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Quick-Service & Fast-Casual Restaurants Franchise Marketing Benchmarks (2026)

By Casey Slaughter Stanton, Founder & CEO, CMOx · Updated September 2026

Quick-Service & Fast-Casual Restaurants franchises charge a median royalty of 5% of gross sales and a median ad fund contribution of 2.12%, across 158 franchise disclosure documents filed with the Minnesota Department of Commerce. 43% set a local marketing requirement, with a median of 2% of sales. 15% require a designated marketing vendor, against 23% of all franchise systems.

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Quick-Service & Fast-Casual Restaurants franchise fees

Fees: quick-service restaurant franchises vs. all franchises (medians)
TermQuick-Service & Fast-Casual RestaurantsMiddle halfAll franchisesSample
Royalty5%5% to 6%6%n=102
Ad fund contribution2.12%2% to 4%2%n=90
Local marketing requirement2%1% to 3.25%3%n=63
Total mandated marketing4%3% to 6%5%n=51
Technology fee$170/mo$100/mo to $350/mo$274/mon=83

What quick-service restaurant FDDs say about marketing money

Marketing clauses: share of FDDs that include each
ClauseQuick-Service & Fast-Casual RestaurantsAll franchisesSample
Sets a local marketing requirementRequires local spend as a percentage of sales or a dollar minimum.43%46%n=158
Requires a designated marketing vendorFranchisees must buy marketing, advertising, digital or website services from a designated or sole vendor.15%23%n=156
Ad fund need not be spent in your marketNo obligation to spend fund money in the franchisee's market or in proportion to what it paid in.65%54%n=156
Ad fund may pay franchisor adminThe fund may pay the franchisor's administrative costs or the salaries of the people who run it.66%64%n=156
Co-op membership mandatoryFranchisees must join a regional advertising co-op if one forms.36%31%n=156
Discloses supplier rebatesThe franchisor receives rebates or commissions from suppliers franchisees must use.62%72%n=156
Franchisor sells marketing servicesThe franchisor or an affiliate is an approved supplier of marketing services to its own franchisees.0.6%7.6%n=156
Franchisor approves local adsFranchisee advertising needs franchisor approval before it runs.78%71%n=158

What growing systems do differently

Among quick-service restaurant systems with three full years of Item 20 outlet data, 40% had fewer units at the end than at the start, and median unit growth was +4% (n=52). Across all franchise systems, 34% shrank.

Among all franchise systems, those that require a designated marketing vendor shrank 23% of the time (n=97), against 38% without one (n=337). Growing systems ask franchisees for less local marketing money and direct more of it. See the full comparison.

These are associations across current filings, not proof that any clause causes growth.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average royalty for a quick-service restaurant franchise?

The median quick-service restaurant franchise royalty is 5% of gross sales, and the middle half of FDDs charge 5% to 6% (102 FDDs). Across all franchises the median is 6%.

How much do quick-service restaurant franchises charge for the ad fund?

The median quick-service restaurant franchise ad fund contribution is 2.12% of gross sales (90 FDDs). 65% of quick-service restaurant FDDs say the franchisor has no obligation to spend that money in the franchisee's market.

Do quick-service restaurant franchises require local marketing spend?

43% of quick-service restaurant FDDs set a local marketing requirement, as a percentage of sales or a dollar minimum. The median requirement is 2% of sales.

What technology fee do quick-service restaurant franchises charge?

The median quick-service restaurant franchise technology fee is $170 a month, with the middle half between $100 a month and $350 a month (83 FDDs).

About these figures

Medians and shares across 158 quick-service restaurant franchise disclosure documents filed with the Minnesota Department of Commerce, 92% of them 2026 filings. They describe the market, not any one brand's terms. No figure is shown with fewer than 20 FDDs behind it; 20 to 49 are marked small sample. Full method and every national figure: Franchise Marketing Statistics (2026). CC BY 4.0: cite freely with a link to this page.

Other food & beverage benchmarks:

All franchise marketing benchmarks · Franchise marketing statistics (2026)

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