Dippin’ Dots franchise
A frozen dessert business selling beaded ice cream and related products. At the end of 2025 there were 259 Dippin’ Dots locations in the US, all franchised.
- Cost to open
- $139K–$399K
- Franchise fee
- $35,000
- Royalty
- Per-product fees; ancillary royalty extra
- Locations, 2025
- 259+20 in 1 yrs
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Company snapshot
- SBA loans
- Not on the SBA Franchise Directory
From DIPPIN DOTS FRANCHISING LLC’s 2026 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
How much a Dippin’ Dots franchise costs
Opening Territory franchise costs an estimated $138,949 to $398,650. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
Source: DIPPIN DOTS FRANCHISING LLC, 2026 filing, page 18
Dippin’ Dots franchise fee
The franchise fee is $35,000. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: DIPPIN DOTS FRANCHISING LLC, 2026 filing, page 10
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | Per-unit charges on branded ice cream products, including $2.16 per bulk bag, plus up to 6% on ancillary products; charges may change under the agreement. |
|---|
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: DIPPIN DOTS FRANCHISING LLC, 2026 filing, page 11
Sales and earnings
No figures Dippin’ Dots does not share sales or profit figures for its locations. Talking to current and former franchise owners is the usual way to learn what a location earns.
Source: DIPPIN DOTS FRANCHISING LLC, 2026 filing, page 43
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 248 (+9) | 0 | – |
| 2024 | 261 (+13) | 0 | – |
| 2025 | 259 (−2) | 0 | 16 |
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.
Source: DIPPIN DOTS FRANCHISING LLC, 2026 filing, page 44
How Dippin’ Dots compares
Of the 24 ice cream franchises on this site, Dippin’ Dots is the 3rd cheapest to open and the 9th largest by number of locations.
| Measure | Dippin’ Dots | Typical ice cream |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $139K | $321K |
| Closed or left per year | 6.1% | 3.1% |
| Change in franchised locations, 1 yrs | +8.4% | +12.7% |
| Shares earnings figures | No | 20 of 24 |
Typical is the median across the 24 brands in ice cream franchises.
