Quick Verdict · who it fits
Bruster's Real Ice Cream fits first-time franchise buyers looking for a mid-scale food & beverage concept.
The numbers a buyer needs first — straight from the filing.
Initial investment (Item 7)
$1.2M - $2.7M
Franchise fee (Item 5)
$40K
Royalty (Item 6)
5% + 3% ad
Item 19 median rev
$686k population not disclosed in this filing
System size (Item 20)
219 +18
Agreement term
11 yrs
Years in business
33+ yrs
Company-owned units
1
Item 3 litigation
1 suit
Model Bruster's Real Ice Cream's costs in the investment calculator → Prefilled from this filing — startup cost, cash flow and break-even.
Buyer qualifications
•No exclusive territory•Owner-operator required✓No bankruptcy disclosed•1 Item 3 case
Data extracted from the 2026 FDD filed with state regulators. Fees and terms may have changed since filing — request the current FDD from the franchisor before deciding. Not legal, financial, or investment advice. Full disclaimer.
Drag to your projected annual sales. Royalty 5% + ad fund 3% on gross sales.
PROJECTED ANNUAL SALES$690,000
$100k$2M
Royalty (5%)
—
Ad fund (3%)
—
Total / year
—
▪ Of-sales fees only · excludes rent, labor, COGS, and one-time costs · for illustration
Free AI summary — the first read on the filing.
220
Total units open
15
Units opened last year
4
Units closed last year
15
Net unit growth
What our analysis flagged across the 2026 filing.
5
Risks to review
4
Strengths identified
5
Questions to ask
How Bruster's Real Ice Cream ranks against 811 Food & Beverage peers we've analyzed.
Initial investment
91st pct · of 811 peers
Franchise fee
57th pct · of 811 peers
System size
86th pct · of 811 peers
Food & Beverage industry averages
Avg investment
$528K - $1.3M
Avg franchise fee
$38K
Avg system size
235
Franchises analyzed
811
Closest concepts by category and investment.
| Brand | Item 19 | Fee | Investment | Royalty | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bruster's Real Ice Cream | Disclosed | $40K | $1.2M - $2.7M | 5% | 219 |
| Johnny Rockets LicensingSimilar price | Disclosed | $50K | $517K - $2.7M | 6% | 98 |
| Doctor's AssociatesBiggest system | None | $15K | $227K - $630K | 8% | 18,773 |
| Vintage Hospitality GroupTop-rated in category | Disclosed | $50K | $3.5M - $6.4M | 5.5% | 33 |
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Free explainers to go deeper before you sign.
Brand Analysis
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Brand Analysis
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Brand Analysis
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. reported 656 company-operated stores in 43 states as of January 30, 2026, and the brand has never sold a franchise. Huddle House and Another Broken Egg cover the same daypart with filed FDDs, at $555,375 to $1,715,275 and $792,500 to $1,804,000.
Bruster's Real Ice Cream requires a $40,000 initial franchise fee and a total initial investment range of $1,215,120–$2,669,060, per the most recent FDD on file.
Bruster's Real Ice Cream is franchised by BRUSTER'S Limited Partnership, the franchisor entity of record on its Franchise Disclosure Document. Item 1 of the FDD discloses the franchisor's corporate history, parents, and predecessors.
Yes. Bruster's Real Ice Cream discloses Item 19 financial performance representations with reported revenue around $685,840. See the financials sub-page for the full distribution.
Franchisees pay a royalty of 5% of Gross Sales and an advertising fund contribution of 3% of Gross Sales on gross sales as defined in Item 6 of the FDD.
As of their 2026 FDD, Bruster's Real Ice Cream has 219 total locations, with 18 new locations opened in the most recent reporting year. This information comes from Item 20 of the FDD.
No. Bruster's Real Ice Cream does not grant exclusive territory rights under Item 12. The franchisor retains the right to operate or grant additional units inside or adjacent to your trade area.
Per the FDD, Bruster's Real Ice Cream discloses an initial agreement term of 11 years, a transfer fee of $20,000. Review Items 10 and 17 for the full renewal and termination provisions.
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