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.
Franchise Costs
7% royalty + 2% ad fund + $70-$125/mo brand technology system support
Financial Performance
Item 19 Financial Performance
Data Based On: 103 Pretzelmaker only and co-branded Great American Cookies U.S. franchised Restaurants open for the full year from January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024.
* Average gross revenue and median gross revenue were directly extracted from 'Table 1 - Net Sales' for 'Total' All Pretzelmaker Restaurants on Page 2. Revenue top quartile was estimated by taking the average of the minimum and maximum values for the 'Over $850,000' range (highest reported segment) in 'Table 2 - Range of Net Sales' on Page 2. Revenue bottom quartile was estimated by taking the average of the minimum and maximum values for the 'Under $249,999' range (lowest reported segment) in 'Table 2 - Range of Net Sales' on Page 2. A discrepancy was noted: 'Table 1 - Net Sales' reports 103 total units, while the sum of units in 'Table 2 - Range of Net Sales' is 102. Profit-related fields (average_net_income, average_net_profit, average_ebitda, ebitda_margin_pct, best_guess_profit_low, best_guess_profit_high) are set to null because the document explicitly states on Page 5 that it 'omits all operating costs and expenses related to operation of a restaurant except food, paper and store level labor,' making it impossible to accurately determine full profit or EBITDA.
Extracted Item 19 Section
How PRETZELMAKER Compares
Key Insights
- Top 10 largest franchise system in General Retail
- One of the lowest SBA loan default rates in General Retail
| Franchise | Investment | Fee | Royalty | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
PRETZELMAKER Current | $392K – $573K | $25K | 7.0% | 129 |
| ACE HARDWARE | $604K – $2.0M | $5K | N/A | 4,885 |
| DO IT BEST CORP. | $853K – $1.6M | $9K | N/A | 3,555 |
| WINDOW WORLD, WORLD OF WINDOWS | $123K – $331K | $45K | N/A | 209 |
| FLEET FEET, FLEET FEET TRIATHLETE | $229K – $545K | $45K | 4.0% | 192 |
| TECHY | $119K – $400K | $15K | 7.0% | 62 |
General Retail Average 14 franchises | $522K – $1.0M | $108K | 5.7% | – |
* 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
+22 more states
SBA Loan History
Historical SBA 7(a) loan data for PRETZELMAKER franchisees (2010 – 2018)
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
128 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 |
128 Contacts Available
Unlock all PRETZELMAKER franchisee contacts with verified contact information
Due Diligence
Litigation (Item 3)
Rescission and breach of international multi-unit franchise development agreement.
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 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.
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