Scooter’s Coffee Franchise Review 2026: Costs, Fees, News, Average Revenues and/or Profits

Ambrosio’s Take

Scooter’s Coffee, ranked No. 37 on Entrepreneur’s 2026 Franchise 500, keeps growing steadily, adding 57 franchised locations in 2025 to reach 882 outlets, with kiosk store same-store sales positive in all five measured periods. Average gross sales for kiosk stores climbed 9.3% to $999,869 in 2025, but against a $1,163,650 to $1,345,750 investment range, that only translates to a 0.8:1 sales-to-investment ratio, well below the 2:1 benchmark many restaurant analysts favor, and a steep 8.7 to 10.0 year payback based on 14.6% EBITDA margins. End cap stores fare somewhat better, with average gross sales of $1,082,458 and a 1.3:1 ratio bringing payback down to 4.2 to 6.9 years, though both formats trail most of the coffee-chain peers cited later in this post. Rising cost of goods sold, up meaningfully in both formats in 2025, is worth watching as a margin pressure point going forward.

Ambrosio’s Take is a new feature on all Franchise Chatter FDD Talk posts based on the 2026 FDD.

In this exclusive Franchise Chatter FDD Talk post, you’ll learn the following:

Section I – Estimated initial investment (franchise costs) for a Scooter’s Coffee franchise, based on Item 7 of the company’s 2026 FDD

Section II – Initial franchise fee, royalty fee, and marketing fee for a Scooter’s Coffee franchise, based on Items 5 and 6 of the company’s 2026 FDD

Section III – Number of franchised and company-owned Scooter’s Coffee outlets at the start of the year and the end of the year for 2023, 2024, and 2025, based on Item 20 of the company’s 2026 FDD

Section IV – News updates on the Scooter’s Coffee franchise opportunity

Section V – Presentation and analysis of Scooter’s Coffee’s financial performance representations (average revenues and/or profits), based on Item 19 of the company’s 2026 FDD, including information on the:

• 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, and 2021 average, median, lowest, and highest gross sales for the franchised Scooter’s Coffee Kiosk Stores and End Cap Stores that were open and operating during the entire 12-month period ending December 31 of the calendar year identified

• 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, and 2021 average and median customer ticket for the franchised Scooter’s Coffee Kiosk Stores and End Cap Stores that were open and operating during the entire 12-month period ending December 31 of the calendar year identified

• 2025 average gross sales, discounts, net sales, cost of goods sold, gross profit, labor costs, rental expense, royalty, marketing and advertising contributions, technology fee, card processing, overhead, total expenses, and earnings before depreciation, interest, taxes, and debt service for the franchised Scooter’s Coffee Kiosk Stores and End Cap Stores that were open and operating during the entire 12-month period ending December 31, 2025

• historic same-store sales growth for those franchised Scooter’s Coffee Kiosk Stores and End Cap Stores that were open for at least 13 months during each of the 5 measured periods (2020-2021 to 2024-2025)

Section VI – Key ratios, comparables, computations, and analyses for the Scooter’s Coffee franchise opportunity (exclusive content for Platinum subscribers)

Section I – Scooter’s Coffee Franchise Costs

• Scooter’s Coffee (Kiosk Store) franchise costs, based on Item 7 of the company’s 2026 FDD:

• Initial Franchise Fee:  $40,000
• Initial Opening Support Fee:  $20,000
• Site and Building Improvements:  $725,200 to $772,000 (not including the purchase of land)
• Architectural and Engineering Fees:  $46,700 to $56,500
• Equipment, Fixtures, and Furniture:  $181,750 to $191,300
• Signs:  $52,500 to $58,400
• Technology Systems and Software:  $34,500 to $41,000
• Deposits and Licenses:  $1,200 to $7,750
• Initial Training (travel and living expenses):  $5,000 to $8,000
• Opening Inventory, Supplies, and Smallwares:  $27,800 to $31,800
• Additional Funds (3 months):  $29,000 to $119,000
• Total Estimated Scooter’s Coffee Franchise Costs:  $1,163,650 to $1,345,750

Section II – Scooter’s Coffee’s Initial Franchise Fee, Royalty Fee, and Marketing Fee

• Scooter’s Coffee’s initial franchise fee, royalty fee, and marketing fee, based on Items 5 and 6 of the company’s 2026 FDD:

• Initial Franchise Fee:  $40,000

• Royalty:  6% of Net Sales

• National Marketing and Advertising Contribution:  currently 2% of Net Sales, although Scooter’s Coffee may require you to pay up to 4% of Net Sales

• Local Marketing and Advertising Contribution:  none currently, although Scooter’s Coffee may require you to spend up to 2% of Net Sales for local marketing and advertising in the future

• Regional Marketing and Advertising Cooperatives:  none currently. May vary, with recurring contributions up to 3% of Net Sales.

Section III – Number of Franchised and Company-Owned Scooter’s Coffee Outlets

Franchised

2023

• Outlets at the Start of the Year:  525
• Outlets at the End of the Year:  729
• Net Change:  +204

2024

• Outlets at the Start of the Year:  729
• Outlets at the End of the Year:  825
• Net Change:  +96

2025

• Outlets at the Start of the Year:  825
• Outlets at the End of the Year:  882
• Net Change:  +57

Company-Owned

2023

• Outlets at the Start of the Year:  30
• Outlets at the End of the Year:  21
• Net Change:  -9

2024

• Outlets at the Start of the Year:  21
• Outlets at the End of the Year:  24
• Net Change:  +3

2025

• Outlets at the Start of the Year:  24
• Outlets at the End of the Year:  24
• Net Change:  0

Section IV – News Updates on the Scooter’s Coffee Franchise

• Scooter’s Coffee Expands to 900 Stores Across 32 States Amid Continued Long-Term Growth

• Scooter’s Coffee Signs 31-Unit Deal Across Southeast

• Scooter’s Coffee Reportedly Exploring $1bn Sale

• Scooter’s Coffee Launches Revamped Rewards Program Featuring Expanded Redemption Options, Faster Earning and Enhanced Status Levels

• Scooter’s Coffee Honors Top Franchisees at Companywide Conference

• QSR Names Scooter’s Coffee One of 2025’s Best Brands to Work For

• Scooter’s Coffee Ranked No. 37 on Entrepreneur’s 2026 Franchise 500 List

Section V – Financial Performance Representations (Average Revenues and/or Profits) for the Scooter’s Coffee Franchise (Item 19, 2026 FDD)

• “Participating Stores” are those Stores that were open and operating for the entire 12-month period ended on December 31 of each Measurement Period:

Part 1 – Statement of Average Gross Sales

A. Average Gross Sales – Participating Kiosk Stores

• The table below discloses the average Gross Sales for Participating Kiosk Stores for each of the past five Measurement Periods. It includes the number and percentage of stores that attained or exceeded the average, the median Gross Sales, and the lowest and highest Gross Sales amounts for the Participating Kiosk Stores included in each of the Measurement Periods.

2025

• Number of Participating Kiosk Stores:  761
• Average Gross Sales:  $999,869
• Number and Percentage That Attained or Exceeded the Average:  289/47%
• Median Gross Sales:  $966,739
• Lowest Gross Sales:  $337,233
• Highest Gross Sales:  $2,458,874

2024

• Number of Participating Kiosk Stores:  605
• Average Gross Sales:  $914,719
• Number and Percentage That Attained or Exceeded the Average:  281/46%
• Median Gross Sales:  $880,794
• Lowest Gross Sales:  $240,038
• Highest Gross Sales:  $2,130,325

2023

• Number of Participating Kiosk Stores:  424
• Average Gross Sales:  $877,495
• Number and Percentage That Attained or Exceeded the Average:  206/49%
• Median Gross Sales:  $869,610
• Lowest Gross Sales:  $204,124
• Highest Gross Sales:  $1,902,593

2022

• Number of Participating Kiosk Stores:  275
• Average Gross Sales:  $876,519
• Number and Percentage That Attained or Exceeded the Average:  131/48%
• Median Gross Sales:  $855,908
• Lowest Gross Sales:  $193,807
• Highest Gross Sales:  $1,763,134

2021

• Number of Participating Kiosk Stores:  186
• Average Gross Sales:  $796,655
• Number and Percentage That Attained or Exceeded the Average:  90/48%
• Median Gross Sales:  $776,635
• Lowest Gross Sales:  $209,923
• Highest Gross Sales:  $1,569,308

B. Average Gross Sales – Participating End Cap Stores

• The table below discloses the average Gross Sales for Participating End Cap Stores for each of the past five Measurement Periods. It includes the number and percentage of stores that attained or exceeded the average, the median Gross Sales, and the lowest and highest Gross Sales amounts for the Participating End Cap Stores included in each Measurement Period.

2025

• Number of Participating End Cap Stores:  45
• Average Gross Sales:  $1,082,458
• Number and Percentage That Attained or Exceeded the Average:  22/49%
• Median Gross Sales:  $1,076,758
• Lowest Gross Sales:  $339,161
• Highest Gross Sales:  $2,261,196

2024

• Number of Participating End Cap Stores:  51
• Average Gross Sales:  $991,552
• Number and Percentage That Attained or Exceeded the Average:  27/53%
• Median Gross Sales:  $998,022
• Lowest Gross Sales:  $207,880
• Highest Gross Sales:  $2,207,609

2023

• Number of Participating End Cap Stores:  52
• Average Gross Sales:  $946,918
• Number and Percentage That Attained or Exceeded the Average:  27/52%
• Median Gross Sales:  $978,221
• Lowest Gross Sales:  $213,614
• Highest Gross Sales:  $2,083,248

2022

• Number of Participating End Cap Stores:  53
• Average Gross Sales:  $951,900
• Number and Percentage That Attained or Exceeded the Average:  24/45%
• Median Gross Sales:  $935,698
• Lowest Gross Sales:  $222,731
• Highest Gross Sales:  $2,022,167

2021

• Number of Participating End Cap Stores:  52
• Average Gross Sales:  $877,293
• Number and Percentage That Attained or Exceeded the Average:  26/50%
• Median Gross Sales:  $884,852
• Lowest Gross Sales:  $218,550
• Highest Gross Sales:  $1,808,214

Part 2 – Statement of Average Customer Ticket

A. Average Customer Ticket – Participating Kiosk Stores

• The table below discloses the Average Customer Ticket for Participating Kiosk Stores over the past five Measurement Periods. It includes the number and percentage of Stores that attained or exceeded the average, and the median Customer Ticket.

2025

• Average Customer Ticket:  $10.21
• Number and Percentage That Attained or Exceeded (or Did Better Than) the Average:  305/49%
• Median: $10.20

2024

• Average Customer Ticket:  $9.83
• Number and Percentage That Attained or Exceeded (or Did Better Than) the Average:  287/47%
• Median: $9.79

2023

• Average Customer Ticket:  $9.32
• Number and Percentage That Attained or Exceeded (or Did Better Than) the Average:  207/49%
• Median: $9.30

2022

• Average Customer Ticket:  $9.11
• Number and Percentage That Attained or Exceeded (or Did Better Than) the Average:  127/46%
• Median: $9.07

2021

• Average Customer Ticket:  $8.56
• Number and Percentage That Attained or Exceeded (or Did Better Than) the Average:  96/52%
• Median: $8.56

B. Average Customer Ticket – Participating End Cap Stores

• The table below discloses the Average Customer Ticket for Participating End Cap Stores over the past five Measurement Periods. It includes the number and percentage of stores that attained or exceeded the average, and the median Customer Ticket.

2025

• Average Customer Ticket:  $9.74
• Number and Percentage That Attained or Exceeded (or Did Better Than) the Average:  21/47%
• Median: $9.66

2024

• Average Customer Ticket:  $9.40
• Number and Percentage That Attained or Exceeded (or Did Better Than) the Average:  22/43%
• Median: $9.29

2023

• Average Customer Ticket:  $8.93
• Number and Percentage That Attained or Exceeded (or Did Better Than) the Average:  21/40%
• Median: $8.80

2022

• Average Customer Ticket:  $8.76
• Number and Percentage That Attained or Exceeded (or Did Better Than) the Average:  23/43%
• Median: $8.72

2021

• Average Customer Ticket:  $8.34
• Number and Percentage That Attained or Exceeded (or Did Better Than) the Average:  24/46%
• Median: $8.31

Part 3 – Statement of Sales, Expenses, and Earnings

A. Statement of Sales, Expenses, and Earnings – Reporting Kiosk Stores

• There were 768 franchised Kiosk Stores in Scooter’s Coffee’s System as of December 31, 2025. Of these 768 Stores, 697 of them operated for the entire 2025 Measurement Period.

• Scooter’s Coffee excluded 76 Kiosk Stores from the 697 Stores because these Stores did not provide Scooter’s Coffee with complete cost and expense data for the 2025 Measurement Period, leaving 621 Reporting Kiosk Stores whose information was used to determine the Statements of Sales, Expenses, and Earnings disclosed in the table below.

• The earliest of the Reporting Kiosk Stores in the 2025 Measurement Period opened on December 1, 2001 and the latest on December 31, 2024.

Number of Stores:  621

Gross Sales:  $998,869 (108.1%)

• Less Discounts:  $75,064 (8.1%)

Net Sales:  $923,805 (100.0%)

Cost of Goods Sold:  $322,691 (34.9%)

Gross Profit:  $601,114 (65.1%)

Operating Expenses

• Labor Costs:  $251,388 (27.2%)
• Rental Expense:  $58,694 (6.4%)
• Royalty:  $55,428 (6.0%)
• Marketing and Advertising Contributions:  $18,476 (2.0%)
• Technology Fee:   $4,200 (0.5%)
• Card Processing:  $25,971 (2.8%)
• Overhead:  $52,500 (5.7%)
• Total Expenses:  $466,657 (50.5%)

Earnings Before Depreciation, Interest, Taxes, and Debt Service:  $134,457 (14.6%)

Gross Sales

• Median:  $966,739
• High:  $2,458,874
• Low:  $337,233
• Number and Percentage That Attained or Exceeded the Average:  289/47%

Gross Profit

• Median:  $585,327
• High:  $1,459,448
• Low:  $182,030
• Number and Percentage That Attained or Exceeded the Average:  297/48%

Total Expenses

• Median:  $450,000
• High:  $938,508
• Low:  $190,303
• Number and Percentage That Attained or Exceeded the Average:  270/43%

EBITDA

• Median:  $138,332
• High:  $613,869
• Low:  $(250,144)
• Number and Percentage That Attained or Exceeded the Average:  318/51%

B. Statement of Sales, Expenses, and Earnings – Reporting End Cap Stores

• There were 62 franchised End Cap Stores in Scooter’s Coffee’s System as of December 31, 2025. Of these 62 Stores, 52 of them operated for the entire 2025 Measurement Period.

• Scooter’s Coffee excluded 7 End Cap Stores from the 52 Stores because these Stores did not provide Scooter’s Coffee with the cost and expense data it requested for the 2025 Measurement Period, leaving 45 Reporting End Cap Stores, whose information was used to determine the Statements of Sales, Expenses, and Earnings disclosed in the table below.

• The earliest of the Reporting End Cap Stores in the 2025 Measurement Period opened on December 1, 2001 and the latest on December 21, 2024.

Number of Stores:  45

Gross Sales:  $1,082,458 (108.8%)

• Less Discounts:  $87,803 (8.8%)

Net Sales:  $994,655 (100.0%)

Cost of Goods Sold:  $339,755 (34.2%)

Gross Profit:  $654,900 (65.8%)

Operating Expenses

• Labor Costs:  $275,312 (27.7%)
• Rental Expense:  $59,733 (6.0%)
• Royalty:  $59,679 (6.0%)
• Marketing and Advertising Contributions:  $19,893 (2.0%)
• Technology Fee:   $4,200 (0.4%)
• Card Processing:  $28,144 (2.8%)
• Overhead:  $52,500 (5.3%)
• Total Expenses:  $499,461 (50.2%)

Earnings Before Depreciation, Interest, Taxes, and Debt Service:  $155,439 (15.6%)

Gross Sales

• Median:  $1,076,758
• High:  $2,261,196
• Low:  $339,161
• Number and Percentage That Attained or Exceeded the Average:  23/51%

Gross Profit

• Median:  $661,122
• High:  $1,364,587
• Low:  $194,929
• Number and Percentage That Attained or Exceeded the Average:  24/53%

Total Expenses

• Median:  $496,002
• High:  $767,218
• Low:  $264,656
• Number and Percentage That Attained or Exceeded the Average:  20/44%

EBITDA

• Median:  $153,411
• High:  $597,369
• Low:  $(69,727)
• Number and Percentage That Attained or Exceeded the Average:  22/49%

• The term “Discounts” includes the face value of coupons, free or reduced drink promotions, gift card promotions, mobile app promotions, refunds, and employee free drinks.

• The term “Cost of Goods Sold” includes amounts for coffee beans, dairy, food items, syrups, tea, smoothies, cups, lids, paper products, and other direct products associated with serving food and beverage products.

• The term “Net Sales” means sales of all services or products from or through your Store, including any sale of services or products made for cash and/or on credit, regardless of: (i) collection of charges for which credit is given, (ii) whether such sale is conducted in compliance with the Franchise Agreement, and (iii) whether such sale is at the Franchised Location or off-site, but exclusive of discounts. “Net Sales” also includes the fair market value of any services or products you receive in barter or exchange for your services and products.

• The term “Gross Profit” means the Net Sales minus the Cost of Goods Sold.

• The term “Labor Costs” includes wages for in-store employees including the manager and payroll taxes, but does not include employee benefits. The costs of overhead employees, such as a regional manager, are not included in the labor calculations above.

• The term “Rental Expense” includes the total amount of payments to the franchisee’s landlord, including base rent, common area maintenance, real estate taxes, and insurance. During 2025, the range of annual rent paid for Kiosk was $5,700 to $168,000 and $12,000 to $180,000 for End Cap Stores.

• The term “Card Processing” is the estimated cost of processing debit card, credit card, and gift card payments on Store sales, averaging 2.6% of Gross Sales.

• The term “Overhead” is the estimated costs of other expenses including business insurance, licenses, accounting fees, banking fees, store supplies, service contracts, repairs, maintenance, uniforms, and other miscellaneous costs. In Scooter’s Coffee’s experience, Overhead expense is an average of $49,800 for Kiosk Stores and End Cap Stores. Scooter’s Coffee has used these figures in calculating the estimated Overhead expenses in the above charts.

• The term “EBITDA” is the estimated earnings before deductions for payments and costs of borrowing to finance the Initial Fees in Item 5, Initial Investment in Item 7, and ongoing investments in the Store and before deductions for depreciation on the Initial Fees in Item 5, Initial Investment in Item 7, and ongoing investments in the Reporting Store.

Part 4 – Historic Same-Store Net Sales Growth

A. Same-Store Net Sales Growth Over Prior Year – Comparable Kiosk Stores

• The table below provides the same-store net sales growth for Comparable Kiosk Stores in each of the Comparable Periods. The growth percentage is calculated by taking the total Net Sales for the most recent year in the applicable Comparable Period, and dividing it by the difference between the total Net Sales for the most recent year in such Comparable Period and the total Net Sales of the Comparable Kiosk Stores for the prior year in the Comparable Period.

• The earliest of the Comparable Kiosk Stores in the 2024-2025 Comparable Period opened on December 1, 2001, and the latest on December 31, 2024.

2024-2025

• Comparable Kiosk Stores Same-Store Sales Growth Over Prior Year:  +8.90%
• Total Number of Comparable Kiosk Stores:  525
• Total Number of Kiosk Stores Existing During Period:  768
• Number and Percentage of Comparable Kiosk Stores That Attained or Exceeded Average:  272/51.81%

2023-2024

• Comparable Kiosk Stores Same-Store Sales Growth Over Prior Year:  +5.22%
• Total Number of Comparable Kiosk Stores:  419
• Total Number of Kiosk Stores Existing During Period:  717
• Number and Percentage of Comparable Kiosk Stores That Attained or Exceeded Average:  208/49.64%

2022-2023

• Comparable Kiosk Stores Same-Store Sales Growth Over Prior Year:  +0.74%
• Total Number of Comparable Kiosk Stores:  272
• Total Number of Kiosk Stores Existing During Period:  618
• Number and Percentage of Comparable Kiosk Stores That Attained or Exceeded Average:  131/48.16%

2021-2022

• Comparable Kiosk Stores Same-Store Sales Growth Over Prior Year:  +5.92%
• Total Number of Comparable Kiosk Stores:  185
• Total Number of Kiosk Stores Existing During Period:  421
• Number and Percentage of Comparable Kiosk Stores That Attained or Exceeded Average:  110/59.46%

2020-2021

• Comparable Kiosk Stores Same-Store Sales Growth Over Prior Year:  +23.83%
• Total Number of Comparable Kiosk Stores:  145
• Total Number of Kiosk Stores Existing During Period:  275
• Number and Percentage of Comparable Kiosk Stores That Attained or Exceeded Average:  75/51.72%

B. Same-Store Net Sales Growth Over Prior Year – Comparable End Cap Stores

• The table below provides the same-store net sales growth for Comparable End Cap Stores in each of the Comparable Periods. The growth percentage was calculated the same way it was calculated above for the Comparable Kiosk Stores.

• The earliest of the Comparable End Cap Stores in the 2024-2025 Comparable Period opened on December 1, 2001 and the latest on December 21, 2024.

2024-2025

• Comparable End Cap Stores Same-Store Sales Growth Over Prior Year:  +7.08%
• Total Number of Comparable End Cap Stores:  43
• Total Number of End Cap Stores Existing During Period:  62
• Number and Percentage of Comparable End Cap Stores That Attained or Exceeded Average:  20/46.51%

2023-2024

• Comparable End Cap Stores Same-Store Sales Growth Over Prior Year:  +3.74%
• Total Number of Comparable End Cap Stores:  51
• Total Number of End Cap Stores Existing During Period:  55
• Number and Percentage of Comparable End Cap Stores That Attained or Exceeded Average:  26/50.98%

2022-2023

• Comparable End Cap Stores Same-Store Sales Growth Over Prior Year:  -1.70%
• Total Number of Comparable End Cap Stores:  52
• Total Number of End Cap Stores Existing During Period:  53
• Number and Percentage of Comparable End Cap Stores That Attained or Exceeded Average:  27/51.92%

2021-2022

• Comparable End Cap Stores Same-Store Sales Growth Over Prior Year:  +7.29%
• Total Number of Comparable End Cap Stores:  53
• Total Number of End Cap Stores Existing During Period:  53
• Number and Percentage of Comparable End Cap Stores That Attained or Exceeded Average:  28/52.83%

2020-2021

• Comparable End Cap Stores Same-Store Sales Growth Over Prior Year:  +25.42%
• Total Number of Comparable End Cap Stores:  51
• Total Number of End Cap Stores Existing During Period:  53
• Number and Percentage of Comparable End Cap Stores That Attained or Exceeded Average:  27/52.94%

• Some outlets have sold/earned these amounts. Your individual results may differ. There is no assurance you will sell/earn as much.

• The financial performance figures do not reflect all of the costs of sales, operating expenses, or other costs or expenses that must be deducted from net revenue or net sales figures to obtain your net income or profit.

• All of the Stores used in compiling the numbers in this Item 19 offer substantially the same products and services as you are expected to offer.

Section VI – Scooter’s Coffee Franchise Ratios, Comparables, Computations, and Analyses (Exclusive Content for Platinum Subscribers) ⬇️