2026 Guide•39 franchises analyzed
65% of Americans drink coffee daily. That's 400 million cups per day. But franchise coffee economics depend heavily on format, location, and drive-thru access.
Best Coffee Franchises to Own in 2026
65% of Americans drink coffee daily. That's 400 million cups per day. But franchise coffee economics depend heavily on format, location, and drive-thru access.
Coffee franchises range from kiosk concepts under $200K to full Dunkin' locations at $500K+. The key variable isn't coffee quality. It's throughput. A drive-thru location can serve 3-4x the customers of an inline shop. That's why drive-thru access is the most important factor in coffee franchise profitability.
We compared 39 coffee franchise FDDs to show you: investment by format type, revenue per location where disclosed, and what franchisors actually require in terms of real estate and operations.
Data source: 2025 FDD filings · 39 franchises analyzed · Updated January 2026
Key Findings from FDD Analysis
39
coffee franchises analyzed
$498K - $1.1M
avg. investment
$40K
avg. franchise fee
$1.1M
avg. revenue (Item 19)
How We Ranked These Coffee franchises
This page ranks coffee franchises by total locations, reported revenue from Item 19, projected growth, and minimum investment. The key variable in coffee economics is format—drive-thru locations generate 3-4x the throughput of inline shops. Investment ranges from under $200K for kiosks to $500K+ for full-service locations.
Top Coffee franchises at a Glance
Ranked by Number of Locations
| Franchise | Investment | Fee | Locations | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PANERA BREAD BAKERY-CAFÉ | $633K - $4.9M | $35K | 1,112 | $2.8M |
| CINNABON | N/A | $31K | 1,002 | $525K |
| SCOOTER'S COFFEE | $955K - $1.5M | $40K | 825 | $924K |
| NOTHING BUNDT CAKES | $667K - $1.0M | $45K | 643 | $1.5M |
| GREAT AMERICAN COOKIES | $341K - $463K | $25K | 395 | $540K |
| 7 BREW | $894K - $2.2M | $35K | 297 | $2.0M |
| THE HUMAN BEAN | N/A | $35K | 165 | - |
| GREAT HARVEST BREAD CO. | $298K - $980K | $35K | 159 | $929K |
| CARIBOU COFFEE | $606K - $937K | $30K | 152 | $456K |
| TOUS LES JOURS | $718K - $1.6M | $40K | 146 | $1.9M |
10 Best Coffee franchises Ranked
Growing
Investment
$633K - $4.9M
Franchise Fee
$35K
Locations
1,112
Avg. Revenue
$2.8M
Source: 2024 FDD filingView details
Growing
Investment
N/A
Franchise Fee
$31K
Locations
1,002
Avg. Revenue
$525K
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
GrowingLitigation
Investment
$955K - $1.5M
Franchise Fee
$40K
Locations
825
Avg. Revenue
$924K
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Growing
Investment
$667K - $1.0M
Franchise Fee
$45K
Locations
643
Avg. Revenue
$1.5M
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Litigation
Investment
$341K - $463K
Franchise Fee
$25K
Locations
395
Avg. Revenue
$540K
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Growing
Investment
$894K - $2.2M
Franchise Fee
$35K
Locations
297
Avg. Revenue
$2.0M
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Investment
N/A
Franchise Fee
$35K
Locations
165
Royalty
N/A
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Litigation
Investment
$298K - $980K
Franchise Fee
$35K
Locations
159
Avg. Revenue
$929K
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Growing
Investment
$606K - $937K
Franchise Fee
$30K
Locations
152
Avg. Revenue
$456K
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Growing
Investment
$718K - $1.6M
Franchise Fee
$40K
Locations
146
Avg. Revenue
$1.9M
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Highest Profit Coffee franchises
Ranked by net income, EBITDA, or owner earnings from Item 19 FDD disclosures. Not all franchises disclose profit data.
Growing
Investment
$660K - $1.0M
Franchise Fee
$40K
Locations
1
Net Profit
$1.2M
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Investment
$725K - $1.3M
Franchise Fee
$40K
Locations
4
Net Profit
$595K
Source: 2024 FDD filingView details
Growing
Investment
$894K - $2.2M
Franchise Fee
$35K
Locations
297
EBITDA
$577K
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Growing
Investment
$633K - $4.9M
Franchise Fee
$35K
Locations
1,112
Est. Profit
$487K
Source: 2024 FDD filingView details
Growing
Investment
$667K - $1.0M
Franchise Fee
$45K
Locations
643
EBITDA
$317K
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Highest Revenue Coffee franchises
Ranked by average gross revenue per location from Item 19 FDD disclosures.
Growing
Investment
$633K - $4.9M
Franchise Fee
$35K
Locations
1,112
Avg. Revenue
$2.8M
Source: 2024 FDD filingView details
Growing
Investment
$660K - $1.0M
Franchise Fee
$40K
Locations
1
Avg. Revenue
$2.6M
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Investment
$1.2M - $2.3M
Franchise Fee
$40K
Locations
62
Avg. Revenue
$2.4M
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Growing
Investment
$894K - $2.2M
Franchise Fee
$35K
Locations
297
Avg. Revenue
$2.0M
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Growing
Investment
$718K - $1.6M
Franchise Fee
$40K
Locations
146
Avg. Revenue
$1.9M
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Fastest Growing Coffee franchises
Ranked by projected new locations from Item 20 of their FDD filings.
Growing
Investment
$894K - $2.2M
Franchise Fee
$35K
Locations
297
Avg. Revenue
$2.0M
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Growing
Investment
N/A
Franchise Fee
$31K
Locations
1,002
Avg. Revenue
$525K
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Growing
Investment
$667K - $1.0M
Franchise Fee
$45K
Locations
643
Avg. Revenue
$1.5M
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
GrowingLitigation
Investment
$955K - $1.5M
Franchise Fee
$40K
Locations
825
Avg. Revenue
$924K
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Growing
Investment
$718K - $1.6M
Franchise Fee
$40K
Locations
146
Avg. Revenue
$1.9M
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Most Affordable Coffee franchises
Ranked by minimum initial investment from Item 7 of their FDD filings.
Sorted by Minimum Investment
| Franchise | Investment | Fee | Locations | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COOKIE ADVANTAGE | $93K - $171K | $35K | 17 | $370K |
| Mariam Coffee | $149K - $284K | $35K | 0 | - |
| Cookies By Design | $160K - $345K | $30K | 37 | - |
| Le Macaron French Pastries | $164K - $452K | $45K | 55 | $343K |
| EILEEN'S COLOSSAL COOKIES | $230K - $299K | $20K | 23 | $605K |
Who Should Consider Coffee franchises?
Coffee franchises suit buyers with access to high-traffic real estate, especially drive-thru sites. The business is operationally straightforward but location-dependent. Drive-thru access is often the difference between strong and marginal unit economics. Inline locations work in high-foot-traffic urban areas.
Frequently Asked Questions About Coffee franchises
How much does it cost to open a coffee franchise?
The average initial investment for coffee franchises ranges from $498K to $1.1M, based on our analysis of 39 FDD filings. The average franchise fee is $40K. The most affordable option is COOKIE ADVANTAGE, starting at just $93K.
What is the most profitable coffee franchise?
According to Item 19 financial performance disclosures, PANERA BREAD BAKERY-CAFÉ reports the highest average unit revenue at $2.8M. Other high-performing coffee franchises include H&H BAGELS ($2.6M), LA MADELEINE FRENCH BAKERY & CAFE ($2.4M), 7 BREW ($2.0M). Note: Not all franchises disclose Item 19 data.
What is the largest coffee franchise by number of locations?
PANERA BREAD BAKERY-CAFÉ is the largest with 1,112 locations nationwide. Other major coffee franchises include CINNABON (1,002 locations), SCOOTER'S COFFEE (825 locations), NOTHING BUNDT CAKES (643 locations), GREAT AMERICAN COOKIES (395 locations). Combined, the top 5 coffee franchises operate over 3,977 locations.
What is the cheapest coffee franchise to open?
The most affordable coffee franchises by initial investment are: COOKIE ADVANTAGE ($93K - $171K), Mariam Coffee ($149K - $284K), Cookies By Design ($160K - $345K), Le Macaron French Pastries ($164K - $452K), EILEEN'S COLOSSAL COOKIES ($230K - $299K). Lower investment often means smaller format, mobile/home-based, or service-based models.
How do I evaluate a coffee franchise opportunity?
Review the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) carefully. Key sections include: Item 5 (fees), Item 7 (initial investment), Item 19 (financial performance, if disclosed), and Item 20 (outlet information including terminations and closures). Our database extracts this data from official FDDs to help you compare coffee franchises objectively.
Want to explore more coffee franchises?
Browse all coffee franchises in our database with advanced filters for investment range, location count, and more.
View All Coffee franchises