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Krystal Restaurants

The krystal restaurant is an American fast-food brand founded in 1932 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, by Rody Davenport, Jr., and J. Glenn Sherrill, with the ‘Krystal Kreed’: to operate a spotlessly clean establishment; to serve the best foods obtainable, properly cooked; to render quick, efficient, and courteous service; and to offer all these at the lowest prices possible. Krystal has stuck closely to its original creed through eight decades of successful operation and has expanded to a series of locations across the American South. The brand is often compared to the Midwestern fast-food chain White Castle. More about the cost of owning a Krystal Restaurants franchise is below.

Facts & figures
Liquid capital required
$500,000
Net worth required
$1,500,000
Investment
$450,000 - $1,400,000
Franchise fee
$32,500
Royalty
5.0%
Units in operation
110
Founded
1932

Krystal, the oldest fast-food restaurant chain in the American South (and second-oldest in the United States), is based in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The company has more than 450 restaurants, most franchise-owned, in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. The restaurants have become known for their sparkling clean surroundings, friendly service, and fresh, delicious food. It’s difficult to find someone who lives in the South who has not enjoyed a delicious Krystal meal.

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Krystal Franchise Opportunities – History

Krystal was opened amid hard financial times, at the beginning of the Great Depression, 1932, at the corner of Seventh and Cherry Streets in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Founders Rody Davenport, Jr., and J. Glenn Sherrill believed that despite the economic upheaval, people would frequent a restaurant that was spotlessly clean, provided courteous service, and offered a good meal and a good price. The restaurant became an overnight success, known for its Krystal square burgers and yummy French fries. Among the first restaurants to serve food ‘to go,’ Krystal opened its first drive-through window in the 1950s and the restaurants retain that feature today.

Krystal Franchise Cost

The franchise fee for a Krystal restaurant is $32,500. The total investment ranges from $900,000 to $1.3 million. A royalty fee of 4.5% of gross monthly receipts is paid to the company.

Krystal Business Franchise Opportunities: Other Information

Krystal restaurant franchises are known also for their competitive eating contests, such as the Krystal Square Off, an annual high-profile event in which competitors eat as many burgers as they can. The current world record is 103 Krystal burgers chowed down in eight minutes, by Joey Chestnut, on October 28, 2007.

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