Franopolis
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    Franchise opportunities compared

    U-Swirl Frozen Yogurt 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.

    UFU-Swirl Frozen Yogurt2025 FDDWCWaffle Cabin2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    U-Swirl Frozen Yogurt

    $418,500 – $685,920

    2025 FDD · Item 7

    Waffle Cabin

    $91,000 – $189,000

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    U-Swirl Frozen Yogurt

    $25,000

    2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 15

    Waffle Cabin

    Not available

    Royalty · Item 6

    U-Swirl Frozen Yogurt

    6%

    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

    Waffle Cabin

    5%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11

    Before you compare

    • U-Swirl Frozen Yogurt figures come from its 2025 FDD and Waffle Cabin figures from its 2026 FDD, so the years differ.
    • U-Swirl Frozen Yogurt 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 (U-Swirl Frozen Yogurt: 6, Waffle Cabin: 46). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    U-Swirl Frozen Yogurt

    $418,500 – $685,920
    2025 FDD · Item 7

    Waffle Cabin

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

    U-Swirl Frozen Yogurt

    $25,000
    2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 15

    Waffle Cabin

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

    U-Swirl Frozen Yogurt

    6%
    Royalty
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

    Waffle Cabin

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

    U-Swirl Frozen Yogurt

    $6,000
    Co-branding fee
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

    Waffle Cabin

    Not available
    No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    U-Swirl Frozen Yogurt

    57
    Outlets at end of 2024
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 57

    Waffle Cabin

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

    U-Swirl Frozen Yogurt

    −7
    Calculated: 64 at end of 2022 → 57 at end of 2024

    Waffle Cabin

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

    U-Swirl Frozen Yogurt

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Waffle Cabin

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

    U-Swirl Frozen Yogurt

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Waffle Cabin

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

    U-Swirl Frozen Yogurt

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Waffle Cabin

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    UFU-Swirl Frozen Yogurt
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Bottom 50% of qualifying franchised locations, open more than 12 months as of D…
    $303,561
    other Bottom 50% of locations
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 52
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Top 50% of Yogurtini-branded franchised locations open more than 12 months as o…
    $831,608
    other Top 50% Yogurtini branded locations
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 52
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Bottom 50% of Yogurtini-branded franchised locations open more than 12 months a…
    $438,019
    other Bottom 50% Yogurtini branded locations
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 52
    +3 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.

    U-Swirl Frozen Yogurt vs Waffle Cabin: common questions

    Which costs less to open, U-Swirl Frozen Yogurt or Waffle Cabin?
    U-Swirl Frozen Yogurt: $418,500 – $685,920 (2025 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 U-Swirl Frozen Yogurt and Waffle Cabin royalties compare?
    U-Swirl Frozen Yogurt: 6% (2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16); 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, U-Swirl Frozen Yogurt or Waffle Cabin?
    U-Swirl Frozen Yogurt: 57 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 57); 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 U-Swirl Frozen Yogurt and Waffle Cabin disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    U-Swirl Frozen Yogurt has reviewed Item 19 figures for 6 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

    UF

    Full U-Swirl Frozen Yogurt 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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