A few weeks ago we asked the people of Hannibal and the people of Quincy what fast food chain should come to our respective towns next. After 3,000 unique votes were counted and another 3,200 duplicate votes—mostly from rebellious White Castle enthusiasts—were promptly thrown out, Chick-Fil-A and their plethora of dipping sauces ended up being the runaway winner in BOTH cities!

So what do we do now? I did a little digging to see just what it would take to open a Chick-Fil-A franchise, and as it turns out, it’s really not THAT much. According to businessinsider.com, opening a Chick-Fil-A requires a $10,000 franchise fee, ZERO in startup costs, and owners are not required to meet a net worth minimum.

For reference, the article states that opening a McDonald’s requires a $45,000 franchise fee and can exceed $2 million in startup costs. In addition, owners must have liquid assets of at least $750,000.

But there’s a catch: Chick-Fil-A has a much higher rate for monthly fees compared to other fast food giants. In addition, owners are only permitted to own one restaurant whereas other restaurant franchisees may own several.

But that’s pretty much it! Besides a relatively low franchise fee and a seemingly exhaustive application process, there is nothing stopping someone from opening his/her very own Chick-Fil-A right here in Hannibal or Quincy…just not both.

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