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PRETZELMAKER

PRETZELMAKER

Pretzelmaker franchises operate retail restaurants specializing in hand-rolled soft pretzels of various flavors, pretzel dogs, bites, toppings, frozen pretzels, and related beverages and food items under the Pretzelmaker brand. The franchisor offers single-unit franchises for traditional standalone locations, non-traditional venues like food courts, satellites, and multi-unit development agreements, as well as co-branding opportunities with affiliate brands such as Marble Slab Creamery, Great American Cookies, and Hot Dog on a Stick. Their business model focuses on franchising to operators in high-traffic areas like malls and shopping centers, targeting customers seeking quick, indulgent snack options.

129locations
$392K–$573K
Since 2008
Food & BeverageBeverly Hills, CAFAT Brands, Inc.www.pretzelmaker.comDisclaimer

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Franchise Costs

Franchise Fee
$25,000
Initial Investment
$391,500 – $573,000
Royalty Rate
7.00%
Brand Fund
2.00%
Fixed Monthly Fees
$70 – $125

7% royalty + 2% ad fund + $70-$125/mo technology fee

Financial Performance


Item 19 Financial Performance

Average Gross Revenue
$559,357
Median Gross Revenue
$484,275

Data Based On: 103 Pretzelmaker only and Pretzelmaker restaurants co-branded with Great American Cookies U.S. franchised Restaurants that were open from January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024.

* Average gross revenue and median gross revenue are taken directly from Table 1 'Net Sales - Total'. Revenue quartiles are not provided as averages for specific segments, so they are set to null. Average gross profit, net income, net profit, and EBITDA are set to null because the document explicitly states on page 7 that the provided financial data 'omits all operating costs and expenses related to operation of a restaurant except food, paper and store level labor,' preventing a full and accurate calculation of these profit metrics. Best guess profit range is estimated using the provided average Food Cost (21.50%) and Labor Cost (28.02%) from Tables 3 and 4, respectively, applied to the average net sales of $559,357. These known costs sum to 49.52% of net sales. This leaves 50.48% of net sales ($282,363.41) as 'profit before other omitted expenses.' To estimate the final profit range, an assumption was made for the 'other omitted expenses' (e.g., rent, utilities, marketing, G&A) which were not provided. A common range for these additional restaurant operating expenses is 20-40% of net sales. - Best Guess Profit High (optimistic): Calculated using the lower end of other omitted expenses (20% of net sales). (50.48% - 20%) * $559,357 = 30.48% * $559,357 = $170,492.01. - Best Guess Profit Low (conservative): Calculated using the higher end of other omitted expenses (40% of net sales). (50.48% - 40%) * $559,357 = 10.48% * $559,357 = $58,620.61.

Extracted Item 19 Section

Avg. Revenue: $559,357

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PRETZELMAKER Franchise Analysis

Hand-rolled soft pretzels twisting through malls and food courts define Pretzelmaker's niche in the indulgent snack arena, backed by FAT Brands' portfolio of craveable brands. With Item 19 laying bare revenue realities and a co-branding playbook alongside Marble Slab or Great American Cookies, the numbers hint at a model built for impulse buys in high-traffic zones. But a recent dip in locations and a litigation shadow leave buyers wondering: can this pretzel powerhouse rebound with fresh dough?

Item 7 pegs total investment at $391,500-$573,000 for standalone or non-traditional setups, starting with a $25,000 franchise fee. Ongoing costs include 7% royalties, 2% ad fund, and $70-$125 monthly tech fees, pressuring margins on average gross revenues of $559,357 (median $484,275) from 129 units. Item 19 estimates profits between $58,621-$170,492, rewarding top performers in prime spots but underscoring variability—median sales suggest many hover below average, especially amid -5% contraction from 136 to 129 locations in 2024.

System vitality shows promise in 6 projected new units and 9 transfers, alongside 15 SBA loans averaging $177,720, signaling accessible financing for qualified operators. Yet FAT Brands' bankruptcy history and cases like the 2019 rescission of a multi-unit deal (Ieman Shahi v. Fatburger) plus 2018 fraud claims (P&K Food Market v. Buffalo’s) demand scrutiny of support and execution risks. For a buyer eyeing quick-serve snacks, strong medians in co-branded plays could justify the outlay if growth accelerates, but stagnant expansion flags caution on market saturation.

Analysis based on the 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document. All figures should be independently verified before making investment decisions.

How PRETZELMAKER Compares

Key Insights

  • Top 10 largest franchise system in General Retail
  • One of the lowest SBA loan default rates in General Retail
FranchiseInvestmentFeeRoyaltyLocations
PRETZELMAKER
Current
$392K – $573K$25K7.0%129
ACE HARDWARE$604K – $2.0M$5KN/A4,885
DO IT BEST CORP.$853K – $1.6M$9KN/A3,555
WINDOW WORLD, WORLD OF WINDOWS$123K – $363K$45KN/A211
FLEET FEET, FLEET FEET TRIATHLETE$352K – $652K$45K4.0%197
TECHY$119K – $400K$15K7.0%62
General Retail Average
14 franchises
$530K – $1.0M$108K5.7%

* Comparison based on latest FDD filings. Investment ranges from Item 7, fees from Item 5. Showing top 5 of 14 General Retail 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

Top States
1TX
24
2CT
13
3UT
8
4IA
7
5CA
7
6GA
7
7NY
6
8FL
6
9MN
4
10MA
4
11ND
3
12OH
3
13SC
3
14HI
3
15ID
3

+22 more states

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SBA Loan History


Historical SBA 7(a) loan data for PRETZELMAKER franchisees (20102018)

Total Loans
15
Average Loan
$177,720
Total Volume
$2.7M
Default Rate
0.0%

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.

15 SBA loans on record

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Franchisee Contacts

128 franchisee contacts on file from official FDD filings.

128 Contacts Available

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Due Diligence


Litigation (Item 3)

Franchisee Cases2

Rescission of multi-unit development agreement (Ieman Shahi v. Fatburger NA, 2019) and breach of contract/fraudulent misrepresentation in franchise restaurant sale (P&K Food Market v. Buffalo’s Franchise Concepts, 2018).

Bankruptcy (Item 4)

Bankruptcy HistoryYes

PM Franchising, LLC, parent company FAT Brands Inc., Twin Hospitality Group Inc., and affiliates filed voluntary Chapter 11 petitions on January 25, 2026, in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas (Case No. 26-90198 for PM Franchising, LLC).

System Health (Item 20)

Franchise system changes reported in the most recent fiscal year

Terminations
0
Non-Renewals
0
Reacquired
0
Ceased Ops
12
Transfers
9
Sold to Franchisees
0
Projected New
6

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Frequently Asked Questions

The total initial investment to open a PRETZELMAKER franchise ranges from $391,500 to $573,000. This includes a franchise fee of $25,000. Ongoing royalty fees are 7.0% of gross sales.