Pretzel bakery franchise offering freshly baked pretzels, pretzel dogs, and other pretzel-based snacks, providing a tasty and satisfying treat.
KEY FRANCHISE STATS
Franchisees
?
389
+
21%
21%
Franchise fee
?
$40,000
Investment
?
$62,000 - $712,000
Revenue (AUV)
?
Undisclosed
$727,000
+
-5.3%
-5.3%
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Established in 1994 and launched as a franchise in 1996, Wetzel's Pretzels offers a business model that caters to the demand for on-the-go snacks, featuring flexible location formats and straightforward operations.
Headquartered in Pasadena, California, the franchise is renowned for its hand-rolled pretzels and lemonade, combined with a versatile franchise model that suits various settings. Wetzel's Pretzels provides an attractive franchise opportunity for entrepreneurs looking to enter the fast-casual snack food sector.
The franchise prides itself on being fun and simple to manage, requiring fewer employees and offering convenient operational hours. Its market availability, prominent presence in high-profile venues, and experienced leadership team further enhance its appeal for franchisees.
Initial investment
The initial investment required for a Wetzel's Pretzels franchise is
$62,000 - $712,000.
That is the total cost you would need to finance if you were to start this franchise.
These costs are provided by the franchisor in the Franchise Disclosure Document.
Wetzel's Pretzels offers 3 types of franchises:
Franchise Model
Initial Investment Range
WETZEL’S PRETZELS® Bakery
$183,000 to $710,450
Remote Mobile Unit
$62,000 to $144,500
WETZEL’S PRETZELS® Concession Truck or Trailer
$172,125 to $317,900
We are summarizing below the main costs associated with opening a single WETZEL’S PRETZELS® Bakery franchise.
For more information on the various types of franchises and its costs, refer to the Franchise Disclosure Document (Item 7).
Single WETZEL’S PRETZELS® Bakery
Type of Expenditure
Amount
Initial Franchise Fee
$20,000 – $40,000
Lease Review Fee
$3,500 – $7,000
Business Premises
$5,000 – $25,000
Leasehold Improvements
$50,000 – $400,000
Food Preparation Equipment
$53,000 – $95,000
Utility Deposits, Licenses, Permits
$1,000 – $15,000
Insurance
$500 – $2,500
Signs & Menu Boards
$5,000 – $17,000
Digital Display Boards
$5,000 – $7,500
POS System
$500 – $1,000
Initial Inventory & Smallwares
$5,500 – $12,000
Training Fee for Additional Trainee
$0 – $750
Training Expenses
$1,000 – $4,000
Grand Opening Advertising
$500 – $2,500
Office Equipment & Supplies
$500 – $2,500
Professional Fees
$1,000 – $3,200
Architect, Engineers & Construction Manager
$6,000 – $22,000
Additional Funds (First 90 Days)
$25,000 – $55,500
Total Estimated Initial Investment
$183,000 – $712,450
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Wetzel's Pretzels offers 3 types of franchises:
Franchise Model
Initial Investment Range
WETZEL’S PRETZELS® Bakery
$183,000 to $710,450
Remote Mobile Unit
$62,000 to $144,500
WETZEL’S PRETZELS® Concession Truck or Trailer
$172,125 to $317,900
We are summarizing below the main costs associated with opening a single WETZEL’S PRETZELS® Bakery franchise.
For more information on the various types of franchises and its costs, refer to the Franchise Disclosure Document (Item 7).
Single WETZEL’S PRETZELS® Bakery
Type of Expenditure
Amount
Initial Franchise Fee
$20,000 – $40,000
Lease Review Fee
$3,500 – $7,000
Business Premises
$5,000 – $25,000
Leasehold Improvements
$50,000 – $400,000
Food Preparation Equipment
$53,000 – $95,000
Utility Deposits, Licenses, Permits
$1,000 – $15,000
Insurance
$500 – $2,500
Signs & Menu Boards
$5,000 – $17,000
Digital Display Boards
$5,000 – $7,500
POS System
$500 – $1,000
Initial Inventory & Smallwares
$5,500 – $12,000
Training Fee for Additional Trainee
$0 – $750
Training Expenses
$1,000 – $4,000
Grand Opening Advertising
$500 – $2,500
Office Equipment & Supplies
$500 – $2,500
Professional Fees
$1,000 – $3,200
Architect, Engineers & Construction Manager
$6,000 – $22,000
Additional Funds (First 90 Days)
$25,000 – $55,500
Total Estimated Initial Investment
$183,000 – $712,450
Franchise Disclosure Document
Below is Wetzel's Pretzels's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document. Upgrade to Pro or purchase the FDD to view and download the document.
Number of units
Wetzel's Pretzels had 425 total units in 2025, of which 389 were franchised-owned and 36 company-owned.
Wetzel's Pretzels provides a comprehensive training program for new franchisees. The training is structured in two main parts:
Corporate Headquarters Training: This is a one-week program held at Wetzel's Pretzels' corporate headquarters. Known as the LEAD training program, it covers essential aspects of the business, including operations, customer service, and product preparation. The program aims to equip franchisees with the knowledge and skills needed to run their store effectively.
In-Store Training: Following the corporate training, franchisees spend an additional week in an existing Wetzel's Pretzels store. This hands-on experience allows them to apply what they've learned in a real-world setting, focusing on practical skills and daily operations.
Territory Protection
Wetzel's Pretzels provides franchisees with a "Protected Area," which is defined based on the location's urban, suburban, light suburban, or rural/second city characteristics. The size of this area varies, typically ranging from one mile in urban areas to up to five miles in rural or second city locations, depending on the population density within a three-mile radius.
This Protected Area is intended to prevent the franchisor from authorizing any other company-owned or franchisee-operated TWISTED BY WETZEL'S™ Bakery within its bounds. However, it does not grant exclusivity over customers, meaning franchisees do not have exclusive rights to customers within or outside their Protected Area.
Although franchisees are granted a Protected Area, the franchisor reserves the right to adjust the delivery service provisions, including the delivery area size, based on market conditions and other factors. This ensures flexibility and responsiveness to changing market dynamics.
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