Milkshake Factory
Milkshake Factory Franchise, LLC · reviewed 2025 disclosure data
Researching Milkshake Factory franchise opportunities? Every figure below is cited to the FDD.
- Franchising since
- 2023 Source: franchise.org
- Headquarters
- Ann Arbor, MI United States Source: franchise.org
Milkshake Factory franchise specializes in premium handcrafted milkshakes, offering creative flavors and customizable options that appeal to dessert lovers of a
Headline figures
Milkshake Factory quick facts
- Is Milkshake Factory a franchise?
- Yes. Milkshake Factory offers franchises through a Franchise Disclosure Document. At the end of 2024, it reported 4 franchised and 10 company-owned outlets (2025 FDD, Item 20, PDF p. 56).
- How much does it cost to open a Milkshake Factory franchise?
- The Milkshake Factory Franchise Disclosure Document reports an estimated initial investment of $510,492–$772,548 (2025 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 18). This is the franchisor's disclosed estimate, not a quote. Details
- What is the Milkshake Factory initial franchise fee?
- The disclosed initial franchise fee for a standard single unit is $60,000 (2025 FDD, Item 5, PDF p. 8). Other fee options (for example multi-unit or conversion) are listed separately in the report. Details
- What ongoing fees does Milkshake Factory charge?
- The disclosed ongoing royalty is 6% · percentage of Adjusted Gross Sales; second year minimum $1,200 per month; third and subsequent years minimum $1,500 per month (2025 FDD, Item 6, PDF p. 10). The brand or advertising fund contribution is 2% · percentage of Adjusted Gross Sales (2025 FDD, Item 6, PDF p. 10). Other recurring fees are listed in Item 6. Details
- Does Milkshake Factory disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- Yes. The Milkshake Factory FDD includes an Item 19 financial performance representation (2025 FDD, Item 19, PDF p. 54). Figures apply only to the locations and period each one covers. Details
- How many Milkshake Factory locations are there?
- The FDD reports 14 outlets at the end of 2024 (2025 FDD, Item 20, PDF p. 56). Existing locations do not indicate territory availability. Details
- Is Milkshake Factory a good franchise to buy?
- Franopolis does not rate or recommend franchises. From the reviewed FDD: Item 19 includes financial performance figures; check which locations and period they cover; Item 20 lists outlet openings, closures and transfers; Item 6 includes a brand or advertising fund contribution on top of royalty; Item 20 also lists current and former franchisees you can contact. Review the full FDD with a franchise attorney and accountant before deciding.
From reviewed FDD figures only. Not a recommendation or projection.
What the disclosures show
- 1Opening costs are estimated at $510,492 – $772,548 in the 2025 FDD (Item 7); several initial fee options apply.
- 2Item 19 reports other measures for franchised locations.
- 3Outlets grew by 4 in 2024, to 14 (Coverage not stated in the reviewed record, Item 20).
From reviewed FDD figures only. Not a recommendation or projection.
Milkshake Factory head-to-head
Closest peers in the same subcategory, side by side from reviewed FDD figures. Not a ranking or recommendation.
Costs · Items 5–7
What does it cost to open?
Estimated opening costs and the fees payable to the franchisor.
Startup Investment — Item 7
Total estimated initial investment
2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 18
Standard single-unit franchise fee
2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 8
Discounted and multi-unit options are separate; see all fees.
Ongoing Fees — Item 6
Selected recurring charges; payment bases and conditions remain attached to each fee.
- Royalty FeeMain ongoing fee
30 reported fees, each with its payment basis, are listed below; they haven't been sorted into recurring, initial and occasional groups yet.
Financial Performance — Item 19
What results are disclosed—and for which locations?
5 separate populations, shown apart. Revenue is not owner income.
Franchised locations
Other measures
- Who is counted
- Franchise Stores
- Period
- 2024 / first 90 days in the case of Franchisees
- Excluded
- the location that operates under the Proprietary Marks from a non-traditional location (sports stadium), which is not operated in a substantially similar manner to other System locations or the Franchised Business offered under this Disclosure Document; One location was excluded on the basis that it did not have a complete month in operation in 2024.
- Method
- For each Shop in Part IV above, the term “Avg. Ring” means the total revenue received divided by the total number of transactions for the identified store type for the 2024 calendar year (or first 90 days in the case of Franchisees).
Franchised locations
Revenue · 3 locations
- Who is counted
- our first three Franchised locations which opened in 2024
- Period
- first three months of operations
- Excluded
- One location that opened in 2024 only operated for a partial month and was excluded from this disclosure since it was not open for at least three months.
Locations counted: not stated in the reviewed record
Revenue
- Period
- 2024
Locations counted: not stated in the reviewed record
Other measures
- Who is counted
- Corporate Stores
- Period
- 2024
- Excluded
- the location that operates under the Proprietary Marks from a non-traditional location (sports stadium), which is not operated in a substantially similar manner to other System locations or the Franchised Business offered under this Disclosure Document; One location was excluded on the basis that it did not have a complete month in operation in 2024.
- Method
- For each Affiliate Shop in Part III above, “Average Daily Transactions” is calculated by taking the Total Transactions generated by that Shop type and dividing that by (b) the number of days that Shop was open and operating during the 2024 calendar year
Locations counted: not stated in the reviewed record
Revenue
- Who is counted
- the nine (9) Affiliate-Owned Shops that were open and operating over the entirety of the 2024 calendar year
- Period
- 2024
- Excluded
- Chart I excludes one (1) Shop that had hours of operation and staffing in 2024 were substantially different from the franchise model.
- Method
- The nine shops are divided into 3 equal tertiles by Adjusted Gross Revenue.
These groups are never combined.
Outlet Changes — Item 20
How has the outlet count changed?
Coverage not stated in the reviewed record · counts as of year end of each year.
2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 56
Net +5 outlets, 2022–2024
Year-end counts reported in Item 20. The scale starts at zero; the labels between the dots show each year's change. Openings and closures for 2024 haven't been pulled from the Item 20 tables yet, so no turnover or churn is shown.
Questions to investigate
Prompts based on what this brand's reviewed disclosures do and don't show — not conclusions. Join free as a member to save questions to your research.
For the franchisor
Which line items in the 2025 Item 7 estimate ($510,492 – $772,548) vary most by market, and why?
Which initial fee option would apply to my situation, and what conditions or discounts affect it?
Which locations are included in the Item 19 figures, and which were excluded?
Reported units went from 10 to 14 in 2024. How many new units opened, closed or changed hands?
Is a territory available in my area, and how is it defined in my agreement?
For current and former owners
How did your actual startup costs and timeline compare with the Item 7 estimate?
How many hours a week do you work in the business, and in what role?
How do your results compare with the Item 19 figures, and what explains the difference?
What support from the franchisor has been most and least useful?
For your advisors
Ask a franchise attorney to review the territory, renewal, transfer and termination terms.
Ask an accountant to build a cash-flow plan using your own assumptions, not the franchisor's.
Sources & vintage history
Every displayed fact is retained with its disclosure vintage, item, page, and reviewed status. Prior vintages remain on file rather than being overwritten.
Citations (2025 FDD)
- [1]Estimated initial investment — Item 7 · PDF p. 18
- [2]Standard initial franchise fee — Item 5 · PDF p. 8
- [3]Item 19 — Franchised locations — other measures · PDF p. 54
- [4]Item 19 — Franchised (3 locations) — revenue · PDF p. 52
- [5]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record · PDF p. 51
- [6]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Corporate Stores · PDF p. 54
- [7]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — the nine (9) Affiliate-Owned Shops that were open and operating over the entire… · PDF p. 51
- [8]Outlet counts — Item 20, Table 1 · PDF p. 56
"PDF p." is the page in the PDF file; "printed p." is the number printed on the FDD page. Source document: FDD
Territory & operations
47 addresses in Franopolis's imported location list. Coverage may differ from Item 20 outlet counts.
These are contract disclosures, not confirmation that any territory is currently available.
Legal & agreement
Bankruptcy summary
Initial term
Franchisor financial statements
No verified franchisor financial statement figures have been reviewed yet.
SBA-backed loans to franchisees
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Source: U.S. Small Business Administration 7(a) & 504 FOIA data. Loan volume is not a measure of franchisee success.
Related research
Brands in the same subcategory first, then the wider industry, ordered by shared business format and overlapping investment range. This is not a ranking or recommendation.
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Warabimochi KamakuraHead-to-head comparisons
At a glance
Business history
Owner participation
Territory language
Litigation disclosure
Not reviewed
Bankruptcy disclosure
Agreement term
Reader notes on wording
Our automated check found that these summaries may not match the FDD's exact wording. Read the FDD excerpt itself; it is the authoritative text. Core cost, fee, Item 19 and outlet figures are not affected.
Item 6 · PDF p. 15 · 2025 FDD
Our summary: Convention Attendance (per non-attendance infraction)
“Currently, $1,000”
Note: Page null: 'currently, $1,000' is registration owed even without attendance, not a separate non-attendance penalty.
Independent analysis of franchisor-provided data. Not investment advice. Franopolis does not distribute FDDs.
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