How much does a TCBY and Mrs. Fields franchise cost?
Opening a TCBY and Mrs. Fields franchise takes a total initial investment of $487,630 to $699,467, according to the brand's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document. The FDD's Item 19 reports median gross revenue of $397,160 across 75 outlets.
The Company develops and franchises retail stores that sell core products, including frozen yogurt through specialty branded concept TCBY. Category: Food & Beverage.
Item 7
What it costs to open a TCBY and Mrs. Fields franchise
The franchisor's own estimated initial investment, as disclosed in its 2025 FDD. The total is $487,630 to $699,467. Each line below carries the FDD page it was read from.
Where the money goes
The largest costs are Improvements ($180,130 to $322,300), Equipment ($238,000 to $278,617), and Additional funds (3 months) ($8,000 to $12,000). Together they make up about 88% of the high-end estimate.
The initial franchise fee is $35,000, about 7.2% of the low-end total.
Our arithmetic from the Item 7 table below.
| Expenditure | Low | High | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $35,000 | $35,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| Travel and living expenses while training2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $2,000 | $3,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| Equipment2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $238,000 | $278,617 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| Improvements2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $180,130 | $322,300 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| Opening Product and Soft Goods Inventory2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $1,500 | $10,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| Grand opening promotion, if opening a new store2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $10,000 | $10,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| Local Store Marketing2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $2,000 | $2,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| Deposits and other prepaid expenses2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $4,000 | $5,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| Professional fees2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $3,000 | $10,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| Insurance (3 months)2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $2,500 | $3,500 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| Computer hardware and software2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $1,500 | $8,050 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| Additional funds (3 months)2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $8,000 | $12,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
| Total estimated initial investment2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 | $487,630 | $699,467 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 9 |
Source TCBY and Mrs. Fields, 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 9, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-15.
Item 19
What TCBY and Mrs. Fields franchisees actually report earning
Median Gross Revenue
$397,160
TCBY and Mrs. Fields' 2025 FDD, Item 19, for the Calendar Year 2024. Basis: 75 traditional Stores in which TCBY is the dominant brand (with over 55% of sales for such Stores derived from TCBY).
Sample size: 75 outlets. The FDD also reports average gross revenue of $429,373. We lead with the median because an average is pulled upward by the strongest outlets; the median is the middle outlet.
What the franchisor excluded from this figure
- We excluded 1 Store which opened during Calendar Year 2024 (and was not open and operational for 12 months as of the end of Calendar Year 2023).
- We excluded 49 non-traditional Stores (those that, for example, are only open part time, that operate seasonally, that are located in non-traditional locations such as gas stations or are operated as an add-on to another primary brand).
This is a disclosure of what some existing outlets reported, not a projection of what a new TCBY and Mrs. Fields outlet would earn. Your results will differ.
Source TCBY and Mrs. Fields, 2025 FDD, Item 19, p. 32-33, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-15.
Item 20
How many TCBY and Mrs. Fields outlets there are, and how many closed
TCBY and Mrs. Fields ended 2024 with 125 franchised outlets and no company-owned outlets. In that year 3 franchised outlets opened and 23 left the system.
| Year | Start | Opened | Terminated | Non-renewed | Reacquired | Ceased, other | End | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 145 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 125 | 2025 FDD, Item 20, p. 38 |
| 2023 | 168 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 151 | 2025 FDD, Item 20, p. 38 |
| 2022 | 172 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 168 | 2025 FDD, Item 20, p. 38 |
Source TCBY and Mrs. Fields, 2025 FDD, Item 20, p. 38-39, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-15.
Compare
How TCBY and Mrs. Fields 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 TCBY and Mrs. Fields' estimated range is $593,549. It costs more to open than 52% of Food & Beverage franchises here.
- Earnings disclosure. 152 of the 256 Food & Beverage franchises here publish earnings figures in Item 19. TCBY and Mrs. Fields is 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 TCBY and Mrs. Fields files a new FDD
Franchisors reissue their FDD at least once a year, and the Item 7 and Item 19 figures move. Leave an email and we will send you TCBY and Mrs. Fields' updated numbers when the next document is published, plus the brand-comparison worksheet.
You get a confirmation email right away, then one email per new filing for the brands you ask about, and nothing else. No sharing, no selling, unsubscribe any time.