Financing a DQ Grill & Chill with an SBA loan
Since FY2020, 29 DQ Grill & Chill locations changed hands on an SBA 7(a) loan. Here is what those deals looked like, what the brand costs to open, which lenders wrote the loans, and where the brand stands with the SBA.
DQ Grill & Chill franchising: dairyqueenfranchising.com
What a DQ Grill & Chill deal looks like
DQ Grill & Chill is an established brand in the SBA loan file: 29 acquisitions cleared underwriting in the last five years. The median loan was $891,650 at 8.50 percent. Amortized over 25 years, that is about $7,180 a month, or $86,158 a year in debt service. SBA's 10 percent minimum equity injection on a deal that size is roughly $99,072 of buyer cash, some of which a seller note on standby can sometimes cover.
Illustrative only: the median loan is not a purchase price, and every deal differs. Model your own in the deal analyzer or the DSCR calculator.
7(a) or 504 for a DQ Grill & Chill?
DQ Grill & Chill deals often include the real estate, which is why the median loan here is large and runs long. When the building is part of the purchase, the SBA 504 program is usually the better fit: a 50/40/10 stack, a bank first lien, a fixed-rate CDC debenture, and 10 percent down, with the real estate amortized up to 25 years. Model that structure in the 504 calculator.
When you are buying an existing DQ Grill & Chill as a going concern without the real estate, a 7(a) loan is the usual route, typically over 10 years. Price it in the 7(a) calculator.
What it costs to open a DQ Grill & Chill
These are DQ Grill & Chill's own franchise terms, set by the franchisor and separate from the SBA loan. They matter to a buyer because the franchise fee and the build-out are part of the project the loan has to cover, and lenders weigh the net-worth and liquidity minimums when they size a deal.
- Total initial investment
- $1,516,200 to $2,542,250
- Initial franchise fee
- $45,000
- Ongoing royalty
- 4% of gross sales
- Net worth required
- $750,000
- Liquid capital required
- $400,000
Quick-service restaurant (soft-serve / burgers), figures from the 2024 FDD. Sources: Franchise Chatter — DQ Grill & Chill 2024 FDD review (Item 5, 6, 7 figures), Franchise Chatter — DQ Grill & Chill 2025 review, Dairy Queen Franchising — Investment Opportunity (franchisor site: net worth / liquid capital). Franchise economics are drawn from each brand's public Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD Items 5 and 7) and reputable third-party franchise databases, compiled for independent editorial reference. The Closing Binder is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any franchisor listed. Franchise fee, investment, royalty, and net-worth figures are set by the franchisor and change with each FDD; confirm current terms in the brand's latest FDD before relying on them.
Lenders that actually write these
The banks below approved the most DQ Grill & Chill acquisitions in the file. A lender that has funded this brand before is the fastest path through underwriting.
- Live Oak Banking Company6 DQ Grill & Chill loans
- Huntington National Bank5 DQ Grill & Chill loans
- Beacon Bank and Trust3 DQ Grill & Chill loans
- Community National Bank & Trust3 DQ Grill & Chill loans
- T Bank, National Association2 DQ Grill & Chill loans
SBA conditions on this brand
DQ Grill & Chill is listed in the SBA Franchise Directory with no brand-specific lender conditions on file. A lender still runs the standard franchise review, but there is no special addendum or lease restriction attached to this brand.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to buy a DQ Grill & Chill franchise?
Opening a DQ Grill & Chill takes a total initial investment of about $1,516,200 to $2,542,250, including a $45,000 initial franchise fee, per the brand's FDD. Buying an existing location is priced differently: the median SBA 7(a) acquisition loan for DQ Grill & Chill was $891,650 in the federal loan file.
Can you buy a DQ Grill & Chill with an SBA loan?
Yes. 29 DQ Grill & Chill locations were acquired with SBA 7(a) financing since FY2020, and the brand is listed in the SBA Franchise Directory. A lender runs the standard SBA franchise review as part of underwriting.
How much do you need for a down payment on a DQ Grill & Chill?
SBA requires a minimum 10 percent equity injection. On the median DQ Grill & Chill loan of $891,650, that is roughly $99,072 of buyer cash, though a seller note kept on full standby can cover part of it. The rest is financed over about 25 years, around $7,180 a month at the median rate.
Which lenders finance DQ Grill & Chill acquisitions?
Live Oak Banking Company, Huntington National Bank and Beacon Bank and Trust wrote the most DQ Grill & Chill acquisition loans in the federal file. A lender that has funded the brand before knows its franchise agreement and tends to move faster. See the full lender detail above.
Other restaurant brands buyers finance
Loan counts, median size, median rate, and lender ranking are computed from the SBA 7(a) FOIA file, change of ownership approvals, FY2025 to FY2026 Q3, as of June 30, 2026. Eligibility, the identifier code, and any conditions are from the SBA Franchise Directory, effective August 11, 2026. Franchise cost figures are from DQ Grill & Chill's public FDD and third-party franchise databases. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by DQ Grill & Chill or its franchisor, and directory listing is not an endorsement of any individual deal. Methodology.