Culver's franchise
Culver's is a Midwest-born restaurant chain known for ButterBurgers and fresh frozen custard, with sandwiches, salads and dinners on a broader menu. Restaurants offer drive-thru, carryout and dine-in service in a quick-service, casual setting. At the end of 2025 there were 1,041 Culver's locations in the US, 1,034 franchised and 7 company-owned.
- Cost to open
- $3.41M–$10.3M
- Franchise fee
- $65,000
- Royalty
- 4%
- Locations, 2025
- 1,041+148 in 3 yrs
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Company snapshot
- First location
- 1984
- Franchisor based in
- Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin
- Territory
- Protected territory, usually a 3-mile radius
- Financing
- None offered
From Culver Franchising System, LLC’s 2026 filing.
How much a Culver's franchise costs
Opening one Culver's restaurant costs an estimated $3,406,350 to $10,294,100. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
Source: Culver Franchising System, LLC, 2026 filing, page 15
Culver's franchise fee
The franchise fee is $65,000, for someone new to the system ($55,000 for an additional restaurant, $45,000 under the mentoring program). You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: Culver Franchising System, LLC, 2026 filing, page 11
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | A service fee of 4% of gross sales, paid monthly. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | 2.5% of gross sales, plus up to 4% to a regional co-op where one exists. |
Source: Culver Franchising System, LLC, 2026 filing, page 13
Sales and earnings
Shares figures Culver's publishes sales or earnings figures for its locations: 988 franchised restaurants open all of 2025 averaged $4,142,737 in sales (median $4,036,492). The full tables, with notes on which locations are counted, are in its filing.
Source: Culver Franchising System, LLC, 2026 filing, page 36
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 937 (+51) | 7 | 1 |
| 2024 | 990 (+53) | 7 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1,034 (+44) | 7 | 1 |
Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating.
Source: Culver Franchising System, LLC, 2026 filing, page 49
How Culver's compares
Of the 11 burger franchises on this site, Culver's is the most expensive to open and the 8th largest by number of locations.
| Measure | Culver's | Typical burger |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $3.41M | $1.39M |
| Royalty | 4% | 4.8% |
| Closed or left per year | 0.1% | 1.9% |
| Change in franchised locations, 3 yrs | +16.7% | −2.4% |
| Shares earnings figures | Yes | 9 of 11 |
Typical is the median across the 11 brands in burger franchises.
Other burger franchises
Culver's franchise questions
Does Culver's help with financing?
No. Culver's does not offer financing or guarantee loans or leases, so buyers arrange their own, usually a bank or SBA loan.
Do Culver's franchisees get a protected territory?
Yes. Culver's assigns a protected territory (usually a 3-mile radius) where it won't open or license another location while you meet the agreement's terms.
Is Culver's growing or shrinking?
Over the last 3 years 150 franchised locations opened and 2 closed or left, a net change of +16.7%. About 0.1% of locations closed or left each year. That is below the 1.9% typical for burger franchises.
How does Culver's compare with other burger franchises?
Of the 11 burger franchises here, Culver's is the most expensive to open (low end $3.41M against a $1.39M median) and the 8th largest by number of locations. Its 4% royalty is below the 4.8% median.
Does Culver's say how much franchisees make?
Yes: 988 franchised restaurants open all of 2025 averaged $4,142,737 in sales (median $4,036,492). Your results can differ; the filing explains which locations are counted.
Where is Culver's based?
Culver Franchising System, LLC is based in Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin; the first location opened in 1984.