Opens in a new tab

FRANCHISE RESALES

Buy a Krystal Restaurants Franchise

Krystal is one of the oldest fast-food chains in the United States, founded in 1932 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and widely recognized as the original quick-service restaurant brand of the American South. The chain is built around its signature small, square hamburgers, served fresh on square buns, alongside a menu that covers breakfast items, chicken sandwiches, milkshakes, and combo meals across multiple dayparts.

Since 2023, Krystal has operated under SPB Hospitality, a multi-brand restaurant operator that also manages Logan’s Roadhouse. Following the acquisition, SPB has refocused its portfolio and is actively modernizing the brand: remodeling locations with updated designs and digital menu boards, deploying a new regional operations team, and emphasizing drive-thru performance. The franchise network operates predominantly across the Southeast, in states including Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Virginia.

The model is brick-and-mortar QSR with a flexible restaurant format starting at approximately 1,000 square feet. Franchisees have access to purchasing cooperatives for product sourcing and in-house menu development. Krystal began franchising in 1990.

Latest Resales

  • There are currently no Krystal Restaurants resales available
Register your interest

Why buy a Krystal Restaurants Franchise?

Krystal brings nearly a century of brand heritage and established consumer loyalty across the Southeast, backed by new ownership that has put corporate resources behind the brand’s renewal. SPB Hospitality has restored profitability to the brand, redeployed a new regional operations team, and invested in store remodels and updated infrastructure.

The QSR model supports multiple revenue opportunities: drive-thru throughput, multi-daypart coverage from breakfast through late night, and a consumer loyalty programme designed to drive repeat visits. Purchasing cooperatives reduce per-unit input costs, and in-house menu development keeps the product range current. Those looking to buy a Krystal Restaurants franchise resale acquire an existing customer base alongside a brand with deep Southeast recognition.

Krystal Restaurants Franchise Costs & Information

Based on 2023 data reported in the 2024 FDD

  • Brand Profile

    • Year Founded

      1932

    • Franchising Since

      1990

    • New Startup Cost

      $1,380,500 – $2,160,000

    • Avg. Resale Price

      Contact us for details

  • Franchise Fees

    • Initial franchise Fee

      $35,000

      for new territories

    • Transfer Fee

      $15,000

    • Royalty Fee

      5%

      of Gross Sales

    • Marketing Fee

      4.50%

      of Gross Sales

  • Unit Performance

    • Total Units *

      280

    • New Units Opened *

      20

    • Units Transferred *

      3

    • Avg. Unit revenue *

      $981,640

    * Based on 2023 data reported in the 2024 FDD

Krystal Restaurants – Additional  Information

  1. Training & Support

    Krystal's franchise programme includes 300 hours of on-the-job training and 40 hours of classroom instruction. Ongoing support covers operational guidance, marketing programmes, and purchasing cooperative access for product sourcing. The brand maintains the Crystal Ops Advisory Committee (directors, general managers, and training managers) to guide operational standards, and units are being updated with digital menu boards as part of the active remodel programme. Resale buyers should confirm what initial training and system access the franchisor provides to incoming owners.

  2. Ideal Owner

    Krystal is suited to experienced restaurant operators comfortable managing multi-shift hourly teams, maintaining drive-thru throughput, and upholding QSR operational standards across multiple dayparts. Prior food-service or QSR management experience is strongly favoured, as the operational model requires active, hands-on owner involvement. The model fits process-driven operators who are community-rooted in the Southeast, focused on consistent unit execution, and committed to the brand's operational standards. Multi-unit operators with existing Southeast market experience tend to find natural alignment with Krystal's territory structure.

  3. Recognition & Awards

    Krystal holds strong regional recognition across the Southeast as one of the oldest fast-food brands in the United States, a status built over nine decades of consumer presence. Parent company SPB Hospitality received Crunchtime's Ops Excellence Award, reflecting operational investment across its restaurant portfolio. No franchise-specific rankings from major bodies such as Entrepreneur or Franchise Business Review were identified in current research. For resale buyers, the brand's regional awareness in the Southeast is well-established; evaluating the specific territory's local reviews, customer loyalty, and community visibility will be as relevant as system-wide brand recognition.

  4. Industry / Market

    The US quick-service restaurant market was valued at approximately $295 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach around $508 billion by 2034, at a compound annual growth rate of approximately 5.6% (Custom Market Insights). Consumer demand is supported by a preference for affordable, convenient meal options and the continued expansion of drive-thru and delivery formats. The category benefits from relatively consistent demand across economic cycles, with busy daily routines sustaining multi-daypart traffic. For resale buyers, local market density and competition from established national QSR chains are key factors to assess within any specific territory.

Learn more about
how to own a Krystal Restaurants franchise resale

Please fill out the form below and a Franchise Flippers expert will be in touch with you shortly.

The Franchise Brand Index

This page is part of Franchise Flippers’ independent franchise Index, designed as an educational resource to help potential buyers explore the franchise resale market and compare brands.

Trademark & Affiliation Disclaimer

This website is an independent, informational resource. All trademarks, logos, and brand names displayed are the property of their respective owners and are used solely for identification and educational purposes. Their use does not imply any affiliation with, endorsement by, or sponsorship from the respective trademark holders.