Pretzelmaker and Auntie Anne’s are two of the top hand-rolled pretzel-making franchises around today. Jeffrey Trip opened the first Pretzelmaker back in 1991, and just one year later he had turned his original idea into a thriving franchise.

Pretzelmaker eventually started rapidly expanding, especially so in the West. The menu also became more eclectic, and Pretzelmaker started offering tasty pretzel treats like its parmesan pretzels and cinnamon sugar pretzels. By aligning itself with the growing, multi-billion dollar quick-service restaurant franchise model and delivering on its promise of making the world’s best soft pretzel, Pretzelmaker quickly made a name for itself.

Over the last decade, Pretzelmaker has cracked the Franchise 500’s top 500 franchises and become an integral member of the Global Franchise Group. Today Pretzelmaker has over 250 locations globally.

Auntie Anne’s has followed a similar trajectory in that the company was started back in 1988 and, like Pretzelmaker, took to franchising the very next year. The franchise started in Pennsylvania and has since changed ownership multiple times but is based in Lancaster, PA. Auntie Anne’s has over 1,900 stores globally. Auntie Anne’s is ranked #400 in the Franchise 500.

Comparing Pretzel Franchise Opportunities

Auntie Anne’s Franchise Cost

Since it commands over 1,900 locations in multiple countries and brings a proven model to bear for its investors, Auntie Anne’s is in a unique selling position.

The franchise does offer flexible options to its investors—e.g., site locations ranging from inline and kiosk setups to food trucks and satellite locations— Auntie Anne’s requires investors to have to have $120,000 in liquidity and $400,000 in net worth.

The total investment has a high end of just over $380,000, and the franchise’s Ongoing Royalty Fee is 7% and 1% for an Ad Royalty Fee. Auntie Anne’s offers a reasonable franchise fee of $30,000. Auntie Anne’s offers a discount to veterans with $10,000 off their franchise fee.

Pretzelmaker Franchise Cost

Pretzelmaker, however, has a franchise fee that’s lower than Auntie Anne’s franchise fee of $30,000. You could pay as little as $15,000 for a franchise fee. The Pretzelmaker franchise also has a lower liquidity minimum for investors just starting out or current franchise owners looking into becoming multi-unit owners. Multi-unit ownership offers benefits, namely greater efficiency when it comes to training, hiring, and marketing your Pretzelmaker franchise location(s).

Continuing as an innovator in the pretzel franchise industry, Pretzelmaker introduced a new concept called “Fresh Twist by Pretzelmaker“. With three day-part menu offerings, Fresh Twist by Pretzelmaker was designed with non-traditional locations in-mind. We opened our first Fresh Twist by Pretzelmaker in January 2020.

Whether you eventually expand into new territories as a multi-unit operator or remain a single-unit owner, you have options.

Pretzelmaker has a minimum liquidity requirement of $100,000 and $250,000 in net worth requirements. Pretzelmaker charges a 7% Ongoing Royalty Fee and a slightly higher Ad Royalty Fee of 1.5%. The overall investment on the high-end is $340,000. Pretzelmaker also offers a discount to veterans with 25% off the first-store franchise fee.

Visit our website to learn more about pretzel franchise opportunities.