Crispy Cones Franchise FDD, Costs & Fees (2025)

Crispy Cones offers gourmet soft-serve ice cream served in freshly baked, rotisserie-grilled dough cones coated with sweet or savory toppings, providing a unique dessert experience that combines handcrafted quality with visually appealing presentation.

Crispy Cones is a fast-growing dessert franchise that reinvents soft-serve ice cream by serving it in hand-rolled dough cones made fresh and grilled rotisserie style. The brand emphasizes streamlined operations, proprietary recipes, and strong technology support as key advantages for franchise owners.

The concept was founded in 2018 in Rexburg, Idaho, inspired by the European street pastry known as “trdelník.” Crispy Cones began franchising in 2021 under Crispy Cones Franchising, LLC, and its headquarters remains in Rexburg, Idaho.

Crispy Cones specializes in gourmet soft-serve ice cream served in freshly baked dough cones dusted with cinnamon sugar or other specialty coatings. Each cone is filled with spreads, fruits, toppings, and sauces, creating a warm, rich, and indulgent treat.

The franchise stands out for its premium ingredients, unique product presentation, and efficient business model. Its soft serve uses a higher butterfat content than typical ice creams, resulting in a richer flavor and texture.

Initial investment

Here's what you would need to invest if you were to start this franchise. These costs are provided by the franchisor in the Franchise Disclosure Document.

Type of Expenditure Amount
Initial Franchise Fee$35,000
Lease for Premises$4,000 - $10,000
Improvements for Store Build Out$150,000 - $300,000
Contractors, Designers, Architects$2,500 - $16,000
Equipment, Fixtures$115,000 - $135,000
Signage$10,000 - $25,000
Initial Training Costs$4,000
Initial Training Costs & Expenses$2,000 - $3,500
Point of Sale System, Computer Hardware and Software$5,500 - $7,000
Opening Assistance Costs & Expenses$4,000 - $10,000
Opening Inventory and Supplies$6,000 - $10,000
Uniforms$400 - $900
Licenses, Permits, Deposits and Prepaid Expenses$700 - $1,000
Grand Opening Promotional Expenses$1,000 - $2,500
Professional Fees$100 - $2,000
Insurance (3 months)$450 - $3,000
Additional Funds (3 months)$2,500 - $15,000
Totals$350,650 - $594,900
Type of Expenditure Amount
Initial Franchise Fee$35,000
Lease for Premises$4,000 - $10,000
Improvements for Store Build Out$150,000 - $300,000
Contractors, Designers, Architects$2,500 - $16,000
Equipment, Fixtures$115,000 - $135,000
Signage$10,000 - $25,000
Initial Training Costs$4,000
Initial Training Costs & Expenses$2,000 - $3,500
Point of Sale System, Computer Hardware and Software$5,500 - $7,000
Opening Assistance Costs & Expenses$4,000 - $10,000
Opening Inventory and Supplies$6,000 - $10,000
Uniforms$400 - $900
Licenses, Permits, Deposits and Prepaid Expenses$700 - $1,000
Grand Opening Promotional Expenses$1,000 - $2,500
Professional Fees$100 - $2,000
Insurance (3 months)$450 - $3,000
Additional Funds (3 months)$2,500 - $15,000
Totals$350,650 - $594,900

Franchise Disclosure Document

Number of units

Training

Crispy Cones offers a comprehensive training program designed to equip franchisees with the skills and knowledge needed to operate their store successfully. The training includes both pre-opening education and post-opening support. Below is a breakdown of the key training components provided by the franchisor:

  1. Initial Training Program
    This program is required for two individuals per franchise and takes place over two weeks, comprising nine days of instruction at a company-owned store in Rexburg, Idaho or another designated location. If the franchisee is an entity, one of the attendees must be a Principal Owner with at least 20% ownership, or a general manager if the owner will not handle day-to-day operations. The training fee covers these two individuals, but additional attendees must pay extra, and all participants are responsible for their own travel, lodging, and related expenses.
  2. On-Site Opening Assistance
    Around the store’s opening, Crispy Cones provides up to two weeks of additional on-site training and support to help prepare for launch. Up to three representatives from the franchisor may assist at the store location. The franchisee must pay for the training at current rates along with the representatives’ travel and living costs.
  3. Supplemental and Refresher Training
    Franchisees may be required to attend additional training sessions, including a mandatory refresher at least every five years. These are held at times and locations determined by Crispy Cones and may involve separate fees. The franchisor also offers optional additional training upon request, subject to availability and charges.

Territory Protection

Crispy Cones grants franchisees a Protected Territory tied to a specific store location. While the franchisor agrees not to open or license another store within this area during the agreement term, this protection only applies if the franchisee remains in full compliance.

However, the protection does not extend to customer exclusivity or outside sales. Crispy Cones may still serve the area through catering, online channels, or non-traditional locations like hotels or stadiums. Territory boundaries can also be adjusted based on population growth.

Competitors

Below are some of

Crispy Cones

key competitors in the

Ice Cream

sector.

Franchise
Franchisees
Initial fee
Total investment
Revenue
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Gross Profit
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EBITDA
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5

New
+
n.a.
n.a.

$35,000

$351,000

$595,000

n.a.

$251,000

$xxx,xxx

76.4%

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

Competitors

The Dolly Llama

The Dolly Llama is a dessert franchise offering Belgian waffles, waffle cones, and artisan ice cream, serving families, students, and social media–savvy dessert lovers, and known for over-the-top creations, Instagram-ready presentation, and a fun, modern café environment.

Franchisees

?

3
+
n.a.
n.a.
Investment

?

$162,000 - $473,000

I Scream Gelato

I Scream Gelato is a gelato-and-dessert franchise offering artisan gelato, sorbets and Italian-style sweets, serving families and dessert fans, and known for handcrafted product, high-quality ingredients and upscale café ambience.

Franchisees

?

1
+
n.a.
n.a.
Investment

?

$224,000 - $452,000

Tipsy Scoop

Tipsy Scoop is a dessert-bar franchise offering alcohol-infused ice creams and boozy creations in a social lounge setting, serving young adults and nightlife patrons, and known for inventive flavors, trendy atmosphere, and strong franchise growth opportunities.

Franchisees

?

2
+
n.a.
n.a.
Investment

?

$224,000 - $348,000

Yogurtland

Yogurtland is a self-serve frozen-yogurt franchise offering premium flavors, toppings, customization and café environment, serving dessert lovers and families, and known for global reach, brand strength and franchisee-friendly model.

Franchisees

?

194
+
-3%
-3%
Investment

?

$232,000 - $637,000

MILLIE’S HOMEMADE

MILLIE’S HOMEMADE is a bakery-café franchise offering cookies, brownies, desserts and café beverages, serving family-friendly shoppers and gift buyers, and known for made-from-scratch recipes, warm ambiance and scalable franchise design.

Franchisees

?

4
+
n.a.
n.a.
Investment

?

$65,000 - $485,000

Winchell's Donut House

Winchell's Donut House is a bakery-café franchise offering donuts, pastries, breakfast sandwiches, and coffee, serving morning commuters and late-night guests, and known for classic selections, fresh bakes, and neighborhood convenience.

Franchisees

?

105
+
0%
0%
Investment

?

$3,000 - $72,000