We're confident we can help you reach your goals. Our Dairy Queen® franchise support team is prepared to address all your inquiries before you move forward. Below you'll find answers to our most frequently asked questions.
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How much is the Dairy Queen® franchise fee?The franchise fee for a DQ Grill & Chill® location is $45,000. Explore our website for more franchise investment information.
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What kind of support can I expect from the Dairy Queen® brand?Our specialized teams can help you through every step of the development process, from the first conversation to your grand opening and beyond. After opening, we'll continue to help you market your restaurant and support you as you grow your business. Learn more about how we support our franchisees.
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Do I need previous franchising or restaurant experience to become a Dairy Queen® franchisee?Excellent franchise candidates come from a wide variety of backgrounds, including franchisees of (non-competitive) QSR brands and successful business people from outside of the industry.
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When can I expect my DQ Grill & Chill® restaurant to open?The average timeline from applying to opening a DQ Grill & Chill® franchise is about 18 months; however, local requirements may decrease or increase this timeline. Learn more about the steps to ownership.
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How do I get started with opening a Dairy Queen® franchise?Simply fill out our request form. We invite you to reach out to us or explore our website for more information about the steps to owning a DQ Grill & Chill® franchise.
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What are the qualifications to become an owner?We require certain basic qualifications o become a DQ Grill & Chill® franchise owner, including minimum financial qualifications of $400,000 liquid capital and $750,000 net worth, with or without prior experience in quick service restaurants or franchising.
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What does your ideal candidate look like?An ideal DQ Grill & Chill® franchise candidate can come from a wide range of backgrounds. We look for successful business people who are leaders in their communities and who meet or exceed our minimum financial qualifications. Candidates will also need to find a qualified operating partner with QSR drive-thru experience and build, retain, and maintain a successful management team.
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Do you require the location owner to live in the market where they would open a location?It is preferred that owners live in the market where they want to open a DQ Grill & Chill® franchise.
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How do I go about getting financing?We can refer you to financial institutions that have previous experience with DQ Grill & Chill® restaurants and franchise concepts. For Small Business Administration (SBA) loans, choose lenders who have national Preferred Lender Program (PLP) status which helps streamline the financing process. PLP Lenders and Express Lenders have approval authority, which significantly improves timelines for review and approval. If you choose to work with local or state lenders, be certain to verify that they have PLP or Express status.
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What is involved in the initial pre-approval process?
Here's what you can expect from the DQ® franchise pre-approval process:
- Financial review, cash verification, and background checks
- Field meetings with our Franchise Development team
- Interviews with our Operations leadership team
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What kind of training is offered?There are three required components to training: (1) the MTRA (Management Training Readiness Assessment); (2) SERVSAFE certification; and (3) ADQ’s training program, which takes place in certified training restaurants throughout the U.S. and Canada. Included in the initial franchise fee are the training program costs for three people to attend ADQ’s training program. Additional candidates can attend for an additional fee.
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What is the initial investment range to open a location?For more information about the initial investment, check out our Investment Opportunity page, or contact us directly and we can provide you with a direct link to our Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
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How many team members do I need to run the business?Our operations consulting team will work with you to determine the management and staff necessary to support your business needs.
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What are the royalty fees and marketing fees?DQ Grill & Chill® restaurants: 4% continuing license fees and 5-6% sales promotion program fee. Check out Item 6 from our FDD for additional information.
