BRUSTER'S
Bruster’s Real Ice Cream franchises operate retail ice cream stores offering premium ice cream, sherbet, Italian ices, frozen yogurt, frozen desserts, beverages, food products, and related retail items, all made fresh on-site daily. The business model centers on franchising freestanding or end-cap locations (1,400-1,600 sq ft) that provide on-premises dining, carry-out, and approved third-party delivery services using a standardized system of recipes, operations, and Proprietary Marks. They target consumers seeking high-quality, fresh frozen treats in a modern environment, including families and dessert enthusiasts in local communities.
Franchise Costs
5% royalty + 3% marketing fund
Financial Performance
Item 19 Financial Performance
Data Based On: 172 franchised outlets open and operating a standard 7-day schedule for Calendar Year 2024, as presented in Table 1.
* Average gross revenue is taken from the 'Overall 2024' AUV for franchised stores as explicitly stated in Table 1. A weighted average of the AUVs for the Top-Range (57 units x $1,085,370), Mid-Range (58 units x $689,096), and Bottom-Range (57 units x $461,571) over 172 units results in $745,018.63, which closely matches the reported overall AUV. Median gross revenue is directly from the 'Overall 2024' Median. Revenue top quartile is based on the 'AUV Top-Range' AUV, and revenue bottom quartile is based on the 'AUV Bottom-Range' AUV for 2024. Although Cost of Goods Sold (COG) percentages are provided in Table 4, no other comprehensive expense percentages or profit margin figures are available to reliably estimate a profit range for 'best_guess_profit_low' and 'best_guess_profit_high', as the document notes 'additional business expenses that are likely to be significant' which are not quantified.
Extracted Item 19 Section
How BRUSTER'S Compares
Key Insights
- Top 10 largest franchise system in Desserts & Ice Cream
- Lower than average SBA loan default rate in Desserts & Ice Cream
| Franchise | Investment | Fee | Royalty | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
BRUSTER'S Current | $409K – $1.1M | $40K | 5.0% | 205 |
| RITA'S FRANCHISE COMPANY, LLC; RITA'S ICE-CUSTARD-HAPPINESS | $315K – $713K | $35K | 6.5% | 569 |
| MENCHIE'S | $165K – $425K | $40K | 6.0% | 296 |
| DIPPIN' DOTS | $139K – $399K | $35K | 6.0% | 260 |
| MARBLE SLAB CREAMERY | $355K – $477K | $25K | 6.0% | 249 |
| HAAGEN DAZS SHOP | $215K – $568K | $30K | 4.0% | 207 |
Desserts & Ice Cream Average 28 franchises | $327K – $657K | $36K | 7.0% | – |
* Comparison based on latest FDD filings. Investment ranges from Item 7, fees from Item 5. Showing top 5 of 28 Desserts & Ice Cream 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
+8 more states
SBA Loan History
Historical SBA 7(a) loan data for BRUSTER'S franchisees (2010 – 2025)
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
206 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 |
206 Contacts Available
Unlock all BRUSTER'S 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 BRUSTER'S franchise ranges from $409,033 to $1,118,100. This includes a franchise fee of $40,000. Ongoing royalty fees are 5.0% of gross sales.
Unlock Full FDD Access
Download BRUSTER'S's complete FDD plus 1,700+ other franchise documents — all with one plan.
Secure checkout with Stripe · Cancel anytime
Also includes FDDs for
More Food & Beverage Franchises
Subway
Food & Beverage
MCDONALD'S
Food & Beverage
DUNKIN'
Food & Beverage
DOMINO'S PIZZA
Food & Beverage
Burger King
Food & Beverage
POPEYES LOUISIANA KITCHEN
Food & Beverage
