Restaurants

Dairy Queen franchise

Food and soft-serve frozen treats under the DQ brand.

Opening investment: $549,100–$2,543,050

Opening costs and fees

$549,100–$2,543,050

Opening costs vary by format, location and lease terms.

Operating formats

DQ Treat Franchise

$549,100–$1,604,700

2025 DQ Treat FDD Item 7

Includes $25,000 initial franchise fee; excludes land acquisition costs.

DQ Grill & Chill Restaurant

$1,516,200–$2,543,050

2025 DQ Grill & Chill FDD Item 7

Includes $45,000 initial franchise fee; excludes land acquisition costs.

investment: The official Grill & Chill FAQ lists a $45,000 initial franchise fee. The total opening investment and DQ Treat costs remain unverified.
recurring conditional fees: The Grill & Chill FAQ lists a 4% continuing license fee and a 5–6% sales promotion fee. The calculation base is not defined in the reviewed FAQ; the FDD terms remain to be checked.

Running the business

owner training support: The FAQ describes manager readiness, SERVSAFE and ADQ training, with program costs for three people included. Additional candidates cost extra. Required hours, travel costs and full owner-participation terms remain unverified.

Sources and figure notes

Reporting periods and scope

Opening investment

$549,100–$1,604,700 for a single DQ Treat franchise ($25,000 initial franchise fee) and $1,516,200–$2,543,050 for a single DQ Grill & Chill restaurant ($45,000 initial franchise fee), excluding land acquisition costs.

Research snapshot: . Sources and methodology

Compare independent startup vs. franchise economics

Compare Dairy Queen’s franchise model against starting or buying an independent business in desserts and snacks (line-item CapEx, 0%-royalty owner SDE margins & SBA resale multiples):