FAMOUS DAVE'S

FAMOUS DAVE'S

Famous Dave’s of America, Inc. franchises authentic, down-home barbecue restaurants featuring genuine smoked barbecue, including hickory-smoked spareribs, baby back ribs, beef brisket, herb-roasted chicken, barbecue sandwiches, char-grilled burgers, sides like cornbread and coleslaw, desserts, specialty cocktails, and other food and beverage items. The business model involves granting franchises for full-service, counter-service, line-service restaurants, or add-on ghost/cloud kitchens, with initial investments ranging from $68,500 to $4,510,750 depending on format and ownership, including fees paid to the franchisor and requirements for approved suppliers and brand technology. It targets barbecue enthusiasts seeking a consistent, high-quality BBQ dining experience in various formats.

77
Locations
$1299K–$2911K
Investment
Food & BeverageMinnetonka, MNMTY USAwww.famousdaves.comDisclaimer

Franchise Costs


Franchise Fee
$35,000
Item 5 of FDD
Initial Investment Range
$1,299,250 $2,910,750
Low: $1,299,250High: $2,910,750
Item 7 of FDD
Royalty Rate
5.00%
of gross sales
Brand Fund
1.00%
Item 6 of FDD
Fixed Monthly Fees
$300 – $600
Item 6 of FDD

5% royalty + 1% ad fund + $300-$600/mo performance evaluations

Financial Performance


Item 19 Financial Performance

This franchise did not provide Item 19 financial performance data.

Be careful if you are interested in investing. The lack of financial performance representations may indicate limited data or varying results across franchises.

Extracted Item 19 Section

How FAMOUS DAVE'S Compares


Key Insights

  • Lower than average SBA loan default rate in Casual Dining
FranchiseInvestmentFeeRoyaltyLocations
FAMOUS DAVE'S
Current
$1.3M – $2.9M$35K5.0%77
IHOP & INTERNATIONAL HOUSE OF PANCAKES$1.8M – $4.5M$69KN/A1,703
BUFFALO WILD WINGS$2.5M – $4.9M$25K5.0%538
GOLDEN CORRAL STEAKS, BUFFET & BAKERY$2.1M – $8.5M$50K4.0%352
GOLDEN CORRAL$2.2M – $8.7M$50K4.0%348
ORIGINAL PANCAKE HOUSE (THE)$483K – $1.7M$60K2.0%146
Casual Dining Average
44 franchises
$1.5M – $3.5M$43K4.6%

* Comparison based on latest FDD filings. Investment ranges from Item 7, fees from Item 5. Showing top 5 of 44 Casual Dining franchises by location count.

Locations & Growth


Outlet Growth Over Time

Total outlets at end of each year

Geographic Distribution (2024)

Outlets by state across the United States

Top States
1CA
13
2TX
9
3NV
6
4MN
4
5MI
4
6VA
3
7MD
3
8MT
3
9WA
3
10WI
3
11ID
3
12IL
3
13MO
2
14FL
2
15IA
2

+15 more states

SBA Loan History


Historical SBA 7(a) loan data for FAMOUS DAVE'S franchisees (20102025)

Total Loans
13
Average Loan
$1,463,085
Total Volume
$19.0M
Default Rate
7.7%

Loans by Year

SBA 7(a) loan activity over time

* Data sourced from SBA 7(a) FOIA loan records. Default rate calculated from charged-off loans.

Franchisee Contacts


83 franchisee contacts on file from official FDD filings.

NameSBA Loan
John Smith
ABC Franchise LLC
$350,000
2023 · Active
John Smith
ABC Franchise LLC
$350,000
2023 · Active
John Smith
ABC Franchise LLC
$350,000
2023 · Active
John Smith
ABC Franchise LLC
$350,000
2023 · Active
John Smith
ABC Franchise LLC
$350,000
2023 · Active

83 Contacts Available

Unlock all FAMOUS DAVE'S franchisee contacts with verified contact information

Due Diligence


Litigation (Item 3)

Franchisee Cases0
No litigation involving franchisees reported

Bankruptcy (Item 4)

Bankruptcy HistoryNo
No bankruptcy history reported

System Health (Item 20)

Franchise system changes reported in the most recent fiscal year

Terminations
0
Non-Renewals
0
Reacquired
2
Ceased Ops
2
Transfers
6
Sold to Franchisees
0
Projected New
3

Frequently Asked Questions


The total initial investment to open a FAMOUS DAVE'S franchise ranges from $1,299,250 to $2,910,750. This includes a franchise fee of $35,000. Ongoing royalty fees are 5.0% of gross sales.

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