Franchisel.com — FDD Diligence Memo
DQ Grill & Chill
Generated 2026-04-06 · 2025 FDD · Government-filed source
DQ Grill & Chill
2025 FDD Diligence Memo
Score of 63/10 driven by: high financial transparency.
Sys Health
7
Fin Strength
7
Econ Burden
8
Support
7
Contract
7
Red Flags & Key Signals
After leaving the franchise, you cannot operate a competing business in this radius. Evaluate the real-world impact on your exit options.
Franchisor is not obligated to protect your market area. Encroachment from company-owned units or other franchisees is possible.
Avg $1,427,281 from government-filed FDD. Transparent disclosure is a positive signal.
Franchisor financial statements are audited with no going concern warning.
Investment Overview
Items 5, 6, 7Total investment range: $1,516,200 – $2,543,050. Initial fee: $45,000. Royalty: 4%. Marketing fund: 5%-6%.
Payback estimate: Investment-to-disclosed-revenue ratio: 1.42x. This is the ratio of midpoint investment ($2,029,625) to disclosed avg revenue ($1,427,281). No profit assumptions are applied.
Item 19 — Revenue
Item 19 — 2025 FDD (government-filed)Item 19 discloses avg revenue of $1,427,281 (FY 2025).
Sample: Strong1,971 units (100% of system) — highly representative sample. Investment-to-disclosed-revenue ratio: 1.42x ($2,029,625 midpoint investment vs $1,427,281 avg revenue).
Item 20 — System Health
Item 20 — 2025 FDDSystem flat — net 0 units in reporting period.
→ StableUnit count essentially unchanged.
Total Units
1,971
Net Growth
+0
Turnover
0%
Year-over-Year Trends
2025 FDDOpened
+0
Closed
-0
Net
+0
Prior-year Item 19 revenue data not available. Unit data above covers the reporting period in the 2025 FDD.
Key Contract Terms
Item 17Item 19 Data Quality Flags
Item 19Revenue type unclear
The FDD does not clearly specify whether figures are gross sales, net sales, or a profit metric. This limits comparability.
Profit not disclosed
Item 19 reports revenue only. No expense breakdown is provided. Profit cannot be determined from this disclosure alone.
All units included
Revenue figure includes all reporting units — broadest, most conservative sample basis.
Strong sample (1971 of 1971 units)
100% of eligible units included — highly representative.
Current data (2025)
Revenue figures are from 2025 — recent and relevant.
Franchisee Interview Questions
Item 20 contactsUse Item 20 to get current franchisee contact info. Call at least 3-5. Ask these questions:
How responsive is your franchisor rep — do they actually help when you have a problem, or are they just checking boxes?
Look for: Specific stories (not just vague positives). Ask about a time they needed help urgently — response time matters.
If you decided to sell your franchise tomorrow, how easy would that be? Has the franchisor ever blocked or delayed a transfer you wanted?
Look for: Transfer fee surprises, right-of-first-refusal complications, or franchisor demanding upgrades before approving a sale.
What did your revenue look like in year 1 vs. year 2 vs. now? When did you reach breakeven?
Look for: Year 1 revenue is typically well below Item 19 averages (which often exclude ramp-up units). Expect 12-24 months to reach average.
What did the training actually cover vs. what you needed on day 1? What do you wish you'd learned before opening?
Look for: Gap between training content and operational reality. New franchisees often report the training covered theory but not real-world situations.
Territory — Item 12
NO exclusive territory — encroachment risk exists; franchisor reserves online/ecommerce sales.
Item 12 · 2025 FDD
Data sources: 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document filed with a state franchise regulator (government record). Source: Extracted from 2025 FDD filed with WI DFI (file #637935). Data verified from government filing.. · Payback estimates and margin assumptions are editorial — not from the FDD. This memo does not constitute legal or financial advice. Consult a franchise attorney and accountant before signing. Generated 2026-04-06 by Franchisel.com.