Tropical Smoothie Cafe
Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchises operate fast-casual restaurants that offer premium, handcrafted smoothies made with select fresh fruits and vegetables using proprietary recipes, along with specialty sandwiches, flatbreads, wraps, salads, and bowls. The business model centers on franchising these restaurants to qualified operators who adhere to the Tropical Smoothie Cafe System Standards, including mandatory design and operational specifications, with support for sales building, marketing, delivery, and catering. The target market includes consumers of all ages, both male and female, seeking better-for-you, healthier food and beverage options in a fun, friendly environment.
Franchise Costs
6% royalty + 5% national marketing fee + $402/mo technology fees (BOH, online ordering, firewall, loyalty platform, P&L software)
Financial Performance
Item 19 Financial Performance
Data Based On: Data for 1,151 franchised restaurants open for at least one full year as of December 31, 2023, and reported sufficient financial performance information.
* All revenue figures refer to 'Net Revenues' as defined in Item 19, which represents gross revenue less specific exclusions and discounts, not net income or profit after all expenses. The 'average_gross_revenue' and 'median_gross_revenue' were taken directly from the 'Total' column for 2023. 'revenue_top_quartile' was taken from the 'Avg. Net Revenues' for the 'Top 25%' category in 2023. 'revenue_bottom_quartile' was taken from the 'Avg. Net Revenues' for the 'Bottom 25%' category in 2023. No expense or profit data was provided in the document to calculate net income, net profit, EBITDA, or estimated profit ranges.
Extracted Item 19 Section
How Tropical Smoothie Cafe Compares
Key Insights
- #1 largest franchise system in Fast Casual
- Lower than average SBA loan default rate in Fast Casual
| Franchise | Investment | Fee | Royalty | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Tropical Smoothie Cafe Current | $300K – $721K | $35K | 6.0% | 1,371 |
| TROPICAL SMOOTHIE CAFÉ | $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 Cafe franchisees (2016 – 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
2,815 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 |
2,815 Contacts Available
Unlock all Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchisee contacts with verified contact information
Due Diligence
Litigation (Item 3)
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 Cafe 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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