Considering a Cinnabon Franchise? Don’t Overlook These 45 Important Franchise Fees

Updated June 21, 2019.

If you are considering a Cinnabon franchise, don’t get blindsided by these 45 important franchise fees (from the initial franchise fee, to the royalty fee, to 43 other fees found in Items 5 and 6 of Cinnabon’s 2019 FDD).

1.  Initial Franchise Fee:  $7,500 to $30,000

• When you sign a Franchise Agreement for a Full Bakery, you pay an initial franchise fee (the “Initial Franchise Fee”) of $30,000. When you sign a Franchise Agreement and Express Schedule for an Express Bakery, you pay an Initial Franchise Fee of $7,500.

• If you sign a Franchise Agreement and you do not have a location for your Bakery that is accepted by Cinnabon (“Accepted Location”), your Franchise Agreement will identify a trade area that Cinnabon negotiates with you in which you must locate an Accepted Location.

• Cinnabon will not refund any part of the Initial Franchise Fee paid under the Franchise Agreement.

• Cinnabon participates in the International Franchise Association’s Vet Fran program. For qualifying veterans or members of the Armed Forces, the Initial Franchise Fee is $20,000.

• Cinnabon reserves the right to reduce the Initial Franchise Fee under certain circumstances, including:

• (i) as an economic incentive for a franchisee to open a certain location, with the determination made on a case-by-case review of all relevant economic factors;
• (ii) as an inducement for existing operators to open additional Bakeries;
• (iii) as an inducement for someone to reopen a closed Bakery;
• (iv) as an inducement for someone to take over an operating Bakery;
• (v) as an inducement for a professional multi-unit operator to open several Bakeries; or
• (vi) to allow a franchisee to have additional money to spend on store improvements and marketing during the first 12 months of operation.

• If you sign multiple Franchise Agreements at the same time with a Multi-Unit Addendum to develop a set number of Bakeries, the Initial Franchise Fee shall be $30,000 for each Bakery that you develop. You must pay Cinnabon all of the Initial Franchise Fees for all of the Bakeries that you commit to develop at the time you sign the Franchise Agreements with a Multi-Unit Addendum.

• If you fail to develop any of the Bakeries by the deadlines set forth therein, or any Franchise Agreement(s) subject to the Multi-Unit Addendum are terminated, you will not receive a refund of any Initial Franchise Fees that you have prepaid.

• In certain rare circumstances, Cinnabon may permit installment payments of the Initial Franchise Fee on terms negotiated with the franchisee.

2.  Royalty Fee:  for Full Bakeries, 6.0% of Net Sales; for Express Bakeries, the then-current price per case of freezer to oven rolls or other approved proprietary Cinnabon products you purchase from Cinnabon or its designated Supplier

• Due Date:  For Full Bakeries, payable by Cinnabon’s account period on Net Sales for the prior period; for Express Bakeries, on receipt of Cinnabon’s invoice or its designated Supplier’s invoice for the products.

3.  Advertising Contribution:  1.5% of Net Sales, but Cinnabon may adjust this amount up to 3% of Net Sales

• Due Date:  Same as Royalty Fee.

4.  Adverting Cooperative Contribution:  an amount set by your Advertising Cooperative

• Due Date:  Same as Royalty Fee.

5.  Local Marketing Obligation:  each calendar quarter, you must spend not less than 1% of Net Sales on local market advertising

• Due Date:  Each calendar quarter.

6.  Promotions:  costs to purchase, lease, and install all materials necessary for promotional campaigns, including counter cards, posters, banners, signs, photographs, give-away items, and gift cards. Cinnabon may charge you its costs plus a reasonable administrative fee.

• Due Date:  As incurred.

7.  EFT NSF Fee:  Cinnabon’s out-of-pocket costs and an administrative fee

• Due Date:  On invoice.

• If Cinnabon drafts money from your account under its electronic funds transfer (“EFT”) or draft system, and there are insufficient funds (“NSF”) to cover the draft, it will charge you the return costs charged by its bank and an administrative fee to cover its costs of addressing the nonpayment.

• This fee is in addition to interest on the amount due.

8.  Interest:  1.5% per month or maximum legal interest rate

• Due Date:  On invoice.

• You must pay Cinnabon or its affiliates interest on any amounts past due to it or its affiliates.

9.  Late Fee for Reports, Financial Statements, or Tax Returns:  $50 per week

• Due Date:  On invoice.

• You must pay this late fee if you fail to submit timely, complete, and accurate reports, financial statements, and tax returns when due.

10.  Taxes:  Cinnabon’s cost

• Due Date:  On invoice.

• You must pay Cinnabon all taxes (except its income taxes) it pays for products or services it furnishes to you, or on its collection of the Initial Franchise Fee, Royalty, and Advertising Contribution from you.

11.  Subsequent Trainee Initial Training Fee:  currently, up to $500 per trainee

• Due Date:  Before attending training.

12.  On-Site Training and Assistance (“On-Site Training Fee”):  a reasonable fee, currently $50 per hour per trainer, plus a trainer’s travel and living expenses

• Due Date:  On invoice.

13.  Additional Support/Consulting Fee:  a reasonable fee, currently $500 per day, plus travel and living expenses

• Due Date:  On invoice.

14.  Conference/Program Fee:  a reasonable fee, which will vary by program

• Due Date:  As incurred.

• Cinnabon may charge you a reasonable fee for any conferences, conventions, programs, or training sessions that it conducts. Cinnabon expects these fees to range from $0 to $2,500.

15.  Training Cancellation Fee:  Cinnabon’s out-of-pocket costs

• Due Date:  On invoice.

16.  Electronic Learning Management System:  Cinnabon estimates the cost will be $450 to $700 annually

• Due Date:  As incurred.

• Cinnabon requires you to implement an electronic learning management system to access instructional and other materials. The electronic learning management system may also become mandatory in the future for manager certification, employee training, and Cinnabon’s Initial Training Program.

17.  Carvel Product Platform Training Fee:  Cinnabon may charge a reasonable fee up to $750

• Due Date:  On invoice.

• If you offer Carvel products at the Bakery, Cinnabon may require you to pay it a training fee for its representatives to provide two days of related on-site training.

18.  Rent:  will vary based on location and other factors; Cinnabon estimates rent will range from $4,500 to $20,000 per month

• Due Date:  First day of every month; payable to Cinnabon or an affiliate or third-party landlord.

• Cinnabon or an affiliate may own the premises or hold the prime lease for the premises, and rent or sublease the premises of your Bakery to you.

19.  Relocation Fee:  10% of the then-current Initial Franchise Fee

• Due Date:  Before Cinnabon signs relocation Franchise Agreement.

20.  Lease Renewal Fee:  Cinnabon’s then-current fee. As of the date of the 2017 disclosure document, the fee is $2,000.

• Due Date:  As incurred.

• Cinnabon reserves the right to charge you a fee if you renew your lease or if your lease is extended by a landlord for a period of 12 months.

21.  Lease Documentation Fee:  $500 per month (or partial month) until delivered

• Due Date:  As incurred.

• Cinnabon may charge you this fee if you fail to provide it with a signed copy of any lease or a modification, amendment, or renewal of a lease within 15 days after its execution.

• The fee is payable for each month or partial month after the deadline, until you provide the documentation.

22.  Satellite Retail Unit (SRU) Fees:  monthly rental fee, which may be calculated as (i) a flat dollar amount or (ii) a percentage of Net Sales derived from the SRU (currently, 8%), up to a maximum dollar amount (currently, $1,600 to $2,500)

• Due Date:  On invoice.

• If Cinnabon grants you the right to operate a SRU, you agree to participate in the SRU program for a minimum of 12 months and to utilize Cinnabon’s POS System. If you cancel the SRU within the first 12 months, you will be responsible for rental payments through the 12-month period.

23.  Transfer Fee:  50% of the then-current Initial Franchise Fee if it is a Control Transfer; if it is a transfer to a related party or that is a non-Control Transfer, 10% of the then-current Initial Franchise Fee

• Due Date:  At transfer closing.

24.  Renewal Fee:  10% of the then-current Initial Franchise Fee for the type of Bakery you will operate

• Due Date:  Before Cinnabon signs renewal Agreement.

25.  Computer Systems Fee:  a reasonable fee, which will vary based on the services provided

• Due Date:  As needed.

• Paid to contractors or to Cinnabon or its affiliates, as applicable. Cinnabon may charge a reasonable systems fee for modifications and enhancements and other maintenance and support services.

26.  POS System Support Fee:  currently, estimated to be between $50 and $250 per month

• Due Date:  As incurred.

• You must remit this fee to Cinnabon or its affiliate (or a third-party vendor approved by it) for software and hardware support for your POS System.

27.  Back Office and Polling Software Fee:  currently, estimated to be between $100 and $200 per month

• Due Date:  As incurred.

• Cinnabon may require you to remit this fee to it, its affiliate, or a third-party vendor that provides the back office and polling software for your Computer System.

28.  Credit Card Fees:  equipment costs and set up fees estimated to be up to $1,000 per terminal. Transaction fees estimated to be from 2.5% to 5.0% of transaction amounts. Other fees may apply depending on the vendor used for credit card processing.

• Due Date:  As incurred.

29.  Information Security and Compliance Fees:  a reasonable fee which will vary based on the costs that Cinnabon incurs

• Due Date:  As incurred.

30.  Gift Card and Loyalty Program Fees:  amount of fees

• Due Date:  As incurred.

• You must purchase and offer gift cards and loyalty cards (and related equipment) from Cinnabon, its affiliates, or Cinnabon’s designated gift card and loyalty card vendors. Cinnabon or its affiliates may charge an administrative cost for gift card and loyalty cards/programs.

31.  Purchasing Program Fee:  reasonable membership fees assessed by the Purchasing Program

• Due Date:  As incurred.

• If Cinnabon designates or establishes any purchasing and/or distribution cooperatives/associations/programs (“Purchasing Programs”), you must become a member and pay any membership fees assessed.

• Cinnabon currently does not have any Purchasing Programs which require membership fees.

32.  Supply Chain Fee:  currently $0.17 to $0.27 per case purchased through certain Appointed Distributors

• Due Date:  As incurred.

33.  Ordering Support Fee:  a reasonable fee, which will vary based on the services provided

• Due Date:  As incurred.

34.  Development Deadline Extension Fee:  $2,500 per missed deadline

• Due Date:  On invoice.

35.  Non-Compliance Fee:  currently, $25 to $500 for a single default, but may vary based on the severity of defaults, number of defaults, and repetition of defaults

• Due Date:  On invoice.

36.  Failure to Comply with Standards or Law Fee:  up to a $5,000 fee plus Cinnabon’s reasonable expenses connected with any inspection, examination, or analysis of products

• Due Date:  On invoice.

37.  Repeated Inspection Fee:  cost of inspection

• Due Date:  On invoice.

• If Cinnabon or its representative inspects you as a result of your repeated or continuing failure to comply with any provision of the Franchise Agreement, you must pay Cinnabon the cost of the inspection, including the travel and living expenses of its representatives.

38.  Audit:  cost of audit

• Due Date:  On invoice.

39.  Liquidated Damages (Full Bakery):  the average monthly amount of Royalty that you owed Cinnabon during the past 36 months times the lesser of remainder of the term of the Franchise Agreement or 36 months

• Due Date:  Within 30 days of termination of your Franchise Agreement.

• You must pay this fee only if the termination occurs after the opening date of your Bakery and you are not insolvent at the time of termination.

• If less than 36 months have passed since opening and termination, the amount will be the average amount you paid per month to purchase Proprietary Goods during the time between opening and termination, times the lesser of remainder of the term of the Franchise Agreement or 36 months.

40.  Liquidated Damages (Express Bakery):  the average amount you paid per month to purchase Proprietary Goods during the past 36 months times the lesser of remainder of the term of the Franchise Agreement or 36 months. If less than 36 months have passed since opening and termination, the amount will be the average amount you paid per month to purchase Proprietary Goods during the time between opening and termination, times the lesser of remainder of the term of the Franchise Agreement or 36 months.

• Due Date:  Within 30 days of termination of your Franchise Agreement.

41.  Appraiser’s Fee:  50% of appraiser’s fee

• Due Date:  On invoice.

• You must pay this fee only if Cinnabon elects to purchase your assets on termination or expiration of the Franchise Agreement and it cannot agree with you on the purchase price.

42.  Indemnification of Cinnabon:  Cinnabon’s cost

• Due Date:  On invoice.

• You indemnify Cinnabon from certain losses and expenses under the Franchise Agreement.

43.  Attorneys’ Fees:  Cinnabon’s cost

• Due Date:  On invoice.

• If Cinnabon becomes a party to a proceeding on an agreement between it and you, and it wins, or if it becomes a party to litigation or insolvency proceedings for your franchise, then you must pay Cinnabon’s reasonable attorneys’ fees and court costs.

44.  Reinstatement Fee:  10% of the amount of the then-current Initial Franchise Fee, plus Royalty Fees that would have been payable in period between termination and reinstatement

• Due Date:  Before reinstatement.

• If Cinnabon terminates your Franchise Agreement due to a health and safety default, you cure the default and want to be reinstated, and Cinnabon agrees to reinstate your Franchise Agreement, you must pay Cinnabon a reinstatement fee.

45.  De-identification Fee:  Cinnabon’s actual costs, plus interest and an administrative fee equal to 15% of its actual costs

• Due Date:  On invoice.

• Payable if Cinnabon terminates the Franchise Agreement, you fail to de-identify the Bakery, and Cinnabon makes the required changes on your behalf.