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Ice Cream & Dessert · 47 Brands
Ice Cream & Dessert franchises typically require $229K–$637K to open (median $400K), charge a median 6% royalty, and we track 47 brands with FDD data; 34 of them disclose Item 19 earnings. Every figure comes from each brand's Franchise Disclosure Document: Item 7 for the investment range, Item 6 for royalties, and Item 19 for earnings. Compare the leading brands side by side in the table below before you shortlist.
Ice cream and dessert franchise costs typically range from under $100,000 for kiosk and mobile concepts to around $500,000 for full storefront shops. Hard-scoop ice cream, frozen yogurt, frozen custard, gelato, and Italian-ice concepts are grouped together here, and the table draws every figure — investment, franchise fee, royalty, and Item 19 sales — from the official FDD rather than a marketing sheet. Filter by budget to compare a seasonal kiosk against a year-round storefront before you commit.
Franchises
47
Avg Investment
$329K–$824K
Avg Royalty
5.4%
Item 19
74%
12 ice cream & dessert brands ranked by total units in their latest FDD (Item 20). Investment is the Item 7 range; fee and royalty come from Items 5 and 6.
| Brand | Investment | Franchise fee | Royalty | Units | Item 19 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dairy Queen | $1.5M–$2.6M | $45K | 4% | 3,050 | Yes |
| Baskin-Robbins | $307K–$627K | $25K | 0.5% to 5.9% | 2,186 | Yes |
| Cold Stone Creamery | $121K–$655K | N/A | N/A | 992 | Yes |
| Mister Softee | $297K–$385K | $8K | $4,045 per year | 617 | Yes |
| Edible Arrangements | $214K–$587K | $30K | 5% | 588 | Yes |
| Great American Cookies | $309K–$652K | $25K | 6% of total net sales | 389 | Yes |
| Carvel | $39K–$1.1M | $36K | 6% | 359 | Yes |
| Menchie's | $162K–$498K | $54K | 6% | 294 | Yes |
| Dippin' Dots | $79K–$399K | $35K | 6% | 259 | No |
| Marble Slab Creamery | $50K–$655K | N/A | 6% of total net sales | 249 | Yes |
| Bruster's Real Ice Cream | $1.2M–$2.7M | $40K | 5% | 219 | Yes |
| The Haagen-Dazs Shoppe | $213K–$592K | $30K | 4% | 215 | Yes |
Editor's shortlist. The table ranks by the numbers alone. For our editors' picks, with the trade-offs and FDD footnotes behind each one, read Best Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Franchises in 2026: Baskin-Robbins, Dairy Queen, Menchie's, and More.
Search, filter, and compare every ice cream & dessert franchise we've analyzed. Select up to four to compare side by side.
| Brand | Item 19 | Fee | Investment | Royalty | Units | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 HandlesFood & Beverage· Est. 2022 | Disclosed | $30K | $250K - $657K | 6% | 31 | |
| Abbott’s Frozen CustardFood & Beverage | Disclosed | $37K | $494K - $1.8M | 5.5–6% | 24 | |
| Baskin-RobbinsFood & Beverage· Est. 2006 | Disclosed | $25K | $307K - $627K | 0.5–5.9% | 2,186 | |
| Beard Papa'sFood & Beverage· Est. 2002 | None | $45K | $201K - $477K | 5% | 34 | |
| Bruster's Real Ice CreamFood & Beverage· Est. 1993 | Disclosed | $40K | $1.2M - $2.7M | 5% | 219 | |
| CarvelFood & Beverage | Disclosed | $36K | $39K - $1.1M | 6% | 359 | |
| Chocolate BashFood & Beverage· Est. 2019 | None | $435K | $213K - $395K | 6% | — | |
| Chocolate Fish CoffeeFood & Beverage· Est. 2023 | Disclosed | $30K | $229K - $495K | 6% | 0 | |
| Cold Stone CreameryFood & Beverage | Disclosed | — | $121K - $655K | — | 992 | |
| Crispy ConesFood & Beverage· Est. 2021 | Disclosed | $35K | $374K - $582K | 5% | 18 | |
| Dairy QueenFood & Beverage· Est. 1962 | Disclosed | $45K | $1.5M - $2.6M | 4% | 3,050 | |
| Dippin' DotsFood & Beverage· Est. 1999 | None | $35K | $79K - $399K | 6% | 259 | |
| Dumont Creamery and CaféFood & Beverage· Est. 2024 | Disclosed | — | $148K - $291K | — | 0 | |
| Edible ArrangementsFood & Beverage· Est. 2012 | Disclosed | $30K | $214K - $587K | 5% | 588 | |
| Endless Summer SweetsFood & Beverage· Est. 2023 | None | $35K | $186K - $354K | 6% | 0 | |
| FreddoFood & Beverage· Est. 1969 | Disclosed | $20K | $163K - $455K | 5% | 23 | |
| Go Greek YogurtFood & Beverage· Est. 2022 | Disclosed | $40K | $292K - $960K | 6% | — | |
| Great American CookiesFood & Beverage· Est. 2007 | Disclosed | $25K | $309K - $652K | 6% | 389 | |
| Handel'sFood & Beverage· Est. 1998 | Disclosed | $50K | $461K - $997K | 6% | 145 | |
| Jeni's Splendid Ice CreamsFood & Beverage | Disclosed | $40K | $698K - $955K | 5% | 0 | |
| Jeremiah's Italian IceFood & Beverage | Disclosed | $30K | $295K - $744K | — | 144 |
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Ice cream and dessert franchise costs range from under $100,000 for kiosks, carts, and mobile units to roughly $500,000 for a full retail storefront. Equipment and buildout drive most of the range. Item 7 of each FDD lists the exact initial investment.
The most affordable ice cream and dessert franchise opportunities are usually kiosk, cart, or mobile formats that avoid a full storefront lease, and some start well under $100,000. Sort the table above by lowest investment to compare entry costs.
Frozen desserts carry strong margins but are often seasonal, so location and climate matter. Brands that disclose Item 19 let you review actual average sales before you invest. Use the Item 19 filter to find dessert franchises that publish revenue data.
Ice cream and dessert franchise royalties generally run 4% to 6% of gross sales, often with an advertising-fund contribution. Every ongoing fee is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD. Compare rates across brands in the table above.
This page is part of VetMyFranchise. View all pages: llms.txt · llms-full.txt