Overall costs for Arby's run anywhere from $616,550 to $2,268,200. See how the costs break down and what funding options might be right for your new venture into the franchise foray.
Estimated initial costs
Our cost estimates are accurate as of 2021 from Franchise Direct and include opening fees and expenses only. The location you choose for your Arby's franchise may result in higher or lower fees.
Equipment fees
Equipment fees total $371,000 for Arby's. This costs more than the $180,023 average for the top 200 franchises.
| Equipment |
$200,000 to $262,000 |
| Computer hardware and software for point-of-sale system |
$40,000 to $55,000 |
| Decor package |
$27,000 to $45,000 |
| Signage and drive-through |
$25,000 to $88,000 |
| Estimated total |
$292,000 to $450,000 |
Real estate fees
Real estate will set you back $919,875 for Arby's, which is more expensive than the average of $788,376 for the top 200 franchises.
| Development fee |
$6,250 to $12,500 |
| Real property and occupancy charge |
Varies to |
| Site costs |
$1,000 to $451,000 |
| Landscaping |
$0 to $63,000 |
| Civil and architectural drawings and professional fees |
$6,000 to $219,000 |
| Zoning and permitting costs |
$2,000 to $112,000 |
| Building costs |
$236,000 to $731,000 |
| Lease deposits and payments |
Variable to |
| Estimated total |
$251,250 to $1,588,500 |
Inventory costs
Initial inventory for Arby's shakes out to $22,000. This is less than the nationwide average of $53,119.
| Opening inventory |
$18,000 to $26,000 |
| Estimated total |
$18,000 to $26,000 |
Licenses and permits costs
Arby's initial licenses and permits will set you back $31,750. This comes out to more than $18,770 — the overall nationwide average.
| License fee |
$0 to $37,500 |
| Business licenses, health permits and utilities deposits |
$1,000 to $25,000 |
| Estimated total |
$1,000 to $62,500 |
Personnel costs
Uniforms, name tags and the like make up personnel costs, and for Arby's it will run you $31,250. The nationwide average cost of personnel fees comes in at $22,818, which means you'll be paying more than average to outfit your employees.
| Pre-opening wages |
$21,300 to $41,200 |
| Estimated total |
$21,300 to $41,200 |
Other expenses
Miscellaneous expenses for Arby's total $66,500 — less than the nationwide average of $69,970.
| Working capital and additional funds |
$33,000 to $100,000 |
| Estimated total |
$33,000 to $100,000 |
All costs were found using the 200 largest franchises nationwide using Franchise Direct's list of more than 300 franchises, and are accurate as of 2021.
How to finance
Since the estimated total for Arby's is on the more costly side, we recommend following these steps to get fully financed:
- Go to the Arby's franchising website and review its financial requirements, including cash-on-hand requirements.
- Reach out to Arby's about in-house financing for franchisees.
- If in-house financing isn't available, look for online loans, bank loans and SBA loans to help meet the $1,442,375 estimated opening costs.
- Compare lenders based on amounts, interest rates and what types of personal and business credit history they accept.
- Once you settle on a lender, gather all required documents, including account statements and assets.
- Apply for financing online or in person as required by the lender.
What types of financing is available?
You have several options when it comes to financing a Arby's — even if the cost is on the heavier side. What assets you have available will largely determine how much you need to borrow, and which option suits you best.
- Online loan. A number of online business lenders offer amounts up to $1 million, with some extending up to $5 million.
- Bank loan. Your personal credit will typically need to at least be good — 670 or higher — when it comes to getting a bank loan large enough to cover a significant portion of Arby's opening costs.
- SBA loan. While your personal credit score doesn't need to be as good to qualify for an SBA loan, they usually cost more than standard term loans from banks or online lenders.
Also check if Arby's franchise financing is available. You may be able to get some of the costs covered for less than you would with other traditional funding options.
Compare small business lenders
You may not need financing to cover the estimated $616,550. But if you need funds for other business ventures, select the loan amount, your time in business and revenue and your personal credit score to compare a selection of lenders.
How Arby's stacks up
Compare how Arby's holds up against two similarly sized franchises.
| Average Franchise fees |
$23,500 |
NA |
$50,000 |
| Average Equipment fees |
$65,145 |
$371,000 |
$325,000 |
| Average Real estate fees |
$2,000 |
$919,875 |
$913,750 |
| Average Training fees |
$2,125 |
NA |
$20,700 |
| Average Inventory fees |
NA |
$22,000 |
NA |
| Average Marketing fees |
$7,500 |
NA |
NA |
| Average Licenses and permits fees |
$2,200 |
$31,750 |
NA |
| Average Insurance fees |
$3,300 |
NA |
NA |
| Average Admin fees |
NA |
NA |
$17,250 |
| Average Personnel fees |
NA |
$31,250 |
NA |
| Average Other fees |
NA |
$66,500 |
$161,500 |
Bottom line
Arby's franchise costs run a total of $1,442,375. Before you decide to become a franchisee, compare the total costs against industry averages. And to learn more about financing
read our guide to franchise financing.
