Franchise Facts Report → compare → KFC (Traditional) vs Carl's Jr
KFC (Traditional) vs Carl's Jr
Two other franchises, compared on the numbers their own Franchise Disclosure Documents put on record — investment, fees, Item 19 earnings, outlet churn, and litigation. Not marketing copy.
| KFC (Traditional) | Carl's Jr | |
|---|---|---|
| Total initial investment FDD Item 7 | $135,000 – $540,000 | $1,486,000 – $3,176,500 |
| Initial franchise fee FDD Item 5 | $45,000 | $25,000 |
| Royalty FDD Item 6 | 4% | 4% |
| Item 19 earnings disclosed FDD Item 19 | Yes | Yes |
| Avg unit revenue (headline) FDD Item 19 | disclosed (not machine-read) | $1,373,117 |
| Franchised outlets FDD Item 20 | 3,715 | 982 |
| Net outlet change (latest yr) FDD Item 20 | -127 | -32 |
| Closure rate FDD Item 20 | 4.1% | 2.9% |
| Franchisee lawsuits FDD Item 3 | disclosed | 4 |
| Risk level our read | Medium | High |
| FDD year registration | 2024 | 2025 |
Are KFC (Traditional) and Carl's Jr the same company?
No — KFC (Traditional) and Carl's Jr are franchised by separate companies. KFC (Traditional)'s franchisor is KFC US, LLC; Carl's Jr's is CARL'S JR. RESTAURANTS LLC. Each registers and files its own Franchise Disclosure Document, and you would be signing with a different entity depending on which you chose. Note that a registry filing names the franchisor, not necessarily its ultimate parent — two brands owned by the same parent company can still have separate franchisors.
Cost to open
KFC (Traditional) is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $135,000 – $540,000, against $1,486,000 – $3,176,500 for Carl's Jr.
How much does each make? (Item 19)
Both franchisors make an Item 19 financial performance representation — the detailed figures are in each brand's FDD (Item 19).
Closures & failure rate
KFC (Traditional) reports 3,715 franchised outlets, net change -127 in the latest reported year, a 4.1% closure rate (FDD Item 20). Carl's Jr reports 982 franchised outlets, net change -32 in the latest reported year, a 2.9% closure rate (FDD Item 20). Outlet churn — closures, terminations, non-renewals — is the closest thing an FDD has to a failure rate.
Litigation
KFC (Traditional) discloses litigation in FDD Item 3 (each case is described there). Carl's Jr discloses 4 franchisee-vs-franchisor proceedings in FDD Item 3.
Deciding between KFC (Traditional) and Carl's Jr?
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KFC (Traditional) vs Carl's Jr — frequently asked
Are KFC (Traditional) and Carl's Jr the same company?
No — KFC (Traditional) and Carl's Jr are franchised by separate companies. KFC (Traditional)'s franchisor is KFC US, LLC; Carl's Jr's is CARL'S JR. RESTAURANTS LLC. Each registers and files its own Franchise Disclosure Document, and you would be signing with a different entity depending on which you chose. Note that a registry filing names the franchisor, not necessarily its ultimate parent — two brands owned by the same parent company can still have separate franchisors.
What is the difference between KFC (Traditional) and Carl's Jr?
KFC (Traditional) and Carl's Jr are other franchises from different franchisors (KFC US, LLC and CARL'S JR. RESTAURANTS LLC). KFC (Traditional) is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $135,000 – $540,000, against $1,486,000 – $3,176,500 for Carl's Jr. Both franchisors make an Item 19 financial performance representation — the detailed figures are in each brand's FDD (Item 19).
Is KFC (Traditional) more profitable than Carl's Jr?
Both franchisors make an Item 19 financial performance representation — the detailed figures are in each brand's FDD (Item 19).
Which is cheaper to open — KFC (Traditional) or Carl's Jr?
KFC (Traditional) is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $135,000 – $540,000, against $1,486,000 – $3,176,500 for Carl's Jr.
Is KFC (Traditional) or Carl's Jr growing faster?
KFC (Traditional) reports 3,715 franchised outlets, net change -127 in the latest reported year, a 4.1% closure rate (FDD Item 20). Carl's Jr reports 982 franchised outlets, net change -32 in the latest reported year, a 2.9% closure rate (FDD Item 20).
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Figures are as disclosed in each brand's most recent registered FDD (KFC (Traditional) 2024, Carl's Jr 2025). “—” means the FDD does not disclose it or the table did not parse cleanly — never an estimate.