Cookies By Design
Cookies By Design franchises retail shops that produce and sell decorated cookies, gourmet cookies, fanciful cookie arrangements, and related products like cupcakes and candies to the general public. Shops are typically 1,200-1,400 square feet, located in or near shopping malls, strip centers, or urban storefronts, following a proprietary system with specific recipes, designs, operations manuals, and standards. The business model involves single-unit franchises, optional satellites/kiosks, or multi-unit area development, targeting everyday retail consumers.
Franchise Costs
6% royalty + up to 3% ad fund + $500/yr POS maintenance fee
Financial Performance
Item 19 Financial Performance
This franchise did not provide Item 19 financial performance data.
Be careful if you are interested in investing. The lack of financial performance representations may indicate limited data or varying results across franchises.
Extracted Item 19 Section
How Cookies By Design Compares
Key Insights
- One of the lowest investment costs in Coffee & Bakery (ranked #3 of 37)
- Higher than average SBA loan default rate in Coffee & Bakery
| Franchise | Investment | Fee | Royalty | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Cookies By Design Current | $160K – $345K | $30K | 6.0% | 37 |
| PANERA BREAD BAKERY-CAFÉ | $633K – $4.9M | $35K | 5.0% | 1,112 |
| SCOOTER'S COFFEE | $955K – $1.5M | $40K | 6.0% | 825 |
| NOTHING BUNDT CAKES | $667K – $1.0M | $45K | 6.0% | 643 |
| GREAT AMERICAN COOKIES | $341K – $463K | $25K | 6.0% | 395 |
| 7 BREW | $894K – $2.2M | $35K | 4.5% | 297 |
Coffee & Bakery Average 37 franchises | $498K – $1.1M | $40K | 5.5% | – |
* Comparison based on latest FDD filings. Investment ranges from Item 7, fees from Item 5. Showing top 5 of 37 Coffee & Bakery 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
+12 more states
SBA Loan History
Historical SBA 7(a) loan data for Cookies By Design franchisees (2017 – 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
37 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 |
37 Contacts Available
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Due Diligence
Litigation (Item 3)
Former franchisees alleging violations of the FTC Franchise Rule and Texas Business Opportunity Act, breach of contract, fraud, negligent misrepresentation, and related claims against the predecessor franchisor.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
Cosi, Inc. and subsidiaries (where officers/directors Andrew Berger and David Polonitza served) filed Chapter 11 in September 2016 (plan effective May 2017) and February 2020 (plan effective August 2022).
System Health (Item 20)
Franchise system changes reported in the most recent fiscal year
Frequently Asked Questions
The total initial investment to open a Cookies By Design franchise ranges from $160,000 to $345,000. This includes a franchise fee of $30,000. Ongoing royalty fees are 6.0% of gross sales.
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