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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Carvel Corporation vs Cinnabon

    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.

    Carvel Corporation2026 FDDCinnabon2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Carvel Corporation

    $38,850 – $1,051,200

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Cinnabon

    $29,250 – $1,205,400

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Carvel Corporation

    $3,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 30

    Cinnabon

    $3,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 30

    Royalty · Item 6

    Carvel Corporation

    6%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 31

    Cinnabon

    6%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 31

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Carvel Corporation and Cinnabon 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 (Carvel Corporation: 5, Cinnabon: 15). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Carvel Corporation

    $38,850 – $1,051,200
    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Cinnabon

    $29,250 – $1,205,400
    2026 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Carvel Corporation

    $3,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 30

    Cinnabon

    $3,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 30
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Carvel Corporation

    6%
    OTHER FEES Type of Fee 1, 4 Amount Date Due Remarks Royalty Fee — 6%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 31

    Cinnabon

    6%
    OTHER FEES Type of Fee 1, 5 Amount Date Due Remarks Royalty Fee — 6%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 31
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Carvel Corporation

    2%
    Marketing Obligation Currently, each calendar quarter, you must spend not less than — 2% — 2%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 32

    Cinnabon

    1%
    l Marketing Obligation Currently each calendar quarter, you must spend not less than — 1% — 1%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 32

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Carvel Corporation

    360
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 93

    Cinnabon

    1,338
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 104
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Carvel Corporation

    +34
    Calculated: 326 at end of 2023 → 360 at end of 2025

    Cinnabon

    +364
    Calculated: 974 at end of 2023 → 1,338 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Carvel Corporation

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Cinnabon

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

    Carvel Corporation

    1950
    From a verified franchisor listing

    Cinnabon

    1986
    From a verified franchisor listing
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Carvel Corporation

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Cinnabon

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Carvel Corporation
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 104eligible singlebranded full Streetside Shoppes — 2nd Quartile
    26 shoppes
    other 2nd Quartile Sample size
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 92
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 104eligible singlebranded full Streetside Shoppes — Top Quartile
    $779,624
    other Top Quartile Mean net sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 92
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 104eligible singlebranded full Streetside Shoppes — 3rd Quartile
    26 shoppes
    other 3rd Quartile Sample size
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 92
    +2 more groups in the full report
    Cinnabon
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Enclosed mall — 2nd Quartile
    47 bakeries
    other Enclosed mall 2nd Quartile
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 100
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Enclosed mall — Bottom Quartile
    47 bakeries
    other Enclosed mall Bottom Quartile
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 100
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Enclosed mall — Total
    $665,401
    other Enclosed mall Total
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 100
    +12 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.

    Carvel Corporation vs Cinnabon: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Carvel Corporation or Cinnabon?
    Carvel Corporation: $38,850 – $1,051,200 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Cinnabon: $29,250 – $1,205,400 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Cinnabon. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Carvel Corporation and Cinnabon royalties compare?
    Carvel Corporation: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 31); Cinnabon: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 31). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, Carvel Corporation or Cinnabon?
    Carvel Corporation: 360 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 93); Cinnabon: 1,338 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 104). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Carvel Corporation and Cinnabon disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Carvel Corporation has reviewed Item 19 figures for 5 location groups; Cinnabon has reviewed Item 19 figures for 15 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 Carvel Corporation report

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

    Full Cinnabon report

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

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