Meadows Original Frozen Custard franchise
2026 filing · September 1, 2026
Meadows Original Frozen Custard at a glance
A frozen custard stand serving frozen custard and frozen yogurt. At the end of 2025 there were 27 Meadows Original Frozen Custard locations in the US, all franchised.
The business
- Franchisor
- The Meadows Franchise Systems, Inc
- The company that sells the franchises
- Franchisor based in
- Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania
- Typical size
- About 1,500 sq ft
What you pay
- Cost to open
- $134K–$512K
- Excluding lease or land costs
- Franchise fee
- $25,000
- Paid once, when you sign
- Royalty
- None
- No royalty on sales at present; the franchisor earns income on the formula mixes you must buy from its designated suppliers. Local advertising of 2% of gross sales, plus a 1% national advertising fee if a program is started
- Brand fund
- Yes
- 1% of gross sales, if a program is set up
- Renewal fee
- $5,000
- When the agreement ends and you sign again
- Territory
- Protected
- Protected territory
- Franchisor financing
- None offered
Where it is
- US locations, 2025
- 27
- Franchised and company-owned
- Franchised
- 27
- Company-owned
- 0
- States
- 7
- Most in Pennsylvania, Virginia and Maryland
From The Meadows Franchise Systems, Inc’s 2026 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
Where it ranks
Meadows Original Frozen Custard among all franchises with the same figure.
| Figure | Meadows Original Frozen Custard | Among all franchises |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, midpointHalfway between the low and high estimate | $323,000 | Costs less than 54% of franchises |
| Franchise feePaid once, when you sign | $25,000 | Lower than 82% of franchises |
| US locationsFranchised and company-owned | 27 | More than 54% of franchises |
How much a Meadows Original Frozen Custard franchise costs
Opening excluding lease or land costs costs an estimated $134,000 to $512,000. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
The biggest costs are leasehold improvements, furnishings, equipment and signs [see note (2)] ($79,000 to $390,000) and miscellaneous opening costs [see note (4)] ($14,000 to $62,000). Here is every line of the estimate as filed:
| What it pays for | Range | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $25,000 | ||
| Leasehold Improvements, Furnishings, Equipment and Signs [See Note (2)] | $79,000 | $390,000 | |
| Initial Inventory [See Note (3)] | $10,000 | $15,000 | |
| Opening Advertising and Promotions | $1,000 | $5,000 | |
| Training Expenses | $1,000 | $5,000 | |
| Miscellaneous Opening Costs [See Note (4)] | $14,000 | $62,000 | |
| Additional Funds - Three months [See Note (5)] | $4,000 | $10,000 | |
| Total | $134,000 | $512,000 | |
Source: The Meadows Franchise Systems, Inc, 2026 filing, page 11
Meadows Original Frozen Custard franchise fee
The franchise fee is $25,000. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: The Meadows Franchise Systems, Inc, 2026 filing, page 8
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | No royalty on sales at present; the franchisor earns income on the formula mixes you must buy from its designated suppliers. Local advertising of 2% of gross sales, plus a 1% national advertising fee if a program is started. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | 1% of gross sales, if a program is set up. |
| Transfer of Franchise | $5,000 |
| Renewal Fee | $5,000 |
| Additional Training | $50 per day |
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: The Meadows Franchise Systems, Inc, 2026 filing, page 8
Other fees as filed, from page 9. The filing lists every fee, including late fees and audit costs.
Sales and earnings
No figures Meadows Original Frozen Custard 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: The Meadows Franchise Systems, Inc, 2026 filing, page 28
- Estimate Estimated yearly sales per location
- $360K–$630K
Estimated from the sales that 292 comparable franchises file, matched on industry, format, cost to open, fees and size.
SBA loans to Meadows Original Frozen Custard franchisees
Lenders approved 10 SBA 7(a) loans for Meadows Original Frozen Custard franchisees from 2006 to 2026, $3.24M in all. All 8 that have ended were paid in full; none was charged off. The other 2 haven’t ended yet.
A charged-off loan is one written off as uncollectible. See SBA franchise loans for how 7(a) and 504 loans work.
Source: SBA 7(a) and 504 loan data, as of September 30, 2026
How Meadows Original Frozen Custard compares
Of the 13 frozen yogurt franchises on this site, Meadows Original Frozen Custard is the cheapest to open and the 9th largest by number of locations.
| Figure | Meadows Original Frozen Custard | Typical frozen yogurt brand | Typical franchise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $134K | $292K | $222K |
| Cost to open, high end | $512K | $684K | $477K |
| Franchise fee | $25K | $30K | $40K |
| US locations | 27 | 61 | 21 |
| Change in franchised locations, 0 yrs | +12.5% | −8.1% | – |
| Shares earnings figures | No | 9 of 13 | 2,147 of 3,352 |
Typical is the median across the 13 brands in frozen yogurt franchises; typical franchise, across every brand here.
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 26 (+2) | 0 |
| 2024 | 29 (+3) | 0 |
| 2025 | 27 (−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.
More in the guides: ice cream franchise costs and franchise failure rates.
Source: The Meadows Franchise Systems, Inc, 2026 filing, page 28
Where Meadows Original Frozen Custard locations are
At the end of 2025, Meadows Original Frozen Custard had franchised locations in 7 states. The most are in Pennsylvania, Virginia and Maryland.
- Pennsylvania17
- Virginia3
- Maryland2
- Georgia1
- Massachusetts1
- North Carolina1
| State | Franchised |
|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 17 |
| Virginia | 3 |
| Maryland | 2 |
| Georgia | 1 |
| Massachusetts | 1 |
| North Carolina | 1 |
| Texas | 1 |
Source: The Meadows Franchise Systems, Inc, 2026 filing, page 29
Who owns Meadows Original Frozen Custard?
Meadows Original Frozen Custard franchises are sold by The Meadows Franchise Systems, Inc.
From The Meadows Franchise Systems, Inc’s 2026 filing.
Lawsuits and bankruptcy
| Lawsuits and regulatory actions | None. The filing says no litigation has to be disclosed. |
|---|---|
| Bankruptcy | None. The filing says no bankruptcy has to be disclosed. |
Franchisors must disclose lawsuits and bankruptcies involving the company, its parents and affiliates, and its executives. Many cases are routine disputes with franchisees over fees or contracts; read the descriptions in the filing and ask current owners about anything that worries you.
Source: The Meadows Franchise Systems, Inc, 2026 filing, litigation on page 8, bankruptcy on page 8
Meadows Original Frozen Custard filings
The figures on this page come from The Meadows Franchise Systems, Inc’s 2026 filing, issued September 1, 2026, on record with the NASAA Electronic Filing Depository.
| Filing | Issued | Registry | On this page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 filing | September 1, 2026 | NASAA depository | Costs, fees and locations, 2023–2025 |
Each link opens the filing as a PDF. See the newest filings across all brands.
Other frozen yogurt franchises
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Meadows Original Frozen Custard is also on these lists: ice cream franchises, food franchises.