Wetzel's Pretzels
Food & Beverage · Baked Goods & Snacks
- Active units
- 347
- Avg unit volume
- $872k
- Royalty
- 7.0%
Franchised, year-end 2023
of weekly Net Sales
About Wetzel's Pretzels
The company operates in the quick-service snack category, serving customers in high-traffic environments such as shopping malls, airports, and sports arenas. Its product lineup includes sweet and savory pretzel varieties, bite-sized pieces, and frozen beverages. Franchise formats include traditional brick-and-mortar bakeries, mall kiosks, and mobile food trucks. The business model relies on a streamlined menu and on-site preparation of dough.
Key terms
- Franchise fee
$40k
- Second or subsequent Bakery in same center
Initial franchise fee of $22,500 for a second or subsequent WETZEL’S PRETZELS Bakery in the same center.
- Brand fund
1.0% of Net Sales
- Local advertising
5.0% of Net Sales
- Footprint
600 – 800 sq ft
- Veteran discount
Discounts (e.g., Veteran’s and Active-Duty Military) may apply to the initial franchise fee but cannot be combined; only one discount will be applied.
Brand Percentile Rankings
Rankings compare brands in the same operating year. Fee and investment figures come from the FDD (2026 filing).
Growth
- Total locations423
Franchised units open at year-end
- New openings48
Gross new units opened during the calendar year
- 1-year unit growth rate8.5%
Net unit growth versus prior year
- 3-year unit CAGR10.4%
Compound annual growth rate of unit count over the trailing 3 years
- Unit growth ratio24.0×
Cumulative opens / closures through year-end
Unit economics
- Annual unit volume (Median)$670k
Item 19 cohort year 2025
- Annual unit volume (25th percentile)—
Per FDD Item 19 disclosure
- Annual unit volume (75th percentile)—
Per FDD Item 19 disclosure
- 1-year Median AUV growth rate—
Year-over-year change in median AUV
- Store-level EBITDA Margin—
Median unit-level EBITDA / AUV
Investment profile
- Estimated initial investment$457k
Midpoint of estimated initial investment range
↓ Lower is better - Time to open—
Midpoint of average time from agreement to opening
- Royalty rate—
Percent of net sales paid to the franchisor
- Sales-to-investment ratio1.5×
Median AUV / estimated initial investment midpoint
- Cash-on-cash returns—
Median unit-level EBITDA / estimated initial investment midpoint. Steady-state estimate; year 1 returns will be lower as the unit ramps to median volumes.
Franchisee healthLocked
- Unit closure ratio
- Transfer vs. closure ratio
- Percent multi-unit franchisees
- Litigation rate
- EBITDA multiple on sales & transfers
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Sources
Financial and operating figures are sourced from the brand's Franchise Disclosure Documents. Brand percentile rankings are based on comparisons to other brands that include the same metrics in their Franchise Disclosure Documents.