Auntie Anne’s franchise
An Auntie Anne’s franchisee operates a shop selling soft pretzels, lemonade and related foods and drinks. At the end of 2025 there were 1,247 Auntie Anne’s locations in the US, 1,236 franchised and 11 company-owned.
- Cost to open
- $158K–$836K
- Franchise fee
- $35,500
- Royalty
- 7%–8%
- Locations, 2025
- 1,247+101 in 3 yrs
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Company snapshot
- SBA loans
- On the SBA Franchise Directory
From AUNTIE ANNE'S FRANCHISOR SPV LLC’s 2026 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
How much a Auntie Anne’s franchise costs
Opening one Full Shop costs an estimated $157,795 to $835,500. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
Source: AUNTIE ANNE'S FRANCHISOR SPV LLC, 2026 filing, page 45
Auntie Anne’s franchise fee
The franchise fee is $35,500. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: AUNTIE ANNE'S FRANCHISOR SPV LLC, 2026 filing, page 28
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | Currently 7% of net sales, paid weekly, with the right to increase it to 8%. Co-branded shops have separate allocations and rates. |
|---|
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: AUNTIE ANNE'S FRANCHISOR SPV LLC, 2026 filing, page 30
Sales and earnings
Shares figures Auntie Anne’s publishes sales or earnings figures for its locations: 2025 results for qualifying mall, outlet, airport and selected co-branded shops. The full tables, with notes on which locations are counted, are in its filing.
Source: AUNTIE ANNE'S FRANCHISOR SPV LLC, 2026 filing, page 91
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1,156 (+21) | 11 | 37 |
| 2024 | 1,182 (+26) | 11 | 49 |
| 2025 | 1,236 (+54) | 11 | 38 |
Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating.
See which brands grew most in the fastest-growing franchises rankings.
Auntie Anne’s passes four of the five tests on our list of the best franchises to own; more of its franchised locations closed or left than is typical.
Source: AUNTIE ANNE'S FRANCHISOR SPV LLC, 2026 filing, page 95
How Auntie Anne’s compares
Of the 17 bakery franchises on this site, Auntie Anne’s is the cheapest to open and the 4th largest by number of locations.
| Measure | Auntie Anne’s | Typical bakery |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $158K | $428K |
| Closed or left per year | 3.6% | 3.5% |
| Change in franchised locations, 3 yrs | +8.9% | +8.9% |
| Shares earnings figures | Yes | 14 of 17 |
Typical is the median across the 17 brands in bakery franchises.
