How much does a Mister Softee franchise cost?
Opening a Mister Softee franchise takes a total initial investment of $297,000 to $385,000, according to the brand's 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document. That FDD makes no Item 19 financial performance representation, so it discloses no earnings figures at all.
Mister Softee franchises a mobile business operated with a truck and equipment. Category: Food & Beverage.
Item 7
What it costs to open a Mister Softee franchise
The franchisor's own estimated initial investment, as disclosed in its 2026 FDD. The total is $297,000 to $385,000. Each line below carries the FDD page it was read from.
Where the money goes
The largest costs are Truck and Equipment ($235,000 to $285,000), Estimated Sales Tax for Truck Registration ($14,000 to $28,500), and Additional Funds (3 Months) ($15,000 to $20,000). Together they make up about 87% of the high-end estimate.
The initial franchise fee is $7,500, about 2.5% of the low-end total.
Our arithmetic from the Item 7 table below.
| Expenditure | Low | High | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 5 | $7,500 | $7,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 5 |
| Truck and Equipment2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 5 | $235,000 | $285,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 5 |
| Estimated Sales Tax for Truck Registration2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 5 | $14,000 | $28,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 5 |
| Shipping of Truck2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 5 | $4,000 | $10,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 5 |
| Parking2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 5 | $9,000 | $14,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 5 |
| Inventory2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 5 | $6,000 | $9,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 5 |
| Licenses and Professional Services2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 5 | $1,500 | $3,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 5 |
| Prepaid Insurance Premium2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 5 | $2,000 | $3,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 5 |
| Training Expenses2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 5 | $1,500 | $2,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 5 |
| Miscellaneous Items2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 5 | $1,500 | $2,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 5 |
| Additional Funds (3 Months)2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 5 | $15,000 | $20,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 5 |
| Total estimated initial investment2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 5 | $297,000 | $385,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 5 |
Source Mister Softee, 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 5, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Item 19
What Mister Softee franchisees actually report earning
This brand's FDD publishes no Item 19.
We do not make any representations about a franchisee’s future financial performance or the past financial performance of company-owned or franchised outlets. We also do not authorize our employees or representatives to make any such representations either orally or in writing. If you are purchasing an outlet, however, we may provide you with the actual records of that outlet. If you receive any other financial performance information or projections of your future income, you should report it to the franchisor’s management by contacting John P. Conway, Jr. at Mister Softee Franchise, L.L.C. 901 E. Clements Bridge Road, Runnemede, New Jersey 08078 and (856) 939-4103, the Federal Trade Commission and the appropriate state regulatory agencies.
Source Mister Softee, 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 21, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Item 20
How many Mister Softee outlets there are, and how many closed
Mister Softee ended 2025 with 617 franchised outlets and no company-owned outlets. In that year 18 franchised outlets opened and 2 left the system.
Three years at a glance
From 2023 through 2025, Mister Softee opened 53 franchised outlets and 27 outlets left the system. That is a net gain of 26, from 591 to 617 franchised outlets. Of the outlets that left, 19 were terminated, 6 were not renewed, and 2 closed for other reasons.
On average, about 1.5% of franchised outlets left the system each year, roughly 1 in 66.
Our arithmetic from the FDD's Item 20 table below. "Left the system" counts every outlet the franchisor reports as terminated, not renewed, bought back, or closed for other reasons.
| Year | Start | Opened | Terminated | Non-renewed | Reacquired | Ceased, other | End | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 601 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 617 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 23 |
| 2024 | 594 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 601 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 23 |
| 2023 | 591 | 23 | 14 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 594 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 23 |
Source Mister Softee, 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 22, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Compare
How Mister Softee compares with other Food & Beverage franchises
Measured against the 256 Food & Beverage franchises on this site, using each brand's own FDD.
- Cost to open. The middle of Mister Softee's estimated range is $341,000. It costs less to open than 80% of Food & Beverage franchises here.
- Outlets leaving each year. 1.5% for Mister Softee. That is lower than 87% of the 165 Food & Beverage franchises with at least 10 outlets.
- Three-year growth. Mister Softee's franchised system grew 4.4%. The typical Food & Beverage franchise here grew 5.0%.
- Earnings disclosure. 152 of the 256 Food & Beverage franchises here publish earnings figures in Item 19. Mister Softee is not one of them.
Our arithmetic from each brand's Item 7 and Item 20. Growth and departure comparisons leave out brands with fewer than 10 outlets, where one opening or closure distorts the figures. See every Food & Beverage franchise side by side.
Alert me when Mister Softee files a new FDD
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