2026 FDD Issued Aug 19, 2026 Minnesota Commerce (CARDS)
German Doner Kebab Franchise Cost (2026)
A German Doner Kebab franchise costs an estimated $366,000 – $638,000 to open, according to Item 7 of the 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD). That total includes the $40,000 initial franchise fee (Item 5) and covers this format: Single Restaurant (Franchise Agreement). Item 6 lists royalty: 6% of Gross Sales, subject to the conditions below. This record has unresolved source-review issues and was published provisionally before independent verification was complete.
Read the source-review hold before using these figures.
- Total investment
- $366K – $638KItem 7 source and qualifications
- Franchise fee
- $40KItem 5 source and terms
- Royalty
- 6% of Gross SalesItem 6 conditions and fee bases apply
- Brand fund
- 3% of Gross SalesItem 6 conditions and fee bases apply
What stands out about German Doner Kebab
Most franchised restaurants left the system in a single year. Item 20 shows 0 openings in 2025 against 6 exits, mostly outlets the franchisor took back, leaving 4 franchised restaurants. The FDD's own special-risks page calls the turnover rate high, and the tables disagree on how many outlets were reacquired.
The FDD warns about the franchisor itself. Its special-risks page says the franchisor's financial condition calls into question its ability to support franchisees, that the company has a short operating history, and that the primary trademark is not federally registered. The marks are licensed from a parent company based in Scotland.
Marketing and technology charges come on top of the royalty. Item 6 pairs a royalty of 6% of Gross Sales with a brand development fund of up to 3% of Gross Sales, a required local marketing spend and a monthly technology fee capped rather than fixed. Item 5 adds a grand opening advertising fee paid to the franchisor at signing.
Build-out drives the cost. Construction and leasehold improvements are the largest Item 7 line within $366,000 to $638,000, and the estimate assumes a space already fitted with basic systems. Owners must open within a deadline counted from signing, and the FDD gives no sales or earnings figures in Item 19.
What are the initial franchise fees and financial requirements for German Doner Kebab?
Item 5 lists an initial franchise fee of $40,000 for German Doner Kebab. Check the cited Item 5 for payment timing, discounts and format-specific terms.
Item 5 (PDF page 13): $40,000, fully earned when paid and not refundable. At signing you also agree to pay a Pre-Launch Grand Opening Advertising Fee of $10,000 to $15,000, covering 30 days before through 90 days after opening. A Multi-Unit Development Agreement adds a $30,000 Development Area Fee for each restaurant after the first, which then pays no separate initial fee.
Source: German Doner Kebab 2026 FDD, Item 5, PDF p. 13.
This record lists no minimum net worth or liquid-capital requirement for German Doner Kebab, because no sourced figure has been recorded. Ask the franchisor for its current financial qualifications in writing.
How much does it cost to open a German Doner Kebab franchise? (Item 7)
Source: German Doner Kebab 2026 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 18.
Item 7 of German Doner Kebab’s 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document estimates the total cost to open one single restaurant (franchise agreement) at $366,000 – $638,000. This total includes the initial franchise fee.
| Expense Category | Low ($) | High ($) |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $40,000 | $40,000 |
| Construction and Leasehold Improvements | $150,000 | $250,000 |
| Lease Deposits and Rent – Three Months | $20,000 | $50,000 |
| Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment | $30,000 | $80,000 |
| Signage | $15,000 | $30,000 |
| Computer, Software, and Point of Sale System | $20,000 | $30,000 |
| Pre-Launch Grand Opening Advertising Fee | $10,000 | $15,000 |
| Initial Inventory | $15,000 | $20,000 |
| Utility Deposits | $1,000 | $5,000 |
| Insurance Deposits – Three Months | $9,000 | $18,000 |
| Travel for Initial Training | $5,000 | $10,000 |
| Professional Fees | $10,000 | $15,000 |
| Architect and Project Manager Fees | $25,000 | $50,000 |
| General Licenses and Permits | $1,000 | $5,000 |
| Additional Funds – Three Months | $15,000 | $20,000 |
| Total | $366,000 | $638,000 |
For comparison, the median high-end investment among 25 restaurants & food records without a source-review hold is $1,297,100.
Item 7 (PDF pages 18-21) prints $366,000 to $638,000 for one restaurant; its 15 lines add to that total. Construction and leasehold improvements are the largest line, assuming 800 to 2,000 square feet delivered in enhanced shell condition, without structural work for exhaust systems. The Multi-Unit Development table prints $466,000 to $948,000, combining a $100,000 to $310,000 development area fee for 3 to 10 restaurants with the single-restaurant estimate, which already includes the $40,000 initial fee.
What ongoing royalties and fees does German Doner Kebab charge? (Item 6)
Source: German Doner Kebab 2026 FDD, Item 6, PDF p. 14.
Item 6 of German Doner Kebab’s 2026 FDD lists the charges below. Recurring charges and charges triggered by a transfer, renewal or other event have different conditions. Read each fee’s basis and notes before comparing rates.
How to read an Item 6 fee table.
| Fee Type | Amount / Rate | Payment Frequency | Notes & Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royalty | 6% of Gross Sales | Every period | 6% of weekly Gross Sales, debited weekly by ACH (notes 2 and 3). (Item 6, PDF p. 14) |
| Brand Development Fund | 3% of Gross Sales | Every period | Up to 3% of weekly Gross Sales, debited weekly (note 4). (Item 6, PDF p. 14) |
| Franchisee Directed Local Marketing | 2% of Gross Sales | Every period | At least 2% of monthly Gross Sales spent on approved local marketing in your territory (note 5). (Item 6, PDF p. 14) |
| Technology | $500 per month | Every period | Up to $500 per month, an administrative fee debited monthly (note 6). (Item 6, PDF p. 14) |
| Local and Regional Advertising Cooperatives | Varies | When it applies | Set by cooperative members if one is formed; counts toward and cannot exceed the local marketing requirement (note 7). (Item 6, PDF p. 14) |
| Annual Conference Attendance Fee | Varies | When it applies | The then-current conference fee, no more than $1,500. (Item 6, PDF p. 14) |
| Additional Employee Initial Training | Varies | When it applies | Currently $600 per person per day for trainees beyond you and one manager; may rise no more than 25% a year. (Item 6, PDF p. 14) |
| Supplemental On-Site Training | Varies | When it applies | Currently $600 per trainer per day plus travel; may rise no more than 25% a year. (Item 6, PDF p. 14) |
| Interest | Varies | When it applies | 18% a year on overdue amounts, or the legal maximum. (Item 6, PDF p. 14) |
| Reporting Non-Compliance | $150 | When it applies | $150 for each late report or financial statement. (Item 6, PDF p. 15) |
| Operations Non-Compliance | Varies | When it applies | $450 to $1,000 per occurrence plus inspection costs. (Item 6, PDF p. 15) |
| Payment Non-Compliance | $150 | When it applies | $150 per late payment, plus interest and costs. (Item 6, PDF p. 15) |
| Audit | Varies | When it applies | Audit costs if underreporting is 2% or more. (Item 6, PDF p. 15) |
| Quality Assurance Audit | Varies | When it applies | Actual costs of quality audits and mystery-shopper inspections the franchisor elects to perform. (Item 6, PDF p. 15) |
| Collections | Varies | When it applies | Costs of collecting fees or enforcing the agreement. (Item 6, PDF p. 15) |
| NSF Check Fee or Failed Electronic Fund Transfer | Varies | When it applies | 5% of the amount or $50, whichever is greater, or the legal maximum. (Item 6, PDF p. 15) |
| Non-Compliance | Varies | When it applies | Costs the franchisor incurs because of your breach. (Item 6, PDF p. 15) |
| Supplier Evaluation | Varies | When it applies | Costs of reviewing a supplier, product or service you submit. (Item 6, PDF p. 15) |
| Management Service | Varies | When it applies | Actual costs if the franchisor manages the restaurant because no approved manager is in place. (Item 6, PDF p. 16) |
| Transfer | $20,000 | When it applies | $20,000 if a transfer is approved. (Item 6, PDF p. 16) |
| Renewal | $15,000 | When it applies | $15,000 on signing the renewal Franchise Agreement. (Item 6, PDF p. 16) |
Explore annual fees and payback assumptions
This fee schedule cannot be reduced to the calculator’s simple sales-based formula. Enter your own assumptions and check them against the Item 6 terms.
German Doner Kebab startup investment and modeled fees over 10 years
A source check placed this record on review hold. Automatic fee estimates are withheld until the outstanding issues are resolved. Item 6 sets the brand development fund at up to 3% of Gross Sales and the technology fee at up to $500 a month without stating the current amounts. Because of that, this record does not produce an annual fee estimate or payback preset. See the fee amounts and definitions in Item 6 above. Open the calculator with your own assumptions.
Item 20: German Doner Kebab franchised outlet history
Source: German Doner Kebab 2026 FDD, Item 20, PDF p. 53.
Item 20 Table 3 reports 4 franchised outlets at the end of 2025. The company-owned table reports a further 3 outlets.
| Year | Franchised at Start | Opened | Reported Exits | At End | Franchise Exit Rate (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 8 | — |
| 2024 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 10 | — |
| 2025 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 4 | — |
Calculated outlet totals, net growth and exit rates are withheld because this record has not cleared the current Item 20 source checks. The table retains the outlet counts printed in Item 20. Read the unresolved source issues.
Reported exits include terminations, non-renewals, franchisor reacquisitions and other cessations. A reacquired outlet may continue operating. How we calculate the exit rate. How to read the Item 20 outlet tables.
Item 20 Table 3 (PDF page 53) shows franchised outlets falling from 10 to 4 in 2025, with 4 reacquired by the franchisor and 2 that ceased operations; Table 4 and the Table 1 footnote count 3 reacquired outlets, all company-owned at year end. The special-risks page cites a 70% turnover rate in the last year. There were no transfers. Table 5 lists no signed agreements awaiting opening and 3 projected franchised openings.
How much do German Doner Kebab franchise owners make? (Item 19)
Source: German Doner Kebab 2026 FDD, Item 19, PDF p. 51.
German Doner Kebab’s 2026 FDD has no Item 19 financial performance representation, so it gives no official sales, profit or owner-pay figures. Treat any earnings claim you hear from a salesperson with caution, and ask current owners (their contacts are listed in Item 20).
Item 19 (PDF page 51) states that the franchisor does not make any representations about a franchisee's future financial performance or the past financial performance of company-owned or franchised outlets.
Payback calculator (enter your own assumptions) Check any inputs against this record’s Item 7 startup costs and Item 6 fee rules.
How long is the German Doner Kebab franchise agreement term?
Source: German Doner Kebab 2026 FDD, Item 17, PDF p. 43.
The standard German Doner Kebab franchise agreement runs 10 years, with renewal terms of 10 years.
Item 17 (PDF page 43): a 10-year term with one additional 10-year renewal term if you meet the conditions, including 180 days' written notice and the $15,000 renewal fee.
How long does it take to open a German Doner Kebab franchise? (Item 11)
Source: German Doner Kebab 2026 FDD, Item 11, PDF p. 29.
Item 11 of the 2026 FDD states the time from signing the Franchise Agreement (you must secure an approved location within 90 days and open within 10 months) to opening: approximately six to eight months.
Franchises with a similar investment range
These published records are selected by proximity to German Doner Kebab’s $366,000 low-end Item 7 investment, starting with Restaurants & Food. Formats, fees and source qualifications differ; the figures are not interchangeable budgets:
- Jimmy John's $366K – $734K Source review pending Restaurants & Food
- Little Caesars $377K – $1.77M Source review pending Provisional publication Restaurants & Food
- Cold Stone Creamery $391K – $681K Source review pending Provisional publication Restaurants & Food
- Crave Cookies $328K – $735K Source review pending Provisional publication Restaurants & Food
- Firehouse Subs $405K – $876K Restaurants & Food
- Pinkberry $303K – $684K Restaurants & Food
Compare other restaurants & food franchises
Sources
GDK USA, INC. Franchise Disclosure Document, issued August 19, 2026, as filed with the Minnesota Commerce (CARDS). Read the source FDD PDF. How to get this FDD yourself.
- Item 5: cited PDF p. 13
- Item 6: cited PDF p. 14
- Item 7: cited PDF p. 18
- Item 19: cited PDF p. 51
- Item 20: cited PDF p. 53
- Agreement term (Item 17): cited PDF p. 43
Page references for German Doner Kebab use the PDF viewer's digital page count, not printed page headers. Some viewers download the document instead of opening the referenced page.
If the state document viewer does not open, use Minnesota Commerce's public filing instructions to look up the filing by franchisor name and document date.
Document & verification changelog
- November 3, 2026: Source review hold recorded. Unresolved corrections are listed in this source section.
- November 3, 2026: Initial cost profile published from the 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document (issued August 19, 2026).
- November 3, 2026: Rechecked against the August 19, 2026 Minnesota Clean FDD: Items 1, 5, 6, 7, 11, 17, 19 and 20. Item 6 now lists all 21 rows (the draft had 6), with the capped fund and technology fee in a model note. Corrected the Item 20 page, moved the Multi-Unit Development total into notes, added the opening time and franchisor details, and rewrote the analysis. The Item 20 reacquisition conflict remains and is disclosed.
- November 2, 2026: Provisional publication approved per owner directive: Owner directed on November 2, 2026 that every remaining batch 6 brand go live, including brands whose FDDs print conflicting figures. Each record was rechecked against its FDD on November 3, 2026; the unresolved source conflicts remain disclosed and the record is not marked verified.