Chick-fil-A is one of America's toughest franchises, and the startup cost may shock you

Chick-fil-A charges a $10,000 franchise fee and approves approximately 200 franchises annually from roughly 100,000 applicants, according to Julian Good. The company does not operate as a traditional franchise model; franchisees are selected through an application process and do not purchase ownership stakes in individual locations. Approved franchisees operate company-owned restaurants under a licensing arrangement.

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