Buffalo Wild Wings Franchise Costs, Fees & FDD

Year Business Began: 1982

Franchising Since: 1991

Headquarters: Atlanta, Georgia

Estimated Number of Units: 1,250

Franchise Description: Buffalo Wild Wings International, Inc. is the franchisor. The franchisor is a subsidiary of Inspire Brands, Inc. Buffalo Wild Wings Sports Bars have a sports entertainment-oriented, casual/fast casual restaurant theme offering a wide variety of chicken wings, sandwiches and other products and beverages, including alcoholic beverages.
Training Overview: Not more than 120 days, but not less than 60 days, before the opening of the sports bar, the franchisor will provide initial in-restaurant training and familiarization course to train at least four people from the franchisee’s management team (including the control person, unit general manager and at least two assistant managers), which the attendees must complete to the franchisor’s satisfaction. The classroom training is a self-directed training curriculum. The franchisor conducts the initial manager training program, including on-the-job training, for the franchisee’s first Buffalo Wild Wings Sports Bar at a National Certified Training Sports Bar (NCTSB) that the franchisor’s affiliates operate. After franchisees and their management staff have successfully completed the training program, the franchisor will arrange, at franchisees’ expense, for an opening team to assist with the opening of the sports bar. The opening team will train franchisees in implementing the system at the sports bar for two consecutive weeks. The control person or another representative of the sports bar whom the franchisor approves must attend, at the franchisee’s expense, all annual franchise conferences it may hold or sponsor and all meetings relating to topics it specifies. Franchisees and/or their control person and other sports bar personnel must attend any additional meetings and refresher training programs that the franchisor periodically deems appropriate, although none are currently planned.

Territory Granted: Franchisees receive the right to operate a Buffalo Wild Wings sports bar at a specific location that the franchisor accepts. That location is within a “designated area” that the franchisor specifies in the Franchise Agreement. There is no minimum size for designated areas, but a designated area for a Buffalo Wild Wings sports bar ranging from 3,500 to 7,000 square feet generally will have a trade area with a population base of, or anticipated population growth to, approximately 30,000 to 40,000. While franchisees and their affiliates comply with the terms of the Franchise Agreement and any other agreements with the franchisor and its affiliates, the franchisor and its affiliates will not locate and operate or grant to anyone else a franchise to locate and operate a Buffalo Wild Wings sports bar within the designated area during the term of the Franchise Agreement, except for Buffalo Wild Wings sports bars located at non-traditional locations within the designated area and as described for limited seating facilities.

Obligations and Restrictions: During the term of the Franchise Agreement, franchisees (if franchisee is an individual) or the control person must devote full time and best efforts to the management of the sports bar. The “control person” is the individual who has the authority to actively direct the business affairs regarding the sports bar, is responsible for overseeing the general management of the sports bar and has authority to sign all contracts. Franchisees, their control person or their unit general manager must provide direct on-premises supervision of the sports bar. Franchisees must offer for sale at the sports bar all of the menu items and food and beverage products that the franchisor periodically requires and franchisees may not offer at the sports bar any unapproved products or menu items or use the premises for any purpose other than the operation of a sports bar.

Term of Agreement and Renewal: The length of the initial franchise term is 20 years. If requirements are met, franchisees can renew for one additional term of 10 years.

Financial Assistance: The franchisor does not offer direct or indirect financing. The franchisor does not guaranty a franchisee’s note, lease, or obligation.

Estimated Initial Investment

Name of Fee	Low	High
Fees Related to Site Approval	$1,200	$53,800
Initial Franchise Fee	$12,500	$25,000
Reimbursement of expenses for Opening Team	$0	$105,000
Architecture Fees (based upon utilization of national firm)	$100,000	$160,000
Construction and Leasehold Improvements	$1,430,000	$2,100,000
Furniture, Fixtures, Equipment and Other Fixed Assets	$775,000	$925,000
Audio Visual Equipment	$275,000	$425,000
Computer POS System/ Kitchen Display Unit	$28,245	$50,520
Office Equipment and Supplies	$6,000	$13,000
Sports Memorabilia	$12,500	$26,500
Signage and Graphics (excluding pylon or monument signage)	$43,000	$100,000
Training Expenses	$15,000	$40,000
Initial Inventory	$15,000	$19,000
Insurance	$14,400	$48,000
Additional Funds – 3 months	$100,000	$150,000
Rent	$7,500	$40,000
Lease and Utility Security Deposit	$10,000	$20,000
Grand Opening Advertising	$12,500	$12,500
Liquor License	$5,000	$500,000
Professional Fees	$20,000	$70,000
ESTIMATED TOTAL	$2,882,845	$4,883,320

 
Other Fees

Type of Fee	Amount
Royalty Fee	5% of gross sales, subject to applicable incentive program.
Advertising Fee	3.75% to 4% of gross sales and 1.875% of gross sales for non-traditional locations.
Loyalty Program Contribution Payments	Currently 2.2% of loyalty program sales.
Audit Costs	Cost of audit.
Learning Management System Fee	Currently $60.99 plus tax per sports bar per year, but may change depending on number of Buffalo Wild Wings sports bars participating.
Annual Convention Registration Fee	Currently $550 to $1,000 per person.
Contactless Payment Fee	The amount we specify, currently up to $35 per month.
Transfer Fee	$12,500 (For family transfers: $1,000 plus costs and expenses not to exceed $12,500.)
Co-op or LMG Contribution	At least 0.5% of gross sales.
Renewal Fee	$20,000, and then-current initial franchise fee for non-traditional locations.
Reinspection/Re-evaluation Costs	The franchisor’s costs to re-inspect the sports bar.
Interest and Late Fee	18% per annum or the maximum rate allowed by law, whichever is less, plus $150 for each delinquent report or payment.
Supplier Evaluation Costs	Actual costs of the inspection and evaluation.
Commercial Insurance Costs	$30,000-$120,000 for annual premiums, plus the franchisor’s costs and fees.
Indemnification	Will vary with the circumstances.
Relocation Costs	The franchisor’s reasonable costs relating to the franchisor’s relocation.
Attorneys’ Fees	Will vary with the circumstances.
Deidentification Costs	Will vary with the circumstances.
Liquidated Damages (under Area Development Agreement)	Balance of the initial franchise fee plus $50,000 for each undeveloped Buffalo Wild Wings sports bar.
Menu Database Support	$300 to $420 annually (per sports bar).

The above information has been compiled from the FDD of Buffalo Wild Wings. Year of FDD: 2025.
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