Franchise Facts Report → rankings → Quick-service restaurant
Fast food & quick-service restaurant franchises with the most franchisee lawsuits
15 fast food & quick-service restaurant franchises by the number of franchisee-vs-franchisor proceedings disclosed in FDD Item 3. Every figure is read from the brand's most recent FDD — not marketing copy.
| # | Franchise | Franchisee lawsuits | Investment | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Subway | 57 | $263,000 – $630,000 | High |
| 2 | Quiznos · Item 19 ✓ | 15 | $223,900 – $618,800 | High |
| 3 | Little Caesar Enterprises, Inc. d/b/a "Little Caesars | 10 | $376,500 – $1,769,200 | High |
| 4 | DQ Grill & Chill · Item 19 ✓ | 8 | $1,510,100 – $2,550,100 | Medium |
| 5 | Hoots® | 8 | — | High |
| 6 | Dairy Queen of Virginia · Item 19 ✓ | 7 | $570,100 – $2,550,800 | Medium |
| 7 | Great American Buffet · Item 19 ✓ | 6 | $1,061,000 – $4,500,000 | High |
| 8 | Baja Fresh | 5 | $428,560 – $1,034,290 | High |
| 9 | Blimpie | 5 | $307,550 – $601,250 | High |
| 10 | Famous Dave's® | 5 | — | High |
| 11 | Franchise Partner Program · Item 19 ✓ | 5 | $259,336 – $997,942 | Medium |
| 12 | Traditional Franchise Program · Item 19 ✓ | 5 | $316,000 – $2,656,425 | Medium |
| 13 | Villa Pizza · Item 19 ✓ | 5 | $373,750 – $990,500 | High |
| 14 | Carl's Jr · Item 19 ✓ | 4 | $1,486,000 – $3,176,500 | High |
| 15 | West Coast Sourdough · Item 19 ✓ | 4 | $321,500 – $551,000 | Medium |
Ranked from FDDs filed with state franchise registries. Figures are as disclosed by each franchisor; “best” reflects the single metric above, not an overall recommendation. Tap any brand for the full cost, earnings, litigation and benchmark breakdown.
This page ranks one number. The report on a single brand gives you the actual Item 19 earnings, every fee line, the litigation detail, outlet churn, and where each figure lands against quick-service restaurant peers — plus the questions to put to the franchisor before you sign.