The Burger Franchise Built for Multi-Unit Investors

Five dayparts. 24/7 operations. $1,913,335 average unit volume.

A burger franchise is a quick-service restaurant licensed under an established burger brand's operating system, menu, and supply chain. Jack in the Box is a national burger franchise with a 75-year operating history, 2,100+ locations across 21 states, and a 24/7 menu spanning all five dayparts.

Burger franchise investment costs - Jack in the Box $1.9M to $4M initial investment

$1,913,335 — Average Unit Volume

75+ Years — Brand Operating History

2,100+ Restaurants Across 21 States

5 — Complete Dayparts, 24/7 Service

What Makes a Burger Franchise Worth Investing In?

A burger franchise is worth investing in when the brand can demonstrate three things: a transparent average unit volume, a differentiated operating model that protects against demand shifts, and a development structure designed for portfolio operators. Most burger franchises compete in a single daypart with a single product category. Jack in the Box does not.

The burger franchise category is crowded. Burger King, McDonald's, Wendy's, Carl's Jr., Hardee's, Whataburger, Five Guys, Smashburger, Culver's, Mooyah, and dozens of regional players all compete for the same investor attention. Selecting between them is less about logo recognition and more about three numbers: the average unit volume disclosed in Item 19, the total investment range disclosed in Item 7, and how the brand's operating hours and menu mix expose or insulate that volume.

Jack in the Box discloses a system-wide $1,913,335 average gross sales figure for franchised restaurants in the continental U.S. (Item 19, 2025). That sales volume is generated across five dayparts — breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner, and late-night — at restaurants operating 24 hours a day. It is the only major national burger franchise built this way.

How Jack in the Box Compares to Other Burger Franchises

The most meaningful comparison points across burger franchises are dayparts served, hours of operation, menu breadth, and disclosed average unit volume. Here is how Jack in the Box stacks up against the structural model of the typical burger franchise:

Operating Dimension	Typical Burger Franchise	Premium Burger Franchise	Jack in the Box
Dayparts served	2–3 (lunch, dinner)	2–3 (lunch, dinner)	5 (breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner, late-night)
Hours of operation	Limited (closed overnight)	Limited (closed overnight)	24/7
Menu category breadth	Burgers only	Burgers + premium sides	Burgers, tacos, breakfast, chicken, sides, shakes
Average unit volume	Often undisclosed	Often undisclosed	$1,913,335 (FDD Item 19, 2025)
Brand operating history	5–25 years typical	5–20 years typical	75+ years (founded 1951)
Multi-unit incentive depth	Limited	Variable	$150K dev loan + royalty reductions in select markets

*Average unit volume for Jack in the Box reflects historical 2025 system-wide gross sales of franchised restaurants in the continental U.S. as disclosed in Item 19 of the Franchise Disclosure Document. Some outlets have earned these amounts. Your individual results may differ. There is no assurance you will earn as much. Comparison categories reflect general industry structure; refer to each franchisor's FDD for specific figures.

How Much Does It Cost to Open a Burger Franchise?

The total estimated initial investment to open a Jack in the Box burger franchise is $1,909,500 to $4,041,500 (FDD Item 7), excluding land, financing, and certain other costs. This range is for a prototypical built-from-the-ground-up restaurant. The investment range varies by site, market, prototype selected, and whether the operator owns or leases land.

To see our full Item 7 and investment breakdown, click here.

Ongoing Burger Franchise Fees

Royalty fee: 5% of gross sales (FDD Item 6)
Marketing fee: 5% of gross sales (FDD Item 6)
Royalty reduction available in Select Markets — see incentive section below

See our costs, fees, estimated initial investment and more heree .

Financial Requirements to Qualify

Minimum liquidity: $750,000
Minimum net worth: $1,500,000
Multi-unit operating preference: 3+ unit development capacity
Industry experience: QSR, hospitality, or multi-unit retail franchising preferred

Want to see if you're a fit? Click here.

Burger Franchise Financing

Jack in the Box does not directly provide financing for the full initial investment. Most burger franchise candidates work with SBA preferred lenders, conventional commercial lenders, or restaurant-specialty lenders familiar with QSR underwriting. Existing real estate equity, retirement-account-rollover structures, and partnership capital are also commonly used to meet liquidity requirements.

What Is the Average Revenue of a Jack in the Box Burger Franchise?

The average annual gross sales of a Jack in the Box franchised restaurant in the continental U.S. was $1,913,335 for the 12-month period ending September 30, 2025 (FDD Item 19, Table 1). This figure represents 1,754 franchised restaurants meeting the FDD inclusion criteria.

*2025 Gross Sales by Tier (Franchised Restaurants, Continental U.S.)

Sales Tier	Average Gross Sales	Median Gross Sales
Top Third	$2,632,491	$2,502,729
Middle third	$1,839,539	$1,829,953
Bottom third	$1,266,871	$1,299,443
System-wide average	$1,913,335	$1,830,083

Source: FDD Item 19, Table 1. Twelve-month period ending September 30, 2025. Reflects 1,754 franchised Jack in the Box restaurants in the continental U.S. that met the inclusion criteria. Some outlets have earned these amounts. Your individual results may differ. There is no assurance you will earn as much. See the full FDD for detailed methodology, exclusions, and substantiation.

Think Jack in the Box is the Burger Franchise for You?

Fill out the short form below to tell us a bit more about yourself, your markets, and your growth goals. Once we receive your information, a dedicated member of our franchise development team will reach out to you directly to discuss fit, answer your questions, and walk you through the next steps in the Jack in the Box franchising process.