The Original Rainbow Cone
Franchise research report · reviewed 2025 disclosure data
Researching The Original Rainbow Cone franchise opportunities? Every figure below is cited to the FDD.
The Original Rainbow Cone: You will establish a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity to be the franchisee under the Franchise Agreement.
Headline figures
The Original Rainbow Cone quick facts
- Is The Original Rainbow Cone a franchise?
- Yes. The Original Rainbow Cone offers franchises through a Franchise Disclosure Document. At the end of 2024, it reported 6 franchised and 19 company-owned outlets (2025 FDD, Item 20, PDF p. 81).
- How much does it cost to open a The Original Rainbow Cone franchise?
- The The Original Rainbow Cone Franchise Disclosure Document reports separate estimated initial investments by format: $804,000–$1,362,653 for free standing leased: estimated total (14) (2025 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 29); $402,758–$811,818 for in-line: estimated total (14) (2025 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 33); $205,167–$339,843 for express: estimated total (14) (2025 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 35); $2,037,420–$3,213,753 for free standing ground-up: estimated total (14) (2025 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 25). These formats are not combined. Each is the franchisor's disclosed estimate, not a quote. Details
- What ongoing fees does The Original Rainbow Cone charge?
- The disclosed ongoing royalty is 6% (2025 FDD, Item 6, PDF p. 16). The brand or advertising fund contribution is 3% (2025 FDD, Item 6, PDF p. 16). Other recurring fees are listed in Item 6. Details
- How many The Original Rainbow Cone locations are there?
- The FDD reports 25 outlets at the end of 2024 (2025 FDD, Item 20, PDF p. 81). Existing locations do not indicate territory availability. Details
- Is The Original Rainbow Cone a good franchise to buy?
- Franopolis does not rate or recommend franchises. From the reviewed FDD: no reviewed Item 19 figures are on file here, so check the FDD's Item 19 directly; 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
- 1The 2025 FDD (Item 7) estimates opening costs separately by format: $804,000 – $1,362,653 (Free Standing leased: Estimated Total (14)); $402,758 – $811,818 (In-Line: Estimated Total (14)); $205,167 – $339,843 (Express: Estimated Total (14)); $2,037,420 – $3,213,753 (Free Standing ground-up: Estimated Total (14)); several initial fee options apply.
- 2Item 19 has not been reviewed yet.
- 3Outlets grew by 9 in 2024, to 25 (System-wide, as labeled in the FDD, Item 20).
From reviewed FDD figures only. Not a recommendation or projection.
The Original Rainbow Cone 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
Range across 4 single-unit formats
2025 FDD · Item 7
Formats disclosed in Item 7 (4)
Each format has its own total. The total depends on the format you choose.
- Express: Estimated Total (14)PDF p. 35$205,167 – $339,843
- In-Line: Estimated Total (14)PDF p. 33$402,758 – $811,818
- Free Standing leased: Estimated Total (14)PDF p. 29$804,000 – $1,362,653
- Free Standing ground-up: Estimated Total (14)PDF p. 25$2,037,420 – $3,213,753
Ongoing Fees — Item 6
Selected recurring charges; payment bases and conditions remain attached to each fee.
- RoyaltyMain ongoing fee
29 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?
No financial performance representation in Item 19
The reviewed 2025 FDD for The Original Rainbow Cone has no Item 19 figures on record. Franopolis does not estimate revenue or earnings in their place; ask the franchisor and current owners what unit-level information they can share.
Outlet Changes — Item 20
How has the outlet count changed?
System-wide, as labeled in the FDD · counts as of Year end of each year.
2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 81
Net +17 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 ($205,167 – $3,213,753) vary most by market, and why?
Which initial fee option would apply to my situation, and what conditions or discounts affect it?
Does the current FDD include an Item 19 financial performance representation?
Reported units went from 16 to 25 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?
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]Outlet counts — Item 20, Table 1 · PDF p. 81
"PDF p." is the page in the PDF file; "printed p." is the number printed on the FDD page.
Territory & operations
No territory or operating requirements have been reviewed yet.
These are contract disclosures, not confirmation that any territory is currently available.
Legal & agreement
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, overlapping investment range, Item 20 outlet count and search interest. This is not a ranking or recommendation.
Head-to-head comparisons
At a glance
Business history
Not reviewed
Owner participation
Not reviewed
Territory language
Not reviewed
Litigation disclosure
Not reviewed
Bankruptcy disclosure
Not reviewed
Agreement term
Not reviewed
Independent analysis of franchisor-provided data. Not investment advice. Franopolis does not distribute FDDs.