Franchise opportunities compared

    Dairy Queen Treat franchise vs Kona Ice Business(es)

    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.

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Dairy Queen Treat franchise

    $548,700 – $1,595,350

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Kona Ice Business(es)

    $114,730 – $228,601

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 27

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Dairy Queen Treat franchise

    $25,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 20

    Kona Ice Business(es)

    $15,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 12

    Royalty · Item 6

    Dairy Queen Treat franchise

    5%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 22

    Kona Ice Business(es)

    $3,000

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Dairy Queen Treat franchise discloses more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Only neither brand has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Dairy Queen Treat franchise

    $548,700 – $1,595,350
    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Kona Ice Business(es)

    $114,730 – $228,601
    Total estimated initial investment range
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 27
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Dairy Queen Treat franchise

    $25,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 20

    Kona Ice Business(es)

    $15,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 12
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Dairy Queen Treat franchise

    5%
    Continuing license fee
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 22

    Kona Ice Business(es)

    $3,000
    Royalty — years one and two
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Dairy Queen Treat franchise

    Not available
    No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee

    Kona Ice Business(es)

    $1,000
    Brand Fund contribution
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Dairy Queen Treat franchise

    310
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 65

    Kona Ice Business(es)

    1,933
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 59
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Dairy Queen Treat franchise

    −61
    Calculated: 371 at end of 2023 → 310 at end of 2025

    Kona Ice Business(es)

    +263
    Calculated: 1,670 at end of 2023 → 1,933 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Dairy Queen Treat franchise

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Kona Ice Business(es)

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

    Dairy Queen Treat franchise

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Kona Ice Business(es)

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

    Dairy Queen Treat franchise

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Kona Ice Business(es)

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Dairy Queen Treat franchise

    Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation

    KIKona Ice Business(es)

    No reviewed Item 19 figures

    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.

    Dairy Queen Treat franchise vs Kona Ice Business(es): common questions

    Which costs less to open, Dairy Queen Treat franchise or Kona Ice Business(es)?
    Dairy Queen Treat franchise: $548,700 – $1,595,350 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Kona Ice Business(es): $114,730 – $228,601 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 27). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Kona Ice Business(es). At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Dairy Queen Treat franchise and Kona Ice Business(es) royalties compare?
    Dairy Queen Treat franchise: 5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 22); Kona Ice Business(es): $3,000 (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, Dairy Queen Treat franchise or Kona Ice Business(es)?
    Dairy Queen Treat franchise: 310 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 65); Kona Ice Business(es): 1,933 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 59). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Dairy Queen Treat franchise and Kona Ice Business(es) disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Dairy Queen Treat franchise makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; Kona Ice Business(es) has no reviewed Item 19 figures on file. 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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