Pelicana Chicken Franchise Cost: US vs Korea (2026)
Pelicana Chicken is one of South Korea's first-generation fried-chicken franchises, founded in 1982 in Daejeon and known for its yangnyeom (sweet-spicy seasoned) chicken. It is headquartered in Gyeryong, South Chungcheong Province, and runs roughly 1,042 franchised stores, the large majority in Korea [1]. Like most Korean chicken brands that also operate abroad, Pelicana discloses cost information under two very different systems — the US Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) and Korea's KFTC information-disclosure registry — so its published figures are not comparable line-for-line. This guide lays out what each market discloses and how to read the numbers.
Pelicana at a glance
- Founded 1982 in Daejeon; headquartered in Gyeryong, South Chungcheong Province [1]
- Roughly 1,042 franchised stores, concentrated in Korea [1]
- Franchising in the United States since 2019 through California-based Pelicana Franchise LLC [1]
- Entered Thailand in January 2025 via exclusive licensee Pelicana (Thailand) Co., with a first store at Siam Square, Bangkok, and a target of 20 stores by 2027 [1]
- Runs an open master-franchise program for additional overseas markets [1]
United States franchise costs
In the United States, Pelicana franchises directly through California-based Pelicana Franchise LLC rather than a master franchisee [1]. According to the brand's 2024 US FDD, the total initial investment ranges from $293,000 [4] to $630,000 [4]. Where a specific project lands in that range depends heavily on location size, market, and build-out, since real-estate and construction quotes drive most of the spread.
Earlier FDD analysis (2022 vintage) lists an initial franchise fee of $35,000 [3], an ongoing royalty of 4% [3], and an advertising fee of 1% [3], alongside a liquid-capital requirement of $75,000 [3]. Note the mixed vintages: the investment range is from the 2024 filing [4], while the fee, royalty, ad fee, and liquid-capital figures come from 2022 analysis [3] and should be confirmed against the current FDD before you rely on them.
South Korea franchise costs
In Korea, franchise costs are disclosed through the KFTC's mandatory information-disclosure system (정보공개서). On a disclosure-based cost table, Pelicana's domestic franchise fee (가맹비) is listed as ₩0 [2] — the joining fee is waived, which is unusual among major chicken brands and worth confirming in the current disclosure.
The same table puts the startup cost from ₩35,900,000 [2], 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. Ongoing royalty and advertising terms are not itemized in the sourced Korean table; read them directly from the franchisor's current 정보공개서.
US vs Korea: side by side
| Cost item | United States | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $35,000 [3] | ₩0 (waived) [2] |
| Total initial investment (low) | $293,000 [4] | from ₩35,900,000 [2] |
| Total initial investment (high) | $630,000 [4] | not separately disclosed |
| Royalty | 4% [3] | not itemized in the sourced table |
| Advertising fee | 1% [3] | not itemized in the sourced table |
| Liquid capital | $75,000 [3] | not disclosed |
How to read these numbers
Three caveats before comparing across the table:
- The scopes differ. The Korean startup figure excludes the premises deposit and key money [2], while US FDD Item 7 ranges treat real estate variably [4]. Neither number is "everything you will spend."
- Currency and format differ. Convert at current exchange rates yourself rather than trusting 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 investment range is from a 2024 filing [4]; the US fee, royalty, ad fee, and liquid-capital figures are from 2022 analysis [3]; the Korean table does not carry an explicit disclosure date in the cited source [2]. Figures change with each annual filing.
How to verify
Before making any decision, confirm every figure in the franchisor's current disclosure document. In the United States, request Pelicana Franchise LLC's latest FDD and read Items 5-7 for fees and initial investment. In Korea, pull Pelicana's current 정보공개서 from the KFTC franchise-disclosure system. Third-party summaries — including this guide — can lag the most recent filing, and the only binding numbers are those in the disclosure document and franchise agreement you are actually offered.
Figures are historical, come from the named source, and are not a promise or projection of your results. Costs and outcomes vary by market, site and operator.
Sources
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This website is not an offer to sell a franchise. We are an independent consultancy, not a franchisor, and we do not offer or sell franchises. A franchise is offered only through the franchisor's own disclosure document in jurisdictions where such documents are required. Investment figures are compiled from the named public sources; costs and results vary.