TROPICAL SMOOTHIE CAFÉ
Tropical Smoothie Café franchises fast-casual restaurants that provide premium, handcrafted smoothies made fresh with select fruits and vegetables using proprietary recipes, along with specialty sandwiches, flatbreads, wraps, salads, and bowls. The business model grants franchises for developing and operating these restaurants under strict system standards, marks, and operations to ensure brand uniformity, with options for single-unit or multi-unit development. Target customers are consumers across all age groups, both male and female, seeking better-for-you offerings to inspire healthier lifestyles.
Franchise Costs
6% royalty + 5% national marketing fee + $387/mo technology fees (BOH $179, online ordering $30, firewall $103, loyalty $75)
Financial Performance
Item 19 Financial Performance
Data Based On: 1,151 franchised restaurants open for at least one full year as of December 31, 2023, and meeting specific criteria for inclusion in the financial performance representation.
* Average gross revenue and median gross revenue are taken directly from the 'Total' column of the 2023 Average Net Revenues tables. Revenue top quartile is from the 'Top 25%' category average ($1,441,232). Revenue bottom quartile is from the 'Bottom 25%' category average ($592,141). The document explicitly states that the data relates to revenues only and no information on costs and expenses is presented, therefore net income, net profit, EBITDA, and profit estimations are not available.
Extracted Item 19 Section
How TROPICAL SMOOTHIE CAFÉ Compares
Key Insights
- #2 largest franchise system in Fast Casual
- Lower than average SBA loan default rate in Fast Casual
| Franchise | Investment | Fee | Royalty | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
TROPICAL SMOOTHIE CAFÉ Current | $300K – $721K | $35K | 6.0% | 1,371 |
| Tropical Smoothie Cafe | $300K – $721K | $35K | 6.0% | 1,371 |
| FIREHOUSE SUBS RESTAURANTS (UNIT) | $379K – $1.4M | $20K | 6.0% | 1,248 |
| Zaxby's | $1.4M – $3.8M | $35K | 6.0% | 826 |
| Qdoba | $548K – $1.3M | $40K | 5.0% | 652 |
| CHICK-FIL-A License Program | $586K – $3.3M | N/A | 10.0% | 412 |
Fast Casual Average 107 franchises | $532K – $1.2M | $39K | 5.6% | – |
* Comparison based on latest FDD filings. Investment ranges from Item 7, fees from Item 5. Showing top 5 of 107 Fast Casual franchises by location count.
Locations & Growth
Outlet Growth Over Time
Total outlets at end of each year
Geographic Distribution (2023)
Outlets by state across the United States
+36 more states
SBA Loan History
Historical SBA 7(a) loan data for TROPICAL SMOOTHIE CAFÉ 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
2,826 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 |
2,826 Contacts Available
Unlock all TROPICAL SMOOTHIE CAFÉ franchisee contacts with verified contact information
Due Diligence
Litigation (Item 3)
Termination of area development agreement, breach of contract, fraud in the inducement, and related disputes with area developer and individuals.
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 TROPICAL SMOOTHIE CAFÉ franchise ranges from $300,000 to $720,500. This includes a franchise fee of $35,000. Ongoing royalty fees are 6.0% of gross sales.
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