Pretzelmaker

Pretzelmaker Franchise FDD, Costs & Fees (2025)

Snack food franchise specializing in freshly baked pretzels, pretzel bites, and refreshing lemonade, providing a tasty and convenient snack option.

Pretzelmaker is a prominent restaurant chain headquartered in Georgia, renowned for its freshly made pretzels, cold drinks, and smoothies. As a subsidiary of FAT Brands, it was established in 1991 by Jeffery Tripp.

Pretzelmaker's menu offers a tempting variety of items, including soft pretzel bites, mini pretzel dogs, a range of dipping sauces, blended beverages, refreshing lemonades, and delicious mozzarella-stuffed bites.

The first Pretzelmaker location opened in 1991 in Trumbull, Connecticut, originally operating under the name Mr. Pretzel Inc. Its success led to franchising in 1992, and the brand eventually transitioned to Pretzel Time before becoming Pretzelmaker.

In addition to its delicious offerings, Pretzelmaker has made a name for itself with its commitment to quality ingredients and innovative flavors. The brand is dedicated to providing a memorable customer experience, whether in the United States or at its international locations, including Canada, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and Guam.

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.

Pretzelmaker offers 4 types of franchises:

Type of Restaurant Initial Investment
Traditional Pretzelmaker Restaurant $273,500 to $385,500
Non-Traditional Restaurant $233,500 to $340,150
Satellite Restaurant $108,750 to $206,144
Pretzelmaker - Standard Co-Brand Restaurant $385,185 to $512,135

We are summarizing below the main costs associated with opening a Pretzelmaker - Standard Co-Brand Restaurant.

For more information on the various types of franchises and its costs, refer to the Franchise Disclosure Document (Item 7).

Pretzelmaker - Standard Co-Brand Restaurant

Type of Expenditure Amount
Franchise Fee $25,000
Grand Opening Marketing $3,000 - $5,000
Traveling and Living Expenses While Training $2,000 - $5,000
Opening Inventory $15,635 - $19,135
Architectural Fees $8,750 - $12,500
Furniture, fixtures, equipment, and decor $155,000 - $205,000
Signs $7,500 - $14,500
Prepaid rent and security deposit $2,500 - $5,000
Leasehold improvements $145,000 - $182,000
Utility deposits $2,200 - $3,000
Professional Fees $2,000 - $6,000
Point of Sale Systems (POS) and related technology $7,600 - $14,000
Business licenses, permits, etc. (for first 6 months) $1,500 - $2,500
Insurance (3 months) $2,500 - $3,500
Additional Funds (3 months) $5,000 - $10,000
TOTALS $385,185 - $512,135

Franchise Disclosure Document

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Competitors

Below are some of

Pretzelmaker

key competitors in the

Baked Goods

sector.

Started franchising
Franchisees

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Franchise fee

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Royalty fee

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Investment

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Revenue (AUV)

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Gross Profit

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EBITDA

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Home-based

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Passive investment

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FDD
Pretzelmaker
1992
144
+
-14%
-14%
$25,000
7.00%

$109,000

-

$386,000

n.a.

$453,000

Upgrade

78.2%

n.a.

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n.a.

n.a.

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No
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No
No
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No
2006
154
+
-7%
-7%
$30,000
n.a.

$37,000

-

$186,000

Upgrade

n.a.

$0

n.a.

n.a.

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n.a.

n.a.

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Upgrade
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1998
24
+
-14%
-14%
$25,000
6.00%

$122,000

-

$339,000

Upgrade

n.a.

$0

n.a.

n.a.

Upgrade

n.a.

n.a.

Upgrade
Upgrade
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2004
146
+
-3%
-3%
$35,000
6.00%

$135,000

-

$407,000

Upgrade

n.a.

$471,000

74.0%

n.a.

Upgrade

n.a.

n.a.

Upgrade
No
Upgrade
No
Yes
Upgrade
Yes
2023
0
+
n.a.
n.a.
$55,000
6.00%

$235,000

-

$712,000

Upgrade

n.a.

$579,000

76.0%

n.a.

Upgrade

n.a.

n.a.

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No
Upgrade
No
No
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No
2021
1
+
n.a.
n.a.
$40,000
6.00%

$660,000

-

$1,021,000

Upgrade

n.a.

$3,145,000

63.3%

n.a.

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n.a.

n.a.

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No
Upgrade
No
No
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No
2006
32
+
-18%
-18%
$40,000
5.00%

$1,090,000

-

$2,335,000

Upgrade

n.a.

$0

n.a.

n.a.

Upgrade

n.a.

n.a.

Upgrade
Upgrade
Upgrade

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Total investment

?

Revenue (AUV)

?

Revenue growth (last 3 years)

?

Profit margin

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Franchise Disclosure Documents
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Watchlist

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Priority support

?

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Training 

Pretzelmaker offers guidelines, counseling, and on-site evaluations to help you secure the ideal spot.

Pretzelmaker is dedicated to equipping its franchisees with the essential knowledge and skills. This includes thorough training on the system, brand standards, policies, and procedures, ensuring both the franchisee and the operations manager are well-prepared.

To keep franchisees and their teams up-to-date, Pretzelmaker periodically offers advanced training programs. Additionally, to guarantee a smooth launch, Pretzelmaker provides on-site assistance for at least two days during your store's opening.

Territory Protection

Franchisees will not be granted exclusive rights to the Development Area. Although they can operate within a designated Development Area, exclusivity is not guaranteed.

If the Development Area is specified as exclusive in Exhibit A, then, provided the franchisee operates the stores according to the agreed schedule and maintains the required minimum number of stores, the franchisor will refrain from operating or licensing anyone else to operate a store under the Marks and the System within that Development Area.

However, it is important to note that outside of these conditions, the franchisor and its affiliates reserve the right to conduct any business, meaning the franchisee's rights within the Development Area are not absolute.

Number of units

2023
Franchised units

168

152

144

Company-owned units

0

0

0

Total units

168

152

144

Competitors

Aunt Millies Bakeries

Franchisees

?

154
+
-7%
-7%
Investment

?

$37,000 - $186,000

The Pretzel Twister

Franchisees

?

24
+
-14%
-14%
Investment

?

$122,000 - $339,000

Philly Pretzel Factory

Franchisees

?

146
+
-3%
-3%
Investment

?

$135,000 - $407,000

Bang Cookies

Franchisees

?

0
+
n.a.
n.a.
Investment

?

$235,000 - $712,000

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Revenue (AUV)

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