Cold Stone Creamery Franchise: Cost, Fees & Earnings
1,054 locations (2025), +6% YoY(Item 20)
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Median Revenue (AUV)
$573,674
Source: 2026 FDD, Item 19
Initial Investment
$255,700 – $680,775
Source: 2026 FDD, Item 7
Franchise Fee
$10,000
Source: 2026 FDD, Item 5
Royalty
6%
Source: 2026 FDD, Item 6
About Cold Stone Creamery
Cold Stone Creamery is a quick-service restaurant franchise specializing in super-premium fresh-made ice cream, cakes, pies, smoothies, shakes, and other frozen dessert products prepared using proprietary recipes. The franchise operates both traditional locations (retail shops, malls, storefronts) and non-traditional venues (airports, amusement parks, sports venues, kiosks) serving customers on a take-out, delivery, or eat-in basis.
Gross Sales by Performance TierSource: 2026 FDD Item 19
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Additional Item 19 Analysis
Deeper Item 19 Analysis (Charts 3–6)
Openings & Closings, Transfer Rates, Franchise vs Corporate Mix
Cold Stone Creamery vs Competitors
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Cold Stone Creamery Franchise FAQ
How much does a Cold Stone Creamery franchise cost?
Per Item 7 of the 2026 FDD Franchise Disclosure Document, the estimated initial investment ranges from $255,700 to $680,775.
What is the Cold Stone Creamery franchise fee?
The FDD reports an initial franchise fee of $10,000 to $27,000.
What royalty does Cold Stone Creamery charge?
The FDD reports an ongoing royalty of 6%.
How much revenue does a Cold Stone Creamery franchise generate?
The 2026 FDD reports a median revenue per unit of $573,674 for fiscal year 2025. Individual results vary.
Can I finance a Cold Stone Creamery franchise with an SBA loan?
Many franchise purchases are financed with SBA 7(a) loans covering a large share of the total project cost. You can check what you'd qualify for with Franchable's free SBA prequalification.
Data sourced from the brand's Franchise Disclosure Document. Franchable is not affiliated with or endorsed by Cold Stone Creamery. This is not an offer to sell a franchise. Individual results vary.