Cold Stone Creamery FAQs

Answers to common questions about our Cold Stone Creamery franchise opportunity

How much does a Cold Stone Creamery franchise cost?

The total investment estimate for a Cold Stone Creamery^® franchise ranges from $57,200 to $627,775. Cold Stone Creamery is an affordable investment and more importantly, it has a business model that has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs realize their potential as a small business owner.

What are the net worth requirements?

To franchise with Cold Stone Creamery, a candidate needs a minimum of $250,000.

How much liquid capital do I need?

Cold Stone Creamery requires candidates to have minimum liquid capital of $125,000.

Does Cold Stone Creamery provide financing?

Cold Stone Creamery has relationships with third-party sources that offer financing to cover the following: 
franchise fee, startup costs, and equipment.

What is the royalty fee?

The ongoing royalty fee is 6% of gross sales.

How much is the advertising fee?

The ongoing advertising fee is 3% of gross sales.

What kind of experience do I need to open a Cold Stone Creamery franchise?

None! Cold Stone Creamery requires no previous experience in either the restaurant industry or the service industry, only the desire to follow our business model and the ability to be a passionate advocate for Cold Stone Creamery in your community.

What kind of training does Cold Stone Creamery provide?

Cold Stone Creamery has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs realize their dreams of small business ownership. Because Cold Stone Creamery doesn’t require prior experience in the restaurant industry, we make training, coaching and education an ongoing part of being in the Cold Stone Creamery family. New franchisees attend KTEC (Kahala Training and Education Center).  In addition, new franchisees spend two weeks in a store where we cover every aspect of their new business, including making the ice cream, preparing and serving Cold Stone Creamery products, managing inventory and supporting their business through savvy marketing. Cold Stone Creamery will host monthly check-ins to help you meet your goals, to offer assistance and to be there to help ensure you have all the tools needed to make your business a success.

I’ve never marketed a business before. Does Cold Stone Creamery provide assistance?

Cold Stone Creamery franchisees have access to in-house marketing and public relations teams, which significantly reduces expenses for franchisees. The teams help with national, regional and local marketing and public relations from the time of grand opening onward. We train our franchisees to manage social media accounts for their stores, including Facebook^®, Twitter^® and Instagram^®, to name a few.

I’ve never built a store before. Does Cold Stone Creamery provide assistance?

The Cold Stone Creamery team will guide you through all phases of site selection, lease negotiation, construction, training, grand opening and ongoing processes for marketing and operations.

How do I find premier locations for my new store?

Our Area Developers and real estate teams assist you in securing the best locations in each city. Once you become a franchisee, you can also work with the Cold Stone Creamery team to research and suggest outstanding Cold Stone Creamery sites.

What if there’s already a Cold Stone Creamery in my community?

Cold Stone Creamery has mapped out a range of site opportunities globally. If a store already exists in your area, there may be enough local demand to support more stores. Ask your Area Developer or Franchise Development Manager to discuss potential opportunities.

What steps do I need to complete to franchise with Cold Stone Creamery?

Below is an outline of the steps you will encounter when opening a Cold Stone Creamery.

• Complete our application
• Sign your franchise agreement
• Secure your location and build your store
• Train
• Open your store

Ready To Learn More About Owning A Cold Stone Creamery Franchise?

For more inforamtion on the Cold Stone Creamery franchise opportunity, please fill out our franchise information form and visit our research pages. We can’t wait to hear from you!