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FRANCHISE RESALES

Buy a McAlister’s Deli Franchise

McAlister’s Deli is a fast-casual restaurant chain founded in 1989 in Oxford, Mississippi, where the first location opened in a converted gas station originally built as a 1950s diner film set. The menu is built around oversized deli sandwiches, giant baked potatoes known as “spuds,” soups, salads, desserts and the brand’s well-known sweet tea, served in a relaxed, hospitality-focused setting.

The brand has grown to more than 550 locations across 30-plus states and is one of GoTo Foods’ billion-dollar concepts, based on 2025 system-wide sales. GoTo Foods (formerly Focus Brands) is the parent group behind sister franchises including Auntie Anne’s, Cinnabon, Moe’s Southwest Grill and Jamba, giving franchisees access to shared supply-chain and franchising infrastructure.

The operating model is simpler than many full-service restaurants: kitchens run without grills or fryers, and there are no early-morning or late-night shifts. Revenue comes through dine-in, takeout, catering, online ordering and a drive-up pick-up window. The system draws both single-unit family operators and larger multi-unit franchisees.

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Why buy a McAlister’s Deli Franchise?

Buying a McAlister’s Deli franchise means stepping into a nationally recognised fast-casual brand with strong name recognition, a loyal following around its signature sweet tea and menu, and the backing of a major multi-brand franchisor. For a resale buyer, that established brand equity and existing customer base can shorten the path to stable trading compared with launching an unproven concept.

The model carries practical appeal: a streamlined kitchen without grills or fryers, no overnight hours, and several revenue channels including catering, online ordering and a pick-up window that spread demand across dayparts. Ownership under GoTo Foods gives franchisees shared supply-chain buying power, spend-management support and national marketing reach that an independent deli would struggle to match.

McAlister’s Deli Franchise Costs & Information

Based on 2025 data reported in the 2026 FDD

  • Brand Profile

    • Year Founded

      1989

    • Franchising Since

      1991

    • New Startup Cost

      $910,175 – $2,575,400

    • Avg. Resale Price

      Contact us for details

  • Franchise Fees

    • Initial franchise Fee

      $35,500

      for new territories

    • Transfer Fee

      50%

      of then-current Initial Franchise Fee (10% non-control)

    • Royalty Fee

      5%

      of Net Sales

    • Marketing Fee

      2%

      of Net Sales

  • Unit Performance

    • Total Units *

      572

    • New Units Opened *

      25

    • Units Transferred *

      16

    • Avg. Unit revenue *

      $1,868,219

    * Based on 2025 data reported in the 2026 FDD

McAlister’s Deli – Additional  Information

  1. Training & Support

    Incoming owners complete McAlister's "Back to School" programme, combining classroom instruction with hands-on experience at a high-volume location, with 18–50 hours of classroom training and 36–250 hours on the job depending on role. Ongoing support runs through a dedicated franchise business consultant, a supply-chain team that helps manage spend, and marketing support spanning national campaigns and a field marketing manager for localised plans. Resale buyers should confirm what transfer training and system access the GoTo Foods team provides to incoming ownership and existing staff.

  2. Ideal Owner

    McAlister's suits operators with restaurant or multi-unit hospitality experience who are comfortable running a guest-facing, team-driven business. The franchisor frames it as a people business as much as a food one, so strong staff leadership, customer-service instincts and local community engagement matter. The streamlined kitchen lowers culinary complexity, making the model workable for growth-minded entrepreneurs and seasoned multi-unit operators alike, though hands-on operational management and consistent execution across shifts remain central to success.

  3. Recognition & Awards

    McAlister's Deli ranked #45 on Entrepreneur's 2025 Franchise 500 and appears on the Franchise Times Top 400 (2024 and 2025). It has been recognised in Newsweek's America's Best Customer Service rankings, topping its restaurant category in the 2025 list. The brand also draws a loyal social following around its signature sweet tea and supports community campaigns such as "Cookies for a Cause" for Autism Speaks. For resale buyers, national recognition should be weighed alongside the specific unit's local reviews and reputation.

  4. Industry / Market

    McAlister's competes in the US fast-casual segment, one of the fastest-growing parts of the restaurant industry as diners trade up from quick-service for higher-quality, made-to-order food at accessible prices. Demand is supported by strong takeout, catering and digital-ordering habits that accelerated through the 2020s and have held since. Sandwich and deli concepts benefit from broad daypart appeal and lower kitchen complexity. For resale buyers, local factors such as nearby competition, daytime population and catering demand often shape a unit's performance more than national trends.

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