How much does a The Original Rainbow Cone franchise cost?
Opening a The Original Rainbow Cone franchise takes a total initial investment of $3,205,979 to $4,969,378, according to the brand's 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document. That FDD's Item 19 publishes no median; it reports figures for actual gross sales - franchise unit #1, express: $256,792.
The Original Rainbow Cone franchises businesses that serve ice cream to the general public, with a menu featuring ice cream cones, ice cream cakes, sundaes and shakes, packaged ice cream, mini-donuts and related products. Category: Food & Beverage.
Item 7
What it costs to open a The Original Rainbow Cone franchise
The franchisor's own estimated initial investment, as disclosed in its 2026 FDD. The total is $3,205,979 to $4,969,378. Each line below carries the FDD page it was read from.
Where the money goes
The largest costs are Construction of Building ($1,778,965 to $2,405,835), Land Acquisition ($500,000 to $1,200,000), and Site Work ($474,861 to $712,292). Together they make up about 87% of the high-end estimate.
The initial franchise fee is $40,000, about 1.2% of the low-end total.
Our arithmetic from the Item 7 table below.
| Expenditure | Low | High | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 | $40,000 | $40,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 |
| Land Acquisition2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 | $500,000 | $1,200,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 |
| Site Work2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 | $474,861 | $712,292 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 |
| Construction of Building2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 | $1,778,965 | $2,405,835 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 |
| Travel and Living Costs While Training2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 | $62,268 | $87,068 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 |
| Initial Inventory and supplies2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 | $25,000 | $40,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 |
| Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment (excluding Sign Package and POS)2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 | $196,001 | $247,580 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 |
| Sign Package2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 | $52,000 | $71,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 |
| POS System2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 | $5,200 | $9,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 |
| Miscellaneous expenses2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 | $9,000 | $37,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 16 |
| Grand Opening Advertising and Marketing2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 17 | $15,000 | $25,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 17 |
| On-Site Training Fee2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 17 | $12,684 | $18,603 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 17 |
| Additional Funds – 3 Months2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 17 | $35,000 | $75,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 17 |
| Total estimated initial investment2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 16-17 | $3,205,979 | $4,969,378 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 16-17 |
Source The Original Rainbow Cone, 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 16-17, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-10-12.
Item 19
What The Original Rainbow Cone franchisees actually report earning
The Original Rainbow Cone's 2026 FDD publishes no median in its Item 19. What it publishes instead is set out below, in the document's own terms. We do not calculate a median the document does not state.
The above data reflects the operation of specific affiliate-owned or franchised units of differing types as described above, and should not be considered as the actual or probable results that will be realized by any given franchise.
What the FDD does publish
| Measure | Average | Low | High | Outlets | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Actual Gross Sales - Franchise Unit #1, ExpressThe FDD prints Actual Gross Sales of $256,792 for Franchise Unit #1. | – | $256,792 | $256,792 | 1 | 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 69 |
| Actual Gross Sales - Franchise Unit #2, In-Line | – | $254,308 | $254,308 | 1 | 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 70 |
| Actual Gross Sales - Franchise Unit #4, In-Line | – | $492,390 | $492,390 | 1 | 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 70 |
| Actual Gross Sales - Franchise Unit #5, In-Line | – | $287,496 | $287,496 | 1 | 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 70 |
| Actual Gross Sales - Affiliate-Owned Free Standing Unit #1 | – | $1,038,760 | $1,038,760 | 1 | 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 64 |
| Actual Gross Sales - Affiliate-Owned Free Standing Unit #2 | – | $944,679 | $944,679 | 1 | 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 65 |
| Actual Gross Sales - Affiliate-Owned Free Standing Unit #3 | – | $1,295,415 | $1,295,415 | 1 | 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 66 |
| Actual Gross Sales - Affiliate-Owned Stand Alone Seasonal Express Unit #1 | – | $444,568 | $444,568 | 1 | 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 67 |
| Actual Gross Sales - Affiliate-Owned Express Units #2 through #12 inside a Buona Beef RestaurantThe FDD prints individual Actual Gross Sales figures for Express Units #2 through #12. | – | $129,994 | $392,465 | 11 | 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 68 |
| Actual Gross Sales - Seasonal Outdoor Express Kiosk Unit #13 | – | $83,315 | $83,315 | 1 | 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 68 |
| Actual Gross Sales - Seasonal Food Trucks Units #1 through #3The FDD prints individual Actual Gross Sales figures for Food Trucks #1 through #3. | – | $226,614 | $376,200 | 3 | 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 69 |
A dash means the FDD does not print that figure. The Original Rainbow Cone's Item 19 covers the March 24, 2025 through March 24, 2026. Basis: Specific affiliate-owned or franchised units of differing types described in the statement of historical results. Sample size: 1 outlet.
What the franchisor excluded from these figures
- Other existing The Original Rainbow Cone Food Trucks operated by our affiliate were excluded as they were only used for our affiliate’s catering operations, which is outside the franchise offerings provided in this Franchise Disclosure Document.
- One franchised The Original Rainbow Cone Express unit in operation as of March 24, 2026 was excluded because it had not been in operation for a full 13 periods as of March 24, 2026.
- One franchised In-line unit was not included because it had not been in operation for a full 13 periods as of March 24, 2026.
- No data is being presented for a Franchised Food Truck since there were none in operation as of March 24, 2026.
- Other food trucks owned by our Affiliate were not included since they were only used for catering operations during the period March 24, 2025 through March 24, 2026.
This is a disclosure of what some existing outlets reported, not a projection of what a new The Original Rainbow Cone outlet would earn. Your results will differ.
Source The Original Rainbow Cone, 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 69-70, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-10-12.
Item 20
How many The Original Rainbow Cone outlets there are, and how many closed
The Original Rainbow Cone ended 2025 with 6 franchised outlets and 21 company-owned outlets. In that year 3 franchised outlets opened and 3 left the system.
Three years at a glance
From 2023 through 2025, The Original Rainbow Cone opened 9 franchised outlets and 3 outlets left the system. That is a net gain of 6, from 0 to 6 franchised outlets. Of the outlets that left, 3 were terminated.
With fewer than 10 outlets, one closure moves the numbers a lot, so we do not calculate a yearly rate.
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 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 73 |
| 2024 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 73 |
| 2023 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 73 |
Source The Original Rainbow Cone, 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 73, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-10-12.
Compare
How The Original Rainbow Cone 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 The Original Rainbow Cone's estimated range is $4,087,679. It costs more to open than 98% of Food & Beverage franchises here.
- Earnings disclosure. 152 of the 256 Food & Beverage franchises here publish earnings figures in Item 19. The Original Rainbow Cone 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 The Original Rainbow Cone files a new FDD
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