Kyochon Chicken Franchise Cost: US vs Korea (2026)

Kyochon Chicken, founded in 1991 and operated by KOSPI-listed Kyochon F&B from its headquarters in Seongnam (Pangyo), Gyeonggi-do, is one of South Korea's largest fried-chicken franchises, best known for its soy-garlic and honey series. The brand counts roughly 1,447 stores in total, including about 85 outlets across 7 overseas markets ^[4]. If you are comparing Korean fried-chicken franchises, Kyochon publishes cost information in two very different regulatory systems: the US Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) and Korea's KFTC franchise disclosure registry. This guide lays out what each discloses — and why the two markets are not directly comparable.

Kyochon at a glance

• Founded 1991; operator Kyochon F&B is listed on the KOSPI ^[4]
• Approximately 1,447 stores, with 85 overseas across 7 countries ^[4]
• US franchising runs through the company-owned subsidiary Kyochon Franchise LLC, established in 2021 ^[2]
• MENA expansion is handled by an exclusive master franchise with Dubai's Galadari Brothers, signed in April 2021 ^[5]

US franchise costs

In the United States, Kyochon franchises through its own subsidiary rather than a master franchisee ^[2]. According to the brand's 2026 US FDD (issued 2026-03-19), the total initial investment ranges from $543,500 ^[1] to $1,088,500 ^[1]. This range typically spans differences in location size, market, and build-out condition, so where a specific project lands depends heavily on real estate and construction quotes.

The initial franchise fee was disclosed at $40,000 ^[2] in the 2022 US FDD filed by Kyochon Franchise LLC in California. Note the vintage: the fee figure comes from the 2022 document, while the investment range above comes from the 2026 document, so the current fee should be confirmed in the latest FDD before relying on it.

No ongoing royalty or advertising-fund percentages are cited here; those terms appear in Items 6 and 11 of the current FDD and should be read directly from that document.

Korea franchise costs

In Korea, franchise costs are disclosed through the KFTC's mandatory information disclosure system (정보공개서). Per the disclosure figures reported for 2024, Kyochon's domestic franchise fee (가맹비) is ₩6,770,000 ^[3], with a training fee and a refundable deposit listed as separate line items in the same disclosure ^[3].

Total startup cost in Korea is disclosed at ₩131,010,000 ^[3], and — critically — this figure excludes the premises deposit and key money (권리금), which in Korea are often the largest single outlay and vary enormously by neighborhood.

US vs Korea: side by side

Cost item	United States	South Korea
Initial franchise fee	$40,000 [2]	₩6,770,000 [3]
Total initial investment (low)	$543,500 [1]	₩131,010,000 [3]
Total initial investment (high)	$1,088,500 [1]	not separately disclosed
Disclosure basis	2026 US FDD (fee from 2022 FDD) [1][2]	2024 KFTC disclosure [3]

Three caveats before comparing across the table:

• The scopes differ. The Korean startup figure excludes real-estate deposit and key money ^[3]; US FDD Item 7 ranges also treat real estate variably. Neither number is "everything you will spend."
• Currency and format differ. Convert at current exchange rates yourself rather than relying on any published conversion, and remember Korean stores are typically smaller delivery-oriented formats while US builds are often larger dine-in or QSR footprints — a structural reason US totals run higher.
• Vintages differ. The US range is from a 2026 filing ^[1]; the Korean figures are 2024 disclosure data ^[3]; the US fee is from 2022 ^[2]. Figures change with each annual filing.

Other markets

Outside the US and Korea, Kyochon expands mainly through master franchise partners — most notably the exclusive MENA agreement with Galadari Brothers covering nine countries ^[5]. Costs for master-franchise or sub-franchise arrangements in those territories are negotiated case by case and are not published; inquiries go through Kyochon's franchising channels ^[6].

How to verify

Before making any decision, confirm every figure directly in the franchisor's current disclosure document: in the United States, request Kyochon Franchise LLC's latest FDD and read Items 5-7 for fees and initial investment; in Korea, pull Kyochon F&B's current 정보공개서 from the KFTC franchise disclosure system. Third-party summaries — including this guide — can lag the most recent filing, and the binding numbers are only those in the disclosure document and franchise agreement you are actually offered.