Franopolis
    vsWC

    Franchise opportunities compared

    Cinnabon 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.

    Cinnabon2026 FDDWCWaffle Cabin2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Cinnabon

    $29,250 – $1,205,400

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Waffle Cabin

    $91,000 – $189,000

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Cinnabon

    $3,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 30

    Waffle Cabin

    Not available

    Royalty · Item 6

    Cinnabon

    6%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 31

    Waffle Cabin

    5%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Cinnabon 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 (Cinnabon: 15, Waffle Cabin: 46). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Cinnabon

    $29,250 – $1,205,400
    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Waffle Cabin

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

    Cinnabon

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

    Waffle Cabin

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

    Cinnabon

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

    Waffle Cabin

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

    Cinnabon

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

    Waffle Cabin

    Not available
    No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Cinnabon

    1,338
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 104

    Waffle Cabin

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

    Cinnabon

    +364
    Calculated: 974 at end of 2023 → 1,338 at end of 2025

    Waffle Cabin

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

    Cinnabon

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Waffle Cabin

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

    Cinnabon

    1986
    From a verified franchisor listing

    Waffle Cabin

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

    Cinnabon

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Waffle Cabin

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    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
    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.

    Cinnabon vs Waffle Cabin: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Cinnabon or Waffle Cabin?
    Cinnabon: $29,250 – $1,205,400 (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 Cinnabon. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Cinnabon and Waffle Cabin royalties compare?
    Cinnabon: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 31); 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, Cinnabon or Waffle Cabin?
    Cinnabon: 1,338 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 104); 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 Cinnabon and Waffle Cabin disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Cinnabon has reviewed Item 19 figures for 15 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

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    Full Cinnabon report

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

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    Full Waffle Cabin report

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

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