FILING · MN · 2016 FDD · 9+ YEARS OLD
Chick-fil-A License Program FDD (Franchise Disclosure Document) — 2016
The FDD is the 23-item legal disclosure every U.S. franchisor must hand you at least 14 days before you sign or pay anything (FTC Franchise Rule, 16 CFR 436). Chick-fil-A License Program's most recent FDD tracked here is the 2016 FDD · 9+ years old, filed with the Minnesota Department of Commerce (public CARDS portal) (a newer issuance very likely exists; ask the franchisor for it). Registration-state filings are public records, so you can read it free, with no sign-up.
PUBLIC RECORD · FILED 2016 · SOURCE STATE MN
| ITEM 5 | Initial franchise fee | $0 |
| ITEM 6 | Ongoing royalty | 10.0% of gross sales |
| ITEM 7 | Total initial investment | $89K–$1.1M |
| ITEM 3 | Disclosed litigation matters | 4 |
| ITEM 19 | Earnings disclosure (FPR) | Yes — financial performance representation made |
| ITEM 20 | Outlets (fiscal 2015) | 289 franchised at year end · 6 exits (exit rate 2.2%, fiscal 2015) |
| ITEM 21 | Franchisor financial statements | Unmodified (clean) opinion — PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP |
This filing makes an Item 19 earnings claim; we have not yet read how it is built. Open Item 19 and check which units it covers, which it leaves out, and whether it shows costs.
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP gave an unmodified (clean) opinion on the statements in the 2016 FDD; revenue rose 23% from FY2014 to FY2015.
Revenue · FY2015
$2.01B
extracted · not cross-checked
Net income · FY2015
$319.4M
extracted · not cross-checked
Where FY2015 revenue came from
48% royalties
initial-fee share not extracted
- Fiscal years covered: FY2014, FY2015 (2016 FDD)
- Statements are for: not extracted
- Parent / owner: not identified in the statements
| Fiscal year | FY2014 | FY2015 |
|---|---|---|
| Total revenue | $1.64Bextracted · not cross-checked | $2.01Bextracted · not cross-checked |
| Royalty revenue | $807.5Mextracted · not cross-checked | $961.5Mextracted · not cross-checked |
| Net income (loss) | $256.7Mextracted · not cross-checked | $319.4Mextracted · not cross-checked |
How to read this: royalties recur as long as franchisees trade; initial and development fees arrive only when new franchises are sold. A franchisor whose revenue leans on initial fees is funding itself by selling territories, and that revenue stops when sales slow. Under ASC 606 most franchisors recognize initial fees over the agreement term, so the line understates the cash collected in a strong selling year. Ad-fund revenue, where reported, is included in total revenue as the statements present it.
Each figure links to its page in the filed PDF. “Matched to statement” means our extraction and a second, rule-based read of the statement page agree; “extracted · not cross-checked” means the statement page is a scanned image or could not be read as text. Figures we could not place on a consistent scale are withheld, not guessed. Spotted an error? Report a correction.
Every figure above was extracted by software from the 2016 Chick-fil-A License Program FDD as filed (figures are not individually checked by a person) and links back to that document. Fields that could not be extracted are omitted; no figure here is estimated. Extraction errors are possible: the filing controls, and FDDs are reissued annually; verify against the current issuance before relying on any number. Spotted an error? Franchisors and owners can report it via the contact on our Terms page.
Chick-fil-A License Program FDD questions, answered
Where can I download the Chick-fil-A License Program FDD for free?
Chick-fil-A License Program's 2016 Franchise Disclosure Document is a public record, filed with the Minnesota Department of Commerce (public CARDS portal). It can be downloaded free from the source link on this page — no broker form, no email signup required.
What year is Chick-fil-A License Program's most recent FDD on file?
The most recent Chick-fil-A License Program FDD tracked here is the 2016 FDD · 9+ years old, filed with the Minnesota Department of Commerce (public CARDS portal). Franchisors must update their FDD annually, so a newer issuance very likely exists; confirm you are reading the current issuance before signing.
Does Chick-fil-A License Program's FDD disclose earnings (Item 19)?
Yes — Chick-fil-A License Program makes a financial performance representation in Item 19 of its 2016 FDD. Read the basis fine print: franchisors choose which units and metrics to include.
What does Chick-fil-A License Program's FDD Item 20 show?
In fiscal 2015, Chick-fil-A License Program ended with 289 franchised outlets; 6 of 274 open at the start of the year left the system (exit rate 2.2%, fiscal 2015) through terminations, non-renewals, and "ceased operations — other reasons".
The Chick-fil-A License Program validation checklist
questions built from this brand's own filings · read them all on the profile
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