expenditure | First Generation Buildout | Second Generation Buildout | ||
Min | Max | Min | Max | |
| Initial Franchise Fee | $35,000 | $35,000 | $35,000 | $35,000 |
| Construction & Leasehold Improvements | $220,000 | $400,000 | $25,000 | $150,000 |
| Lease Deposits & Rent (3 Months) | $15,000 | $36,000 | $15,000 | $36,000 |
| Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment | $44,000 | $144,000 | $44,000 | $144,000 |
| Signage | $7,000 | $20,000 | $7,000 | $20,000 |
| Computer, Software & Point of Sale System | $7,000 | $17,000 | $7,000 | $17,000 |
| Grand Opening Marketing | $5,000 | $15,000 | $5,000 | $15,000 |
| Initial Inventory | $12,000 | $16,000 | $12,000 | $16,000 |
| Utility Deposits | $2,500 | $12,000 | $2,500 | $12,000 |
| Insurance Deposits (3 Months) | $1,800 | $3,800 | $1,800 | $3,800 |
| Travel for Initial Training | $3,000 | $10,000 | $3,000 | $10,000 |
| Professional Fees | $4,500 | $20,500 | $4,500 | $20,500 |
| General Licenses & Permits | $4,500 | $8,500 | $4,500 | $8,500 |
| Additional Funds (3 Months) | $70,000 | $100,000 | $70,000 | $100,000 |
Initial Franchise Fee: When a franchisee signs a Franchise Agreement, Urban Bird Hot Chicken requires a non-refundable $35,000 initial franchise fee, which is fully earned upon payment and calculated uniformly across the franchise system.
Qualified veterans who were honorably discharged from the U.S. military may receive a $15,000 discount on their first franchise fee through the VetFran program. The discount must be requested during the initial application process, requires proof of military service, applies only if the veteran owns at least 50% of the business, and does not apply to development area fees.
Ongoing Fees: According to the 2026 FDD, Urban Bird Hot Chicken franchisees are responsible for the following ongoing payments and fees:
| Type of Fee | Amount |
| Royalty Fee | 6% of gross sales/week |
| Brand Development Fund | 1% of gross sales/week |
| Franchisee Directed Local Marketing | Minimum of 2.5% of gross sales/month |
ROI Potential: According to the 2026 FDD, the 12 company-owned outlets operating for the entirety of 2025 reported the following gross sales and direct gross profit:
Average | Median | High | Low | |
| Gross Sales | $1,803,101 | $1,542,881 | $3,784,619 | $1,130,904 |
| Direct Gross Profit | $552,628 | $437,720 | $1,181,782 | $281,631 |
Urban Bird provides guidance on site selection, brand standards, lease requirements and pre-opening preparation to ensure each location is built and opened in accordance with system specifications.
Franchisees and designated managers receive initial training that includes classroom instruction, in-store experience and operational education. Training is reinforced through digital resources, including training videos and station-level QR codes, to support consistency and onboarding.
Ongoing support includes operational check-ins, inspections, performance reviews and access to the brand’s operations team. Urban Bird emphasizes accountability and adherence to system standards across all locations.
Franchisees are required to use designated point-of-sale, online ordering and reporting systems as outlined in Item 8 of the FDD. These tools support ordering, reporting, loyalty and operational visibility.
The brand is seeking dedicated first-time entrepreneurs as well as experienced multi-unit operators.
Urban Bird expects franchise owners to be actively involved in the operation of their restaurants, particularly during the opening phase. The franchise is not positioned as a passive or absentee investment, and hands-on leadership is considered essential to maintaining brand standards.
Urban Bird does not directly finance franchise investments but may provide guidance on third-party financing options through SBA lenders and franchise-friendly funding partners.
The global fried chicken market continues to show strong, sustained growth, reinforcing the category’s long-term appeal and scalability. From 2019 to 2024, the market reached approximately $93.33 billion, expanding at a 5.26% compound annual growth rate (CAGR). Growth is expected to accelerate in the coming years, with projections reaching $130.63 billion by 2029 at a 6.96% CAGR, and further expanding to $178.15 billion by 2034 at a 6.40% CAGR.
Urban Bird Hot Chicken stands out through its focused menu, bold heat-forward flavors and efficient operating model designed to drive consistency and throughput at the store level. The brand competes primarily with national and emerging fried chicken concepts such as Chick-fil-A, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Raising Cane’s, Dave’s Hot Chicken, Hattie B’s, Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack and Wingstop.
Want to learn more about franchise opportunities on 1851 Franchise? Be sure to visit our Power Rankings to read more on brands making moves.
Want to learn more about how 1851 helps franchisees find the right franchise opportunity? Visit www.1851growthclub.com and start your journey.
Disclaimer: This content is for information only. You should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial or other advice. Nothing contained on this site constitutes a solicitation, recommendation, endorsement or offer to buy or sell any franchises, securities or other financial instruments in this or in any other jurisdiction in which such solicitation or offer would be unlawful under the franchise and/or securities laws of such jurisdiction.
All content in this article is information of a general nature and does not address the detailed circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Nothing in the article constitutes professional and/or financial advice, nor does any information in the article constitute a comprehensive or complete statement of the matters discussed or the law relating thereto. You alone assume the sole responsibility of evaluating the merits and risks associated with the use of any information or other content in this article before making any decisions based on such information or other content.
| Urban Bird Hot Chicken Experts Investment Range | $236,300 to $837,800 |
| No. of Units Currently Open | 23 corporate locations, 5 in construction |
| No. of Units Expected to Open this Year | 5+ |
| Royalty | 6% |
| Franchise Fee | $35,000 |
Urban Bird Hot Chicken
SPONSORED
Franchise Opportunity Deep Dive: Urban Bird Hot Chicken is a fast-casual Nashville hot chicken concept built around scratch-made food, disciplined operations and a people-first culture.
LAST UPDATED: May 2026
FRANCHISE WEBSITE: https://www.urbanbirdhotchicken.com/franchise/
1851 NEWSROOM: https://1851franchise.com/urban-bird-hot-chicken
NUMBER OF LOCATIONS: 23
REPORTED COST TO GET IN: $431,300 - $837,800 (first-generation buildout), $236,300 - $587,800 (second-generation buildout)
REPORTED ROI (Item 19): $1,803,101 (average gross sales, 2025)
Urban Bird Hot Chicken is a fast-casual Nashville hot chicken concept built around scratch-made food, disciplined systems and a people-first operating culture. The brand focuses on fresh preparation, consistency and menu execution that holds up well for dine-in, takeout and delivery, reflecting lessons learned during its early growth period.
Urban Bird Hot Chicken was founded in Houston, Texas, by Brandon and Chantel Gawthorp. The concept was born out of necessity after the founders closed a pizza restaurant in 2018 and remained locked into an expensive lease. Rather than walk away, they negotiated with their landlord to move into a smaller vacant space and start over.
The idea for Urban Bird emerged after the founders discovered Nashville hot chicken while traveling and were unable to find a version in Houston that matched the flavor and quality they sought. They spent roughly nine months and more than 60 recipe iterations refining the chicken, breading and spice levels before opening the first Urban Bird location in late 2020, just ahead of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Urban Bird officially opened its first location in 2020 and has since grown to 29 locations across Texas in under five years by prioritizing systems, training and internal team development.
Mission: Urban Bird Hot Chicken’s mission is to serve high-quality, scratch-made food while investing in people and delivering a consistent, welcoming guest experience.
Vision: The brand’s vision is to grow a scalable restaurant system built on strong operations, training and culture, allowing Urban Bird to expand without sacrificing food quality or consistency.
Urban Bird Hot Chicken is actively expanding beyond Texas and offers both single-unit and multi-unit development opportunities.
Initial Costs: The estimated initial investment required to begin operation of an Urban Bird Hot Chicken franchise ranges from $431,300 to $837,800 for a first-generation buildout and from $236,300 to $587,800 for a second-generation buildout. The 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) breaks these costs down as follows:
Type of Expenditure | First Generation Buildout | Second Generation Buildout | ||
Min | Max | Min | Max | |
| Initial Franchise Fee | $35,000 | $35,000 | $35,000 | $35,000 |
| Construction & Leasehold Improvements | $220,000 | $400,000 | $25,000 | $150,000 |
| Lease Deposits & Rent (3 Months) | $15,000 | $36,000 | $15,000 | $36,000 |
| Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment | $44,000 | $144,000 | $44,000 | $144,000 |
| Signage | $7,000 | $20,000 | $7,000 | $20,000 |
| Computer, Software & Point of Sale System | $7,000 | $17,000 | $7,000 | $17,000 |
| Grand Opening Marketing | $5,000 | $15,000 | $5,000 | $15,000 |
| Initial Inventory | $12,000 | $16,000 | $12,000 | $16,000 |
| Utility Deposits | $2,500 | $12,000 | $2,500 | $12,000 |
| Insurance Deposits (3 Months) | $1,800 | $3,800 | $1,800 | $3,800 |
| Travel for Initial Training | $3,000 | $10,000 | $3,000 | $10,000 |
| Professional Fees | $4,500 | $20,500 | $4,500 | $20,500 |
| General Licenses & Permits | $4,500 | $8,500 | $4,500 | $8,500 |
| Additional Funds (3 Months) | $70,000 | $100,000 | $70,000 | $100,000 |
Initial Franchise Fee: When a franchisee signs a Franchise Agreement, Urban Bird Hot Chicken requires a non-refundable $35,000 initial franchise fee, which is fully earned upon payment and calculated uniformly across the franchise system.
Qualified veterans who were honorably discharged from the U.S. military may receive a $15,000 discount on their first franchise fee through the VetFran program. The discount must be requested during the initial application process, requires proof of military service, applies only if the veteran owns at least 50% of the business, and does not apply to development area fees.
Ongoing Fees: According to the 2026 FDD, Urban Bird Hot Chicken franchisees are responsible for the following ongoing payments and fees:
| Type of Fee | Amount |
| Royalty Fee | 6% of gross sales/week |
| Brand Development Fund | 1% of gross sales/week |
| Franchisee Directed Local Marketing | Minimum of 2.5% of gross sales/month |
ROI Potential: According to the 2026 FDD, the 12 company-owned outlets operating for the entirety of 2025 reported the following gross sales and direct gross profit:
Average | Median | High | Low | |
| Gross Sales | $1,803,101 | $1,542,881 | $3,784,619 | $1,130,904 |
| Direct Gross Profit | $552,628 | $437,720 | $1,181,782 | $281,631 |
Urban Bird provides guidance on site selection, brand standards, lease requirements and pre-opening preparation to ensure each location is built and opened in accordance with system specifications.
Franchisees and designated managers receive initial training that includes classroom instruction, in-store experience and operational education. Training is reinforced through digital resources, including training videos and station-level QR codes, to support consistency and onboarding.
Ongoing support includes operational check-ins, inspections, performance reviews and access to the brand’s operations team. Urban Bird emphasizes accountability and adherence to system standards across all locations.
Franchisees are required to use designated point-of-sale, online ordering and reporting systems as outlined in Item 8 of the FDD. These tools support ordering, reporting, loyalty and operational visibility.
The brand is seeking dedicated first-time entrepreneurs as well as experienced multi-unit operators.
Urban Bird expects franchise owners to be actively involved in the operation of their restaurants, particularly during the opening phase. The franchise is not positioned as a passive or absentee investment, and hands-on leadership is considered essential to maintaining brand standards.
Urban Bird does not directly finance franchise investments but may provide guidance on third-party financing options through SBA lenders and franchise-friendly funding partners.
The global fried chicken market continues to show strong, sustained growth, reinforcing the category’s long-term appeal and scalability. From 2019 to 2024, the market reached approximately $93.33 billion, expanding at a 5.26% compound annual growth rate (CAGR). Growth is expected to accelerate in the coming years, with projections reaching $130.63 billion by 2029 at a 6.96% CAGR, and further expanding to $178.15 billion by 2034 at a 6.40% CAGR.
Urban Bird Hot Chicken stands out through its focused menu, bold heat-forward flavors and efficient operating model designed to drive consistency and throughput at the store level. The brand competes primarily with national and emerging fried chicken concepts such as Chick-fil-A, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Raising Cane’s, Dave’s Hot Chicken, Hattie B’s, Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack and Wingstop.
Want to learn more about franchise opportunities on 1851 Franchise? Be sure to visit our Power Rankings to read more on brands making moves.
Want to learn more about how 1851 helps franchisees find the right franchise opportunity? Visit www.1851growthclub.com and start your journey.
Disclaimer: This content is for information only. You should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial or other advice. Nothing contained on this site constitutes a solicitation, recommendation, endorsement or offer to buy or sell any franchises, securities or other financial instruments in this or in any other jurisdiction in which such solicitation or offer would be unlawful under the franchise and/or securities laws of such jurisdiction.
All content in this article is information of a general nature and does not address the detailed circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Nothing in the article constitutes professional and/or financial advice, nor does any information in the article constitute a comprehensive or complete statement of the matters discussed or the law relating thereto. You alone assume the sole responsibility of evaluating the merits and risks associated with the use of any information or other content in this article before making any decisions based on such information or other content.
| Urban Bird Hot Chicken Experts Investment Range | $236,300 to $837,800 |
| No. of Units Currently Open | 23 corporate locations, 5 in construction |
| No. of Units Expected to Open this Year | 5+ |
| Royalty | 6% |
| Franchise Fee | $35,000 |
| Urban Bird Hot Chicken Experts Investment Range | $236,300 to $837,800 |
| No. of Units Currently Open | 23 corporate locations, 5 in construction |
| No. of Units Expected to Open this Year | 5+ |
| Royalty | 6% |
| Franchise Fee | $35,000 |
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