How much does a Tipsy Scoop franchise cost?
Opening a Tipsy Scoop franchise takes a total initial investment of $223,680 to $347,791, according to the brand's 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document. That FDD's Item 19 publishes no median; it reports figures for operational franchise outlet gross sales: a range of $156,446 to $353,273.
Tipsy Scoop franchises Tipsy Scoop Shops. Category: Food & Beverage.
Item 7
What it costs to open a Tipsy Scoop franchise
The franchisor's own estimated initial investment, as disclosed in its 2026 FDD. The total is $223,680 to $347,791. Each line below carries the FDD page it was read from.
Where the money goes
The largest costs are Construction and Leasehold Improvements ($30,100 to $55,428), Equipment ($29,530 to $52,530), and Initial Inventory ($21,564 to $39,564). Together they make up about 42% of the high-end estimate.
The initial franchise fee is $45,000, about 20% of the low-end total.
Our arithmetic from the Item 7 table below.
| Expenditure | Low | High | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $45,000 | $45,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Construction and Leasehold Improvements2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $30,100 | $55,428 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Lease Deposits and Rent – Three Months2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $11,100 | $21,300 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Furniture and Fixtures2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $12,400 | $15,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Equipment2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $29,530 | $52,530 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Signage2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $7,549 | $9,436 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Computer, Software, and Point of Sale System2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $3,028 | $4,584 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Grand Opening Marketing2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $10,000 | $15,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Initial Inventory2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $21,564 | $39,564 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Utility Deposits2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $969 | $1,163 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Insurance Deposits – Three Months2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $289 | $1,867 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Travel for Initial Training2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $1,500 | $5,100 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Professional Fees2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $19,000 | $23,750 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Licenses and Permits2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $2,900 | $3,625 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Liquor License2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $0 | $12,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Printing, Stationery, and Office Supplies2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $2,225 | $2,781 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Additional Funds – Three Months2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 | $26,526 | $39,163 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 12 |
| Total estimated initial investment2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11-12 | $223,680 | $347,791 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11-12 |
Source Tipsy Scoop, 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11-12, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-27.
Item 19
What Tipsy Scoop franchisees actually report earning
Tipsy Scoop's 2026 FDD publishes no median in its Item 19. What it publishes instead is set out below, in the document's own terms. An average is not a median: it is pulled upward by the strongest outlets, and it does not tell you what the middle outlet made. We do not calculate a median the document does not state.
The information in this analysis has not been audited, is based on historical financial data, and is not a forecast or projection of future financial performance.
What the FDD does publish
| Measure | Average | Low | High | Outlets | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operational Franchise Outlet Gross SalesThe FDD reports Washington, D.C. gross sales of $353,273.00 and Astoria gross sales of $156,446.04. | – | $156,446 | $353,273 | 2 | 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 47 |
A dash means the FDD does not print that figure. Tipsy Scoop's Item 19 covers the 2025 Calendar Year. Basis: Operational Franchise Outlets. Sample size: 2 outlets.
What the franchisor excluded from these figures
- The FDD excludes New Franchise Outlets that were not open for the full calendar year.
- For 2023, one Company Owned Outlet operated seasonally and was not representative of the Franchised Business and was excluded from Item 19.
- For 2024, one Company Owned Outlet closed during the year and was not an Operational Company Owned Outlet for the 2024 Calendar Year and was excluded from Item 19.
This is a disclosure of what some existing outlets reported, not a projection of what a new Tipsy Scoop outlet would earn. Your results will differ.
Source Tipsy Scoop, 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 47, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-27.
Item 20
How many Tipsy Scoop outlets there are, and how many closed
Tipsy Scoop ended 2025 with 5 franchised outlets and 2 company-owned outlets. In that year 3 franchised outlets opened and none left the system.
Three years at a glance
From 2023 through 2025, Tipsy Scoop opened 5 franchised outlets and no outlets left the system. That is a net gain of 5, from 0 to 5 franchised outlets.
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 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 49 |
| 2024 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 49 |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 49 |
Source Tipsy Scoop, 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 49, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-27.
Compare
How Tipsy Scoop 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 Tipsy Scoop's estimated range is $285,736. It costs less to open than 89% of Food & Beverage franchises here.
- Earnings disclosure. 152 of the 256 Food & Beverage franchises here publish earnings figures in Item 19. Tipsy Scoop 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 Tipsy Scoop 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 Tipsy Scoop's updated numbers when the next document is published, plus the brand-comparison worksheet.
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