About Crimson Coward Franchise
Crimson Coward is a Nashville hot chicken franchise offering unit opportunities in Maryland since 2020.
Each location serves crispy, hand breaded chicken at customizable heat levels, from mild to extreme, with classic Southern accompaniments.
The brand brings the bold, craveable flavors of Nashville hot chicken to local communities in an approachable, fast casual setting.
Crimson Coward Franchise Cost & Fees
Minimum Investment
$243K
Average Investment
$362K
Maximum Investment
$481K
| Fee Type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $35,000 | One-time payment upon signing |
| Royalty Fee | 6.5% of Gross Revenues of gross sales | Ongoing; paid monthly |
| Marketing/Ad Fund | 1.5% of Gross Revenues | National brand fund |
| Total Investment Range | $243,000 – $480,500 | Includes build-out, inventory, working capital |
The investment range of $243K–$481K reflects variability in build-out costs, store size, lease terms, and market. The combined royalty (6.5% of Gross Revenues) and marketing fee (1.5% of Gross Revenues) are ongoing costs paid as a percentage of gross sales.
Investment Breakdown (Item 7)
| Item | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Fee (Note A) | $35,000 | $35,000 |
| Initial Training Fee (for up to 2 people trained at the same time) (Note B) | $0 | $3,000 |
| Rent & Security Deposit (3 Months) (Note C) | $15,000 | $30,000 |
| Leasehold Improvements (Note D) | $50,000 | $150,000 |
| Equipment including small wares (Note E) | $75,000 | $125,000 |
| Travel & Living Expenses While Attending Initial Training (Note B) | $500 | $1,500 |
| Furniture, Office Equipment & General Software, Signs | $15,000 | $30,000 |
| Grand Opening (Note F) | $4,000 | $7,500 |
| Insurance (Note G) | $10,000 | $20,000 |
| Professional Fees (Note H) | $1,000 | $3,500 |
| Opening Inventory, Supplies and Branded Items (Note I) | $7,500 | $15,000 |
| Additional Funds (3 months) (Note J) | $30,000 | $60,000 |
Additional Fees (Item 6)
| Fee Type | Amount |
|---|---|
| Transfer Fee | One half the THEN current Initial fee. For example if the current Initial Fee at the time you want to transfer is $50,000 then the Transfer fee will be $25,000. Fee is $500 if you transfer to a corporation or other entity with the same identical ownership and control. |
| Renewal Fee | One half the THEN current Initial fee. For example if the current Initial Fee at the time you want to renew is $50,000 then the Renewal fee will be $25,000. |
| Technology Fee | We do not have any proprietary software at this time but reserve the right to implement in the future |
| Audit Fee | 1.5% per month interest on amount of underpayment plus the cost of the audit plus the amount of the underpayment |
| Local Advertising and Marketing | Not less than $500 per month |
| Regional Advertising Cooperative | As determined by cooperative |
| Additional Training | $3,000 per person for the initial training program. $300 per day for specific extra training on site, plus travel/lodging costs of franchisor. |
| Convention or Regional meetings | Varies from $0-$1000 depending on the length of the meetings |
| Ongoing inventory and menu items | Varies According to purchase terms |
| Late Payment/Interest | Late charge equal to 5% of payment due, together with interest at one percent (1%) per month, not to exceed highest legal rate. |
| Dishonored Item Fee | $75 plus reimbursement of any financial institution charge to us |
| Franchise Agreement Violation Fee | $250 first material violation if not timely corrected, then $500 subsequent violations, and in the case of health and safety violation, you must also comply with a remedial program. |
| Indemnification | Will vary under circumstances |
| Costs and Attorneys’ Fees | Will vary under circumstances |
Training Program (Item 11)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Total Duration | approximately 17-19 days |
| Classroom Training | 10 |
| On-the-Job Training | 11.5 |
| Training Location | our Downey, California location and at one or more operating Crimson Coward restaurant locations. |
| Additional Training | We may require you or your employees to attend additional training at a location we determine at $300 per day. You may request additional on-site training for $300 per day plus our travel and lodging expenses. |
Territory Rights (Item 12)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Territory Type | Protected |
| Exclusive Territory | No |
| Territory Size | approximately 5-mile radius |
| Description | Your Territory will generally be approximately 5-mile radius around your location but may be less depending on population for the surrounding area. Once a lease is signed for a Crimson Coward location, the protected territory will be a 5-mile radius around the location. We will provide you with a map upon request. |
Renewal, Termination & Transfer (Item 17)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Initial Term | 10 years |
| Renewal Term | One 10-year additional term |
| Renewal Fee | one-half the THEN current Initial Fee |
| Renewal Conditions | Be in good standing, sign new agreement, which may contain terms and conditions materially different than your original contract, update or replace equipment, retain location, remodel or refurbish, give 6 months’ notice and pay a fee of one-half the THEN current Initial Fee, no unethical conduct or otherwise cause harm to Marks, We must still be offering franchises. |
| Transfer Fee | One-half the THEN current Initial Fee; The fee to transfer to an entity with identical ownership is $500. |
| Transfer Conditions | You are current in all fees to us; You are not in material breach of the Agreement; You have paid all debts of your business; new Franchisee signs release of claims against Us for representations You made; You sign a mutual termination and release of the Agreement; We receive transfer fee One-half the THEN current Initial Fee; new Franchisee signs the then-current form of Agreement, new Franchisee qualifies; new Franchisee successfully completes initial training program; new Franchisee obtains rights to your location lease, if applicable; and we receive 30 day right of first refusal. |
| Termination for Cause | We may terminate only for cause. We may, in lieu of terminating your franchise, terminate your territorial rights and leave your franchise in full force and effect; however, terminating your territorial rights does not limit our rights thereafter to terminate your franchise for the same or a different cause. Defaults which can be cured (30 days notice) and non-curable defaults (repeated defaults, bankruptcy, abandonment, health/safety violations, felony conviction, unethical dealings, termination of other agreements). |
| Non-Compete Period | 24 months |
| Non-Compete Details | Subject to State laws, for 24 months, you must not compete with us within 20 miles of the boundaries of your Territory, solicit or divert any of our customers or vendors or customers or vendors of any other franchisee, disclose any trade secrets, or solicit or hire any of our employees, former employees or franchisees. Subject to State laws, for 24 months, You will not be employed by or in business with any person or entity that does any of those things. Competing business defined as any eatery which sells fried spicy chicken sandwiches and meals which accounts for more than 20% of revenues. |
Operations & Supply (Items 8 & 15)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Owner-Operator Required | Yes |
| Participation Details | You must either devote your full time and effort to managing and operating the Crimson Coward restaurant or delegate its management or operation to a trained manager and must reserve and exercise ultimate authority and responsibility over operation and management. If you delegate management and operation to a manager, the manager must first successfully complete our initial training program before, or within thirty days after assuming the role of manager. If you are a corporation or other entity, each owner must personally guaranty the Agreement and the entity must designate a competent manager. We do not require the designated manager to be an equity owner of the franchised business. |
| Required Suppliers | You must purchase from approved vendors, all the equipment, supplies, inventory, and branded items necessary to start or operate the Crimson Coward restaurant. We may designate other approved vendors, which must meet our specifications. We issue specifications in writing and incorporate them in the Operations Manual. |
| Supply Restrictions | We, or our affiliate, are the only approved supplier for the required Equipment, Opening Inventory, Supplies and Branded items. Your purchases of goods and services in accordance with specifications will represent approximately 80% to 85% of your total purchases in connection with establishing and operating your Crimson Coward restaurant. |
| Franchisor Revenue from Suppliers | As of December 31, 2022, neither we nor our affiliate derived any revenue based on required purchases or leases by franchisees made in accordance with our specifications. We may in the future receive rebates, discounts and allowances from some vendors with whom you do business, ranging from 0-5% of the amount of your purchase of certain items. |
Financing (Item 10)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Financing Available | No |
| Description | We do not offer direct or indirect financing. We do not guarantee your note, lease or obligation. |
Crimson Coward Franchise Earnings — Item 19
Crimson Coward does not make an Item 19 financial performance representation in their FDD. This means they do not disclose revenue, profit, or earnings data for franchised locations. Before investing, ask the franchisor directly for franchisee contact information so you can speak with existing owners about their actual financial performance.
Crimson Coward does not include an Item 19 financial performance representation in their FDD. Contact information for current and former franchisees is listed in Item 20 of the FDD.
Crimson Coward Litigation & Risk Flags
Clean Litigation RecordCrimson Coward has no pending litigation actions listed in their FDD. There is also no bankruptcy history disclosed.
Litigation and bankruptcy data is sourced from Items 3 and 4 of the FDD. Always verify current status directly from the most recent FDD.
Crimson Coward System Growth
Total Units
7
Franchised
5
Company-Owned
2
Crimson Coward currently operates 5 franchised locations and 2 company-owned units. Unit count data is sourced from Item 20 of the FDD.
Unit History (Item 20)
| Year | Opened | Closed | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 2022 | 6 | 1 | 7 |
Transfers: 0 | Closures: 1
State Registrations
Registered in 16 states: CA, MD, MI, VA, WA, HI, IL, IN, NE, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, TX, WI
Franchisor Financials (Item 21)
Revenue
$155K
Net Income
$-10,000
Total Assets
$10K
Crimson Coward Franchise — FAQ
The total investment to open a Crimson Coward franchise ranges from $243,000 to $480,500, per their Franchise Disclosure Document. This includes the initial franchise fee of $35,000. The investment covers build-out, inventory, equipment, signage, working capital, and other startup costs.
Crimson Coward charges a royalty fee of 6.5% of Gross Revenues of gross sales, plus a 1.5% of Gross Revenues contribution to the marketing/advertising fund. These fees are paid on an ongoing basis.
You can download the Crimson Coward Franchise Disclosure Document free on this page. The FDD is a public document filed with state franchise registries. Always also request the current FDD directly from Crimson Coward to ensure you have the most up-to-date version.
Crimson Coward does not provide an Item 19 financial performance representation in their FDD, which means they do not disclose franchisee revenue or earnings data. Prospective investors should contact existing franchisees directly (listed in Item 20 of the FDD) to gather real-world financial performance information.
Crimson Coward has been franchising since 2020. The FDD shows an investment range of $243,000-$480,500, a 6.5% of Gross Revenues royalty, and no Item 19 earnings disclosure. There is no pending litigation. Review the full FDD and contact current franchisees listed in Item 20 before making any investment decision.
The franchise fee is $35,000 and the total investment ranges from $243,000 to $480,500 depending on location size and market. Contact the franchisor directly for current net worth and liquid capital requirements, territory availability, and application details.
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Data Source & Disclaimer: This website is for informational purposes only. It is not an offer to sell or buy a franchise. This profile is based on publicly available FDD data sourced from state franchise registry filings. All information is for research purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or investment advice. Data may be outdated or contain errors. Always obtain the current FDD directly from Crimson Coward and consult a qualified franchise attorney before making any investment decision. FranchiseOverview.com is operated by Franchising Compliance, LLC and is not affiliated with Crimson Coward or any of its subsidiaries. To report an inaccuracy: info@franchiseoverview.com