Chuck's Hot Chicken

The vendor opportunity at Chuck's Hot Chicken

Chuck's Hot Chicken is a quick-service restaurant concept headquartered in Missouri, with a total footprint of 6 units as disclosed in its 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document. Of those, 5 are franchised and 1 is company-owned. The brand reported average unit volume (AUV) of $1,587,271.91, a figure that signals healthy per-location revenue for a system of this size. Year-over-year unit growth stands at 50.0%, meaning the franchise network is expanding rapidly from a small base. For software vendors, the immediate addressable market is 5 franchised locations, but the growth rate suggests that number will climb, and early vendor relationships could scale with the system.

The royalty rate is 5.5% of gross sales, and the initial franchise term is 5 years. These economics matter to vendors because they shape the operator's cost sensitivity and the timeline on which technology investments are evaluated. A 5-year term means franchisees are likely to reassess operational tools—including software—around renewal windows, creating natural inflection points for new vendor conversations.

Who controls software purchasing

Software purchasing authority at Chuck's Hot Chicken sits at the headquarters level. The 2025 FDD lists three individuals in Item 1: Charles Taylor, Co-Owner and Co-Founder; Jonathan Plawsky, Co-Owner and Co-Founder; and Monica Horton, Franchise Development and Operations Director. In a system this small, these executives are the de facto buying center for any technology that touches franchise operations. There is no separate CIO or VP of Technology named in the filing, nor is there a parent company that might centralize procurement decisions elsewhere. Vendors should direct their outreach to this tight leadership group, recognizing that Monica Horton's operations and development role likely makes her the first screen for tools that affect franchisee workflows.

Mandated and current tech stack

The only technology mandate disclosed in the 2025 FDD is the SquareUp POS System. SquareUp is required across all locations, meaning any software that integrates with or depends on POS data must be compatible with Square's ecosystem. No other operational software—such as scheduling, inventory, or accounting platforms—is listed as mandated or recommended in the FDD. This leaves the rest of the tech stack open, but also means vendors must be prepared to demonstrate how their solution complements the mandated SquareUp environment without creating friction.

Procurement, renewals, and timing

Item 8 of the 2025 FDD, which typically outlines procurement restrictions and designated suppliers, contains no extract in our corpus. This means the franchisor's formal procurement model—whether it uses designated suppliers, approved suppliers, or an open purchasing framework—is not publicly detailed in the most recent filing. Vendors should clarify this directly during initial discussions with HQ.

On renewals, Item 17 provides a clear signal: franchisees in good standing can sign a successor agreement for one additional term of 5 years, unless the franchisor has decided, in its sole discretion, to withdraw from the geographical area where the franchise is located. This renewal structure means that as the initial 5-year terms begin to expire for the first wave of franchisees, there will be windows where operators are evaluating their business tools and may be open to switching or adding software. Given the brand's 50% year-over-year unit growth, many locations are likely early in their initial terms, but vendors who engage now can position themselves for those upcoming renewal cycles.

How to read the Chuck's Hot Chicken FDD

The 2025 Chuck's Hot Chicken Franchise Disclosure Document is embedded below for full review. Key sections for software vendors include Item 1 (executives and ownership), Item 11 (mandated technology and obligations), Item 8 (procurement restrictions, though not detailed here), and Item 17 (renewal and termination terms). The FDD is filed with state franchise regulators and represents the most current public disclosure of the brand's operational requirements and leadership structure. Reading it closely will help you tailor your pitch to the specific constraints and opportunities within this growing quick-service chicken concept. For a ranked target list of franchise systems matched to your software category, FranCloud can help.