Cold Stone Creamery
Partial FDD dataOnly 2 year(s) of Item 20 outlet history on file
Beyond the filing
Everything else on this page is quoted from Cold Stone Creamery's franchise disclosure document. This is not — it is measured off the open web, it is not verified by the franchisor, and it never affects the Factbook Score.
Research this brand properly
Every figure on this page comes from Cold Stone Creamery's own disclosure filings, source linked. Compare it against its category before any discovery call — and read the FDD with an attorney before signing anything.
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- infook
They have not cleared our 0.85 QA bar, usually because no primary regulator-hosted filing was reachable and the figures come from a secondary source. Treat them as indicative and check the linked source before relying on them. We publish the score rather than hiding it — see the methodology.
What it really costs
Every cost figure this brand's filing discloses — not just the headline range
| Expense | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | — | — |
| Total initial investment | $335,675 | $655,275 |
Item 7 reports a total range, not a full line-item breakdown, in this brand's filing excerpt — the franchise fee is the only cost we can show separately today.
Costs more to open than 42% of food and beverage franchises on this site with a disclosed Item 7 range (372 compared). Computed from total investment, not a figure from the filing itself.
Earnings disclosure
Does the franchisor share performance data? Yes
| Average revenue | $621,052 |
| Median revenue | $587,242 |
| Sample size | 939 |
Legal history
Openings, closures & reacquisitions
The numbers ranking sites don't show — straight from the brand's filings
Tell me when Cold Stone Creamery files something new
Franchisors refile every year, and fees, investment ranges and closure counts move between filings. We'll email you when this brand's figures change — nothing else, and never a sales sequence.
Common questions
Answered from this brand's own FDD filing. Where the filing is silent, the question is left out rather than answered with a guess.
How much does a Cold Stone Creamery franchise cost?
Cold Stone Creamery's most recent Franchise Disclosure Document puts the total estimated initial investment at $336K–$655K. That is Item 7, which covers everything needed to open — the franchise fee, build-out, equipment, opening inventory and initial working capital. The initial franchise fee is not a single figure: Conflicting figures: franchisechatter.com (2025 review, presumably current FDD) cites $12,000-$27,000 (traditional) / $8,000-$20,000 (non-traditional); a franchisepanda.com preview of the 2023 FDD cites $27,500-$59,500 (traditional) / $18,500-$47,500 (non-traditional). Not resolved to one number -- see notes.
What royalty does Cold Stone Creamery charge?
Cold Stone Creamery charges a continuing royalty of 6% of gross sales, disclosed in Item 6. A separate brand or advertising fund contribution of 3% applies on top. Royalties are charged on revenue, not profit, so they are owed whether or not the outlet is profitable.
Does Cold Stone Creamery disclose earnings (Item 19)?
Yes. Cold Stone Creamery makes a financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. The filing reports average annual gross revenue of $621,052 and a median of $587,242. That figure covers 939 outlets. Item 19 is optional under the FTC Franchise Rule, and gross revenue is not profit — it is stated before royalties, rent, staff and every other cost.