Ben's Soft Pretzels
Ben’s Soft Pretzels Franchising Corporation grants franchises for operating BEN’S SOFT PRETZELS Stores that specialize in fresh soft pretzels, pretzel pockets, soft drinks, and other menu items prepared according to proprietary recipes, specifications, and standards. The business model focuses on franchising small-format stores (290-1,100 sq ft) and mobile units in high-traffic locations like malls, airports, stadiums, or retailers, with support for independently owned operations. It targets consumers seeking quick-service gourmet pretzel snacks in captive and retail venues.
Franchise Costs
6% royalty + 1.5% ad fund + $279.50/mo POS/technology fee + $200/mo lease administration fee
Financial Performance
Item 19 Financial Performance
Data Based On: Gross Sales for 62 franchisee-owned stores that were open and operated for the entire 2024 Measurement Period. Specific exclusions mentioned in the FDD (e.g., baseball parks, new stores not open entire year) may account for the difference between this sample size and the total franchised outlets listed in the Systemwide Outlet Summary.
* Calculated average, median, top quartile, and bottom quartile gross revenue from individual Gross Sales figures for 62 franchisee-owned stores for the 2024 Measurement Period. Individual store figures were extracted from the 'Franchisee-Owned Operating Stores' tables across pages 3, 4, and 5 of the FDD. For 'Multi-Store Operators' and 'Venue/Mobile only' sections, individual component sales were used as distinct units if they were clearly delineated and summed up to the main entry's total; otherwise, the consolidated total for the business unit was used as one unit's sales. No information on net income, net profit, EBITDA, or expenses was provided.
Extracted Item 19 Section
How Ben's Soft Pretzels Compares
Key Insights
- Lower investment than 90% of Fast Food franchises
| Franchise | Investment | Fee | Royalty | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Ben's Soft Pretzels Current | $122K – $345K | $30K | 6.0% | 78 |
| MCDONALD'S | $1.5M – $2.6M | $45K | N/A | 12,772 |
| AFC | $45K – $151K | $6K | 9.5% | 3,572 |
| SONIC DRIVE-IN | $1.7M – $3.1M | $15K | 5.0% | 3,441 |
| JIMMY JOHN'S | $366K – $728K | $35K | 6.0% | 2,647 |
| ARBY'S | $645K – $2.5M | $38K | 4.0% | 2,316 |
Fast Food Average 126 franchises | $594K – $1.5M | $35K | 6.1% | – |
* Comparison based on latest FDD filings. Investment ranges from Item 7, fees from Item 5. Showing top 5 of 126 Fast Food franchises by location count.
Locations & Growth
Outlet Growth Over Time
Total outlets at end of each year
Geographic Distribution (2024)
Outlets by state across the United States
SBA Loan History
Historical SBA 7(a) loan data for Ben's Soft Pretzels franchisees (2015 – 2024)
Loans by Year
SBA 7(a) loan activity over time
* Data sourced from SBA 7(a) FOIA loan records. Default rate calculated from charged-off loans.
Franchisee Contacts
73 franchisee contacts on file from official FDD filings.
| Name | SBA Loan |
|---|---|
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC | $350,000 2023 · Active |
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC | $350,000 2023 · Active |
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC | $350,000 2023 · Active |
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC | $350,000 2023 · Active |
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC | $350,000 2023 · Active |
73 Contacts Available
Unlock all Ben's Soft Pretzels franchisee contacts with verified contact information
Due Diligence
Litigation (Item 3)
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
System Health (Item 20)
Franchise system changes reported in the most recent fiscal year
Frequently Asked Questions
The total initial investment to open a Ben's Soft Pretzels franchise ranges from $122,200 to $344,500. This includes a franchise fee of $30,000. Ongoing royalty fees are 6.0% of gross sales.
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