GREAT AMERICAN COOKIES
Great American Cookies franchises retail restaurants specializing in selling fresh-baked cookies, brownies, cupcakes, and related food items and beverages under the GREAT AMERICAN COOKIES brand. Franchisees can operate traditional or non-traditional restaurants, satellites, multi-unit developments, or co-branded locations such as with Marble Slab Creamery, following a standardized system with proprietary recipes and ingredients supplied by affiliates. The business targets consumers in high-traffic venues like malls, shopping centers, airports, and other non-traditional sites seeking indulgent baked treats.
Franchise Costs
6% royalty + 2% ad fund (3% non-mall locations) + $70-$125/mo technology support (annual $840-$1,500 mandatory divided by 12)
Financial Performance
Item 19 Financial Performance
Data Based On: 256 franchised Great American Cookies restaurants (standalone and co-branded with Marble Slab Creamery or Pretzelmaker) that were in operation for 12 full months in 2024.
* Estimated profit by subtracting average Food Cost (26.83%) and average Labor Cost (28.44%) from the average Gross Revenue ($539,902). This represents revenue minus the only two explicitly stated operating costs ('food, paper and restaurant level labor' as per page 8). Since no range for average expenses was provided, the low and high profit estimates are the same.
Extracted Item 19 Section
How GREAT AMERICAN COOKIES Compares
Key Insights
- Top 10 largest franchise system in Coffee & Bakery
- One of the lowest SBA loan default rates in Coffee & Bakery
| Franchise | Investment | Fee | Royalty | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
GREAT AMERICAN COOKIES Current | $341K – $463K | $25K | 6.0% | 395 |
| 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 |
| 7 BREW | $894K – $2.2M | $35K | 4.5% | 297 |
| GREAT HARVEST BREAD CO. | $298K – $980K | $35K | 5.0% | 159 |
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
+18 more states
SBA Loan History
Historical SBA 7(a) loan data for GREAT AMERICAN COOKIES 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
301 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 |
301 Contacts Available
Unlock all GREAT AMERICAN COOKIES franchisee contacts with verified contact information
Due Diligence
Litigation (Item 3)
Breach of contract, fraud, and rescission disputes related to multi-unit development agreements and franchise sales.
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 GREAT AMERICAN COOKIES franchise ranges from $340,500 to $462,650. This includes a franchise fee of $25,000. Ongoing royalty fees are 6.0% of gross sales.
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