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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Auntie Anne's vs Wetzels Pretzels

    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 FDDWetzels Pretzels2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Auntie Anne's

    $115,225 – $1,811,400

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Wetzels Pretzels

    $147,000 – $172,125

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Auntie Anne's

    $4,800

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 29

    Wetzels Pretzels

    Not available

    Royalty · Item 6

    Auntie Anne's

    7%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 30

    Wetzels Pretzels

    6%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 33

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Auntie Anne's and Wetzels Pretzels 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, Wetzels Pretzels: 10). 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

    Wetzels Pretzels

    $147,000 – $172,125
    2026 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Auntie Anne's

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

    Wetzels Pretzels

    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

    Wetzels Pretzels

    6%
    et-Front Bakery located within a Walmart location, the Royalty Fee may be reduced to — 6%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 33
    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

    Wetzels Pretzels

    1%
    he Manual. See note 2. Advertising Fund Contributions For a Non-Street-Front Bakery, — 1% — 1%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 33

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Auntie Anne's

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

    Wetzels Pretzels

    458
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 87
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Auntie Anne's

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

    Wetzels Pretzels

    +71
    Calculated: 387 at end of 2023 → 458 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Auntie Anne's

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Wetzels Pretzels

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

    Auntie Anne's

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Wetzels Pretzels

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

    Auntie Anne's

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Wetzels Pretzels

    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
    Wetzels Pretzels
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Mall stores without RMU
    $837,216
    other ZELS Bakeries that operate without an RMU achieve Average Adjusted Gross Revenues of
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 83
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — NTO/transit
    $562,792
    other Adj. Gross Revenues
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 82
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Concession truck/trailer
    43 percent
    other % of WETZEL’S PRETZELS Bakeries at or Above Average
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 82
    +7 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 Wetzels Pretzels: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Auntie Anne's or Wetzels Pretzels?
    Auntie Anne's: $115,225 – $1,811,400 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Wetzels Pretzels: $147,000 – $172,125 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Auntie Anne's. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Auntie Anne's and Wetzels Pretzels royalties compare?
    Auntie Anne's: 7% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 30); Wetzels Pretzels: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 33). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, Auntie Anne's or Wetzels Pretzels?
    Auntie Anne's: 1,236 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 95); Wetzels Pretzels: 458 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 87). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Auntie Anne's and Wetzels Pretzels disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Auntie Anne's has reviewed Item 19 figures for 7 location groups; Wetzels Pretzels has reviewed Item 19 figures for 10 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

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    Full Auntie Anne's report

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

    Full Wetzels Pretzels report

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

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