Franopolis
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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Auntie Anne's vs Waffle Cabin

    Reviewed figures from each brand's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), side by side. Each figure carries its FDD year and page. This is not a ranking or recommendation, and the two FDDs may cover different years and location groups.

    AAAuntie Anne's2026 FDDWCWaffle Cabin2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Auntie Anne's

    $115,225 – $1,811,400

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Waffle Cabin

    $91,000 – $189,000

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Auntie Anne's

    $4,800

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 29

    Waffle Cabin

    Not available

    Royalty · Item 6

    Auntie Anne's

    7%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 30

    Waffle Cabin

    5%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Auntie Anne's and Waffle Cabin disclose more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Item 19 figures cover the location groups each FDD names (Auntie Anne's: 7, Waffle Cabin: 46). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Auntie Anne's

    $115,225 – $1,811,400
    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Waffle Cabin

    $91,000 – $189,000
    2026 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Auntie Anne's

    $4,800
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 29

    Waffle Cabin

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Auntie Anne's

    7%
    Royalty fee — standard Shops current percentage
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 30

    Waffle Cabin

    5%
    Royaltygrosssales
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Auntie Anne's

    2%
    Advertising contribution — Co-Branded Shops, Auntie Anne’s share — 2%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 31

    Waffle Cabin

    Not available
    No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Auntie Anne's

    1,236
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 95

    Waffle Cabin

    58
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 47
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Auntie Anne's

    +80
    Calculated: 1,156 at end of 2023 → 1,236 at end of 2025

    Waffle Cabin

    +6
    Calculated: 52 at end of 2023 → 58 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Auntie Anne's

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Waffle Cabin

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year
    Franchising since (Item 1)

    Auntie Anne's

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Waffle Cabin

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Auntie Anne's

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Waffle Cabin

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    AAAuntie Anne's
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Enclosed Mall Franchises
    $638,196
    other Enclosed Mall franchises
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 91
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Cinnabon Co-Branded Franchises
    $977,242
    other Cinnabon Co-Branded franchises
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 93
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Outlet Center Franchises
    $1,005,518
    other Outlet Center franchises
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 92
    +4 more groups in the full report
    WCWaffle Cabin
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Holiday Valley, NY; 1 Cabin
    1 units
    other Holiday Valley, NY
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 44
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Okemo Mountain, VT; 2 Cabin
    2 units
    other Okemo Mountain, VT
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 44
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Killington Resort, VT; 4 Cabin
    $612,929
    other Killington Resort, VT
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 44
    +43 more groups in the full report

    Item 19 groups are shown separately and never combined. Revenue or sales figures are not profit. Net outlet change and turnover are Franopolis calculations from the disclosed counts; turnover is a count-based rate, not a measure of owner earnings.

    Auntie Anne's vs Waffle Cabin: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Auntie Anne's or Waffle Cabin?
    Auntie Anne's: $115,225 – $1,811,400 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Waffle Cabin: $91,000 – $189,000 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Waffle Cabin. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Auntie Anne's and Waffle Cabin royalties compare?
    Auntie Anne's: 7% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 30); Waffle Cabin: 5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, Auntie Anne's or Waffle Cabin?
    Auntie Anne's: 1,236 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 95); Waffle Cabin: 58 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 47). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Auntie Anne's and Waffle Cabin disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Auntie Anne's has reviewed Item 19 figures for 7 location groups; Waffle Cabin has reviewed Item 19 figures for 46 location groups. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

    Answers restate the reviewed figures above. Not a ranking or recommendation.

    How Franopolis reviews FDD figures

    Keep researching

    AA

    Full Auntie Anne's report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

    WC

    Full Waffle Cabin report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

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