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Franchise 500 Rank
N/R Not ranked last year
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Initial investment
$499K - $1M
Units as of 2021
70 Decrease 7% over 3 years

Gold Star Chili is a family-owned business founded in 1965 by four brothers and their extended family who immigrated from Jordan to Cincinnati, Ohio. The brothers started Gold Star Chili with the hope of capturing the American dream of owning their own business. With over 60 franchises located throughout the United States and more opportunities to grow, the founders and their descendants may still be involved in running and working for the company. 

Gold Star Chili excels by offering unique, delicious food and quick, friendly service. Not only do they serve their famous chili, but they have since evolved to include culinary burgers and salads on their menu to cater to all of their guests. A streamlined menu, tableside service, and franchise support make Gold Star Chili a community favorite. 

Why You May Want to Start a Gold Star Chili Franchise

An ideal Gold Star Chili franchisee is someone who is enthusiastic, passionate, and driven. No previous restaurant experience is required, and the Gold Star Chili team provides in-store and classroom training to all franchisees. During the opening days and beyond, additional support is given, follow-up visits for the first, second, and third months of your opening days to make sure things are running smoothly. They may also answer any questions or concerns that arise with services from a calibration specialist. 

Gold Star Chili is a solid mix of quick-casual, full-service, and drive-thru options to accommodate customers who would like to eat in or eat on the go. Because of this, a Gold Star Chili location may best function in an area with both residential and commercial properties that has high traffic and accessible entrance and exit points. 

The Gold Star Chili team can help you find the optimal location for your franchise using demographic research. They also inform franchisees of future marketing efforts after opening day. The analytics team focuses on traffic data, social media usage, and geo-fencing to ensure your location is represented and recognized as part of the Gold Star Chili family. 

What Might Make a Gold Star Chili Franchise a Good Choice? 

Because of Gold Star Chili's good reputation and long existence in its market, becoming a franchisee may offer a more predictable outcome than investing in a completely new brand that may struggle to thrive in an already crowded and competitive industry.

To be part of the Gold Star Chili team, you should make sure you're financially ready for an initial investment made up of a franchise fee and other startup costs. In addition, you should prepare yourself for ongoing fees that will include advertising, royalty, and potential renewal fees. Franchisees will also need to meet the company's set net worth and liquid capital requirements.

How To Open a Gold Star Chili Franchise

As you decide if opening a Gold Star Chili franchise is the right move for you, make sure you take time to explore the opportunity. Research the brand and your local area to see if a Gold Star Chili franchise would do well in your community. While competition is healthy, too much of it may not allow for the most possible growth.

Before making any financial commitment or signing an agreement, you must perform your due diligence and establish if this is the right opportunity for you. As part of your due diligence, you may want to speak to existing franchisees and ask the Gold Star Chili franchising team questions.

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Company Overview

About Gold Star

Industry Food
Related Categories Miscellaneous Quick-Service Restaurants
Founded 1965
Parent Company GSR Brands
Leadership Samir Daoud, Franchise Director
Corporate Address 650 Lunken Park Dr.
Cincinnati, OH 45226
Social Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram

Business Overview

Franchising Since 1966 (58 years)
# of employees at HQ 24
Where seeking

This company is offering new franchises throughout the US.

# of Units 70 (as of 2021)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Gold Star franchise.

Financial Requirements & Ongoing Fees

Here's what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.

Initial Franchise Fee Information Circle
$15,000 - $30,000
Initial Investment Information Circle
$498,500 - $1,006,000
Net Worth Requirement Information Circle
$500,000 - $750,000
Cash Requirement Information Circle
$150,000 - $200,000
Royalty Fee Information Circle
5%
Ad Royalty Fee Information Circle
4%
Term of Agreement Information Circle
10 years
Is franchise term renewable? Yes
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Financing Options

Some franchisors offer in-house financing, while others have relationships with third-party financing sources to which they refer qualified franchisees.

Third Party Financing Gold Star has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: startup costs, equipment, inventory, payroll

Training & Support Offered

Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.

On-The-Job Training 82 hours
Classroom Training 62 hours
Ongoing Support
Purchasing Co-ops
Newsletter
Meetings & Conventions
Toll-Free Line
Grand Opening
Online Support
Security & Safety Procedures
Lease Negotiation
Field Operations
Site Selection
Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Support
Co-op Advertising
Ad Templates
Regional Advertising
Social Media
SEO
Website Development
Email Marketing
Loyalty Program/App

Operations

Additional details about running this franchise.

Is absentee ownership allowed? No
Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit? Information Circle
No
Can this franchise be run part time? Information Circle
No
Are exclusive territories available? Information Circle
Yes
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Additional Rankings

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Disclaimer
The information on this page is not intended as an endorsement or recommendation of any particular franchise or business opportunity by Entrepreneur Media. Our listings and rankings are solely research tools you can use to compare opportunities. Entrepreneur stresses that you should always conduct your own independent investigation before investing in a franchise or business opportunity. That should include reviewing the company's legal documents, consulting with an attorney and an accountant, and talking to former and current franchisees/licensees/dealers.
Updated: December 12th, 2022