Wing Snob Franchise Review (2026): Costs, Fees, Revenue Potential

• Category: Food & Beverage
• Initial Investment: $340,200 to $615,500
• Franchise Fee: $30,000
• Royalty: 6% of Gross Sales
• Marketing / Ad Fee: 1% advertising fund contribution, plus 1% local advertising per month
• Key additional recurring fees: $199 monthly technology fee; possible co-op contribution; late fees, audit-related charges, and other contingent fees
• Number of locations: 42 total outlets at year-end 2024 (39 franchised, 3 company-owned)
• Best Fit: Owner-operator

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The disclosure estimates initial investment at $340,200 to $615,500 for a single territory, with a $30,000 initial franchise fee. The midpoint is roughly $477,850, which places this in a higher startup-cost range for an individual small business purchase.

The disclosure does not fully break out every startup line item here, but the overall cost profile appears to reflect a full restaurant buildout with equipment, technology, and opening capital needs. It also includes additional funds of $10,000 to $15,000, which suggests the buyer should plan for working capital beyond construction and opening expenses.

For multi-unit development, the disclosure also references a development fee structure, including the first restaurant fee and deposits for additional locations.

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• Royalty fee: 6% of Gross Sales, paid weekly
• Advertising fund contribution: 1% of Gross Sales, with the franchisor reserving the right to increase it up to 3%
• Local advertising: 1% of Gross Sales per month
• Technology fee: $199 per month
• Advertising cooperative contribution: Varies, if a co-op is established
• Interest on overdue amounts: Lesser of 1.5% per month or the highest amount allowed by law
• Late fee: $100 per occurrence per day
• Transfer fee: $10,000, or $5,000 if sold to an existing franchisee
• Renewal fee: 25% of the then-current initial franchise fee

In practical terms, the standard recurring load starts with 6% royalty + 2% advertising/local marketing, before considering the monthly technology fee and any co-op contribution. That is a meaningful ongoing obligation, though not unusually complex in structure for a restaurant model.

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Yes, the FDD includes an Item 19 financial performance representation, but it reports gross revenue, not profit.

For 26 franchised restaurants that were open for the full 12 months ended December 31, 2024, the disclosure reports:

Gross Revenue — Top 50% of reporting stores (13 stores)

• Highest: $1,127,700
• Lowest: $743,376
• Average: $900,160
• Median: $833,485

Gross Revenue — Bottom 50% of reporting stores (13 stores)

• Highest: $730,376
• Lowest: $497,992
• Average: $634,388
• Median: $680,645

Labor cost as a percentage of Gross Revenue — 26 reporting stores

• Highest: 25.74%
• Lowest: 11.23%
• Average: 18.48%
• Median: 19.12%

What this suggests:

• The reported revenue spread is fairly wide, from $497,992 at the low end of the bottom half to $1,127,700 at the high end of the top half.
• The gap between the average top-half store ($900,160) and average bottom-half store ($634,388) indicates meaningful unit-level variability.
• Labor cost percentages also vary materially, which can affect store-level margins even when revenue is similar.

Important caveats:

• Revenue is not profit. The disclosure does not provide net income, operating profit, occupancy cost, food cost, debt service, or owner compensation.
• The figures were prepared without an audit.
• The sample covers 26 stores, not the full system.
• The disclosure states that there were 32 operating franchisee stores as of December 31, 2023, and that three franchisee locations closed in 2024 and were not included in the Item 19 presentation.

So, the FDD does provide a usable revenue benchmark, but it does not establish what a franchisee will earn after expenses.

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• Model: B2C restaurant business
• Revenue pattern: Primarily recurring sales from ongoing restaurant operations rather than one-time project revenue
• Operating characteristics: Physical restaurant location, staffing-intensive operation, equipment needs, technology requirements, and direct owner supervision

The disclosure indicates that the franchisee must personally supervise the restaurant unless the franchisor permits otherwise in writing. It also indicates a dedicated manager requirement. This points to an operating model that is not designed as a passive investment.

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Advantages

• Item 19 includes actual 2024 gross revenue data for 26 franchised restaurants open for a full 12 months.
• The system grew from 32 total outlets at the start of 2024 to 42 at year-end 2024.
• The FDD provides both revenue and labor cost percentage data, which helps frame operating economics at a basic level.
• There were 39 franchised outlets and 3 company-owned outlets at year-end 2024.

Considerations

• The initial investment of $340,200 to $615,500 is substantial.
• The model requires personal supervision by the franchisee, limiting passive ownership.
• Reported unit revenue varies significantly across the sample.
• Ongoing fees include royalty, ad fund, local advertising, and technology charges, with some advertising costs subject to increase or variation.
• The disclosure does not clearly establish whether territory protection is provided.

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This franchise may fit an owner-operator prepared to run a restaurant directly, manage staff, and handle a higher-cost opening. It may also fit someone comfortable evaluating restaurant revenue in the context of labor and other operating expenses not fully disclosed in Item 19.

It likely does not fit someone seeking a low-cost entry point, a passive or semi-absentee structure, or a business where owner involvement can be minimal from the outset.

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• The initial franchise term is 5 years, which may be short relative to the size of the upfront investment.
• Litigation or arbitration must be pursued in Oakland County, Michigan, subject to applicable state law.
• The franchisor may increase the advertising fund contribution up to 3% of Gross Sales.
• The agreement includes liquidated damages tied to average royalty fees if the franchise agreement is terminated in certain circumstances.
• The disclosure references several contingent charges, including audit costs, sanitation inspection fees, enforcement costs, and refurbishment requirements of up to $20,000.

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Wing Snob presents a restaurant model with a meaningful upfront investment, required owner involvement, and recurring fee obligations, but it also includes actual unit-level revenue data that gives a clearer view of sales ranges than a no-Item-19 offering would. The main tradeoff is straightforward: buyers get some revenue benchmarks, but they are taking on a higher-cost, operationally demanding business where revenue dispersion and unreported expense lines leave profit outcomes uncertain.

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