Auntie Anne's
Soft pretzels
- 2023 Franchise 500 Rank
-
#199 Ranked #390 last year
- Initial investment
-
$146K - $524K
- Units as of 2022
-
1,930 1.4% over 3 years
Auntie Anne’s goal in life is to put a hot, golden pretzel in as many hands as possible. In 1988, Auntie Anne Beiler and Jonas Beiler started selling pretzels and lemonade at farmers’ markets in Pennsylvania. The next year, the pair began franchising the idea.
By 1992, the company opened its 100th location. In 2011, Auntie Anne’s partnered with Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation to raise money for childhood cancer research. Since then, Auntie Anne’s has added new items to the menu, a mobile app, and catering to the franchise.
There are over 1,000 franchises in the United States to go along with more than 700 international locations.
Why You May Want To Start an Auntie Anne’s Franchise
If you love pretzels and want to share them with others, you could become a franchisee. Any franchisee for Auntie Anne’s generally needs to have a passion for business and be willing to offer top-notch customer service and great hospitality.
Auntie Anne’s prefers franchisees with experience running a restaurant. At a minimum, the company would like franchisees that have business experience. Franchisees also may need people skills, to be connected to the community, and want to give back.
What Might Make an Auntie Anne’s Franchise a Good Choice?
Auntie Anne’s knows that innovation is key to staying ahead of the competition. One thing the company has done is offer multiple venue options. Franchisees can choose to open at an urban street site, a college or university, shopping mall, outlet center, airport, train station, travel plaza, entertainment center, food truck, pop-up store, or commissary location. Another major thing Auntie Anne’s has done is diversify the menu and offer catering. The different venues, menu options, and catering may provide franchisees with varying income streams.
To be part of the Auntie Anne’s team, you should make sure you’re financially ready for an initial investment made up of a franchise fee and other startup costs. In addition, you should be prepared for ongoing fees that will include advertising, royalty, and potential renewal fees. Franchisees will also need to meet the company’s set net worth and liquid capital requirements.
How To Open an Auntie Anne’s Franchise
As you decide if opening an Auntie Anne’s franchise is the right move for you, make sure you take time to explore the opportunity. Research the brand and your local area to see if an Auntie Anne’s franchise would do well in your community. While competition is healthy, too much of it may not allow for the most possible growth.
Before making any financial commitment or signing an agreement, you must perform your due diligence and establish if this is the right opportunity for you. As part of your due diligence, you may want to speak to existing franchisees and ask the Auntie Anne’s franchising team questions.
If granted a Auntie Anne’s location, franchisees may receive multiple weeks of training in a classroom setting. The training covers everything from the menu to operations standards and more. Franchisees are also given on-the-job training and may receive additional support from a business consultant. Franchisees will also receive help from the marketing team to implement promotions.
Company Overview
About Auntie Anne's
Business Overview
- Franchising Since
- 1989 (2023-1989 years)
- # of employees at HQ
- 73
- Where seeking
-
This company is offering new franchisees throughout the US.
This company is offering new franchisees in the following international regions: Asia, Middle East, Europe (Eastern), Europe (Western), Central America, Canada, South America, Mexico
- # of Units
- 1,930 (as of 2022)
Information for Franchisees
Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Auntie Anne's franchise.
Financial Requirements & Ongoing Fees
Here's what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.
- Initial Franchise Fee
- $10,500 - $35,500
- Initial Investment
- $146,050 - $523,500
- Net Worth Requirement
- $300,000 - $580,000
- Cash Requirement
- $120,000 - $260,000
- Veteran Incentives
- $10,500 off standard franchise fee ($35,500)
- Royalty Fee
- 7%
- Ad Royalty Fee
- 1-3%
- Term of Agreement
- 20 years
- Is franchise term renewable?
- Yes
Financing Options
Some franchisors offer in-house financing, while others have relationships with third-party financing sources to which they refer qualified franchisees.
- Third Party Financing
- Auntie Anne's has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: franchise fee, startup costs, equipment, inventory, accounts receivable, payroll
Training & Support Offered
Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.
- On-The-Job Training
- 24-64 hours
- Classroom Training
- 48 hours
- Ongoing Support
-
NewsletterMeetings & ConventionsToll-Free LineGrand OpeningOnline SupportSecurity & Safety ProceduresLease NegotiationField OperationsSite SelectionProprietary SoftwareFranchisee Intranet Platform
- Marketing Support
-
Ad TemplatesSocial MediaSEOWebsite DevelopmentEmail MarketingLoyalty Program/App
Operations
Additional details about running this franchise.
- Is absentee ownership allowed?
- No
- Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit?
- Yes
- Can this franchise be run part time?
- No
- # of employees required to run
- 9-12
- Are exclusive territories available?
- Yes
Interested in ownership opportunities like Auntie Anne's? Request a free consultation with a Franchise Advisor now.
Franchise 500 Ranking History
Compare where Auntie Anne's landed on this year's Franchise 500 Ranking versus previous years.
Additional Rankings
Curious to know where Auntie Anne's ranked on other franchise lists? Find out below.
Ranked #1 in Pretzels in 2022
These are the companies that not only ranked in this year’s highly competitive Franchise 500, but ranked #1 in their respective industry categories.
Ranked #199 in 2023
Entrepreneur’s 44th annual Franchise 500® ranking shines a light on the unique challenges and changes that have shaped the franchise industry over the last year—and how franchisors have adapted and evolved to meet them.
Ranked #125 in 2023
Meet the companies that are leveraging their ability to scale fast across the U.S. and Canada in Entrepreneur's annual fastest-growing franchises ranking.
Ranked #44 in 2023
Check out the top franchises that offer you the freedom of working from home or on-the-go.
Ranked #49 in 2023
If you're interested in an opportunity with international appeal, start your search with our ranking of the top franchises seeking to expand outside the U.S.
Ranked #1 in Pretzels in 2022
Our annual list of the top restaurant and other food franchises, divided up by category, is the perfect place to start if you’re craving a food-based business opportunity.
Ranked #37 in 2023
Buying a franchise on a budget? No problem. Here are the top franchises that can be started for less than $150,000. For more low-cost opportunities, see our lists of franchises that can be started for less than $50,000 and less than $100,000.
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