True cost — by city
Phoenix metro retail $24-$42/sq ft NNN in general corridors, $45-$85+/sq ft NNN in premium Scottsdale (Old Town, Scottsdale Quarter); rents up 30%+ since 2021 (Arizona franchise guide 2026). State minimum wage $15.15/hr in 2026 in that guide.
Fast-casual second-gen $180-$250/sq ft vs full-service $300-$500/sq ft (Arizona 2026 guide). Type I hood package $25,000-$60,000 for hood alone, plus $40,000-$120,000 for duct/exhaust/makeup air/roof curb — hood scope is the largest variable. Avison Young Phoenix TI for second-gen cited at $10-$30/sq ft landlord TI, $50-$75/sq ft for dated spaces needing upgrades (ICSC).
Overall cost level: typical for a US restaurant opening. The city moves the rent and the build-out; the state moves the permits, the certificates and the liquor clock — and Phoenix sits in Arizona.
Start with the state layer: Arizona permits · Arizona liquor · Arizona hub.
Don't read the table — run your verdict. Pick Arizona, add your format and rent — the regulated lines fill themselves.
Included in the $49 Opening Pack: the filled templates, trackers, calendars and worksheets for this door — built from the same dated datasets as the free checker above.
Sources: Arizona Restaurant Franchise ROI & Financing Guide 2026; ICSC — Second-Gen Spaces (Avison Young Phoenix), 2026-10. Dataset checked October 23, 2026. Where a fee or rule is set by a county or city, this page says so instead of guessing a number.