How to Open a Burger Franchise in Chicago

Are you interested in learning how to open a burger franchise in Chicago? If so, you’re not alone.

At Jack in the Box, we’re actively looking for multi-unit franchisees to bring our craveable 24/7 menu to the Chicagoland area.

In this article, we’ll take a look at how you can open a burger franchise in Chicago with Jack in the Box in nine easy steps.

Does Jack in the Box Have Locations in Illinois?

Yes! Jack in the Box currently has locations throughout the state of Illinois in the following cities:

• Alton
• Collinsville
• Glen Carbon
• Granite City
• Litchfield
• O’Fallon
• Swansea
• Troy
• Wood River

However, Jack in the Box does not have any locations in Chicago. We are actively looking for new franchisees to bring our craveable 24/7 menu to Chicagoland.

Our franchise development team has identified 125 new trade area market points in Cook County along with another 125 in the surrounding counties that make up the Chicago Designated Market Area (DMA).

This includes areas in Indiana and Michigan where the Chicagoland DMA spreads around Lake Michigan.

1) Submit Contact Form

To get started, you’ll need to submit any contact form on the Jack in the Box Franchising website.

This form requires you to submit the following information:

• First & Last Name
• Email Address
• Phone Number
• Location
• Cash Available
• Net Worth
• # of Locations

If you’re interested in bringing Jack in the Box to the city of Chicago, you’ll need to meet the following financial requirements.

• Minimum Liquidity: $500,000
• Minimum Net Worth: $1.5MM
• Franchise Fee: $50,000 per Location

If you currently don’t meet these financial requirements, there are many potential sources of liquidity that may be overlooked. For example:

• Business Partners
• Stocks & Bonds
• 401k Rollovers

After you submit your contact form, one of our franchise recruitment directors will be in-touch with more information.

2) Connect with our Team

Next, we will schedule an introduction call to answer questions and walk you through everything you need to know as you begin your franchising journey.

This is a great time for you to learn more about how our new franchise recruitment process works along with what we will need in terms of documents on your end.

Plus, it allows our team to receive a better understanding of your overall franchising goals and how we can make them a reality.

3) Submit Required Documents

After our conversation, we'll send you our required documents to move forward in the process: our Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA), Initial Inquiry Form, and Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).

These documents will give us more insight into your franchising goals and determine the next steps we need to take.

4) FDD & Market Point Review

During your due diligence period, you’ll review our Franchise Disclosure Document and be able to speak with other franchisees in our system.

The FDD is a legal document that is part of the pre-sale due diligence process. You’ll find the FDD is full of information that will help answer your questions about franchising with Jack in the Box.

This document includes information on our company background, profiles of our brand leadership, fees, investment ranges, and store level performance.

We will also review market points located in your desired territory during this call.

5) Financial Review

This is the most paperwork intensive process you’ll go through during our steps to become a Jack in the Box Franchisee.

In this stage, you’ll submit requisite documents to allow us to complete a full financial review including:

• Jack in the Box Franchise Application
• Credit & Background Check Authorization
• Payments & Tax Returns
• Personal Tax Returns
• Other Required Documents

During this time, you’ll have the ability to speak to current franchisees and ask questions about their experience with our brand.

6) Meet Operations Leadership

After gathering all required documents, we will schedule a time for you to meet with the Jack in the Box Senior Operations Team.

This is an opportunity for you to ask questions and build a personal relationship with the Corporate Leaders of our brand. We typically host these meetings on a video call.

7) Finalize Development Agreement

During this stage, we will finalize your market points and opening schedule. At that time, we will send franchise agreements for you to sign.

8) Franchise Awarded

After receiving your franchise development agreement and payment for initial franchise fees, you will be an official Jack in the Box Franchisee. Congratulations!

9) Orientation & Training

Your orientation will begin by meeting with your regional real estate development manager (REDM). They will assist you with navigating the real estate and site selection process.

Once you have your site, you will be assigned a regionally based construction manager who will provide you with CAD drawings of our prototype layout.

Prior to opening, your organization will designate two people to complete our comprehensive training program at a certified training restaurant.

How Long Does This Process Take?

At Jack in the Box, we can go as fast as you are willing to go depending on your personal timeline.

We’ve found the entire process to become a franchisee with Jack in the Box typically ranges from 60 to 120 days.

This includes the required 14-day franchise disclosure period and 7-day disclosure period after you receive the franchise agreement.

Check Out These Additional Resources

We hope this article gave you a better understanding of how to open a burger franchise in Chicago.

At Jack in the Box, we work with our franchisees every step of the way to make the onboarding process as seamless as possible.

Here are some additional online resources you may like to check out:

• Is Jack in the Box Opening in Chicago?
• 5 Reasons to Buy a Burger Franchise
• Which Burger Franchise Makes the Most Money?

If you have any questions, please contact our franchise sales and support team.