Gordo’s Bubble Waffles franchise
A Gordo’s Bubble Waffles franchisee operates a dessert shop serving bubble waffles, mini pancakes, ice cream and coffee. At the end of 2025 there were 2 Gordo’s Bubble Waffles locations in the US, all company-owned.
- Cost to open
- $189K–$454K
- Franchise fee
- $35,000
- Royalty
- 6%
- Locations, 2025
- 20 in 3 yrs
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Company snapshot
- SBA loans
- Not on the SBA Franchise Directory
From Gordo's Bubble Waffles Franchise LLC’s 2026 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
How much a Gordo’s Bubble Waffles franchise costs
Opening one shop costs an estimated $189,400 to $454,000. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
Source: Gordo's Bubble Waffles Franchise LLC, 2026 filing, page 17
Gordo’s Bubble Waffles franchise fee
The franchise fee is $35,000. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: Gordo's Bubble Waffles Franchise LLC, 2026 filing, page 10
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | 6% of gross sales, paid weekly. |
|---|
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: Gordo's Bubble Waffles Franchise LLC, 2026 filing, page 11
Sales and earnings
Shares figures Gordo’s Bubble Waffles publishes sales or earnings figures for its locations: historical performance of two affiliate-owned Milwaukee locations. The full tables, with notes on which locations are counted, are in its filing.
Source: Gordo's Bubble Waffles Franchise LLC, 2026 filing, page 42
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 0 (0) | 1 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 (0) | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 (0) | 2 | 0 |
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: Gordo's Bubble Waffles Franchise LLC, 2026 filing, page 46
How Gordo’s Bubble Waffles compares
Of the 18 ice cream franchises on this site, Gordo’s Bubble Waffles is the 3rd cheapest to open and the 17th largest by number of locations.
| Measure | Gordo’s Bubble Waffles | Typical ice cream |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $189K | $350K |
| Royalty | 6% | 6% |
| Shares earnings figures | Yes | 15 of 18 |
Typical is the median across the 18 brands in ice cream franchises.
