Ice Cream / Frozen Desserts · FDD 2026 · from public state filings
DDisclosure honesty
This franchisor discloses earnings (Item 19) — but read how.
Investment
$38,850–$1,136,500
Total fees
9% of sales
Outlets
360
Closure signals
0 ceased, 8 terminated
Lawsuits
2
What their own earnings claim actually says
Discloses average Net Sales by quartile for only 104 of 272 eligible streetside franchises (38.2%); excludes Other Locations, Co-Branded, Express, non-POS, and partial-year Shoppes. Revenue only—no costs, profit, or owner income disclosed.
Honesty grade D: the disclosed numbers are incomplete or framed to look better than an owner's real take-home.
Failure & turnover reality (Item 20)
8 terminations and 4 non-renewals in 2025; 6 permanent closures noted in Item 19 footnote.
Legal history (Item 3)
2 matters disclosed.
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The franchisor won't put real owner profit in writing. We do — reconstructed from their own FDD.
Franchisor's framing: Discloses average Net Sales by quartile for only 104 of 272 eligible streetside franchises (38.…
🔒 Real estimated owner take-home (low / median / high) — unlocked in the report
Reconstructed owner P&L — net take-home after royalty, ad fund, rent, labor & debt
Break-even timeline + cash-on-cash ROI on your investment
Full fee stack + required-purchase markups
Decoded real failure / closure rate
How it ranks vs comparable franchises
Validation-call playbook — who to call + the exact questions
The FDD lists a total initial investment of about $38,850–$1,136,500, including a $35,500 initial franchise fee.
How much do Carvel franchise owners make?
Discloses average Net Sales by quartile for only 104 of 272 eligible streetside franchises (38.2%); excludes Other Locations, Co-Branded, Express, non-POS, and partial-year Shoppes. Revenue only—no costs, profit, or owner income disclosed. We grade this disclosure D for honesty.
What is the Carvel franchise failure rate?
8 terminations and 4 non-renewals in 2025; 6 permanent closures noted in Item 19 footnote.
Is a Carvel franchise worth it?
It depends on the numbers, not the pitch. Carvel scores D on disclosure honesty, carries about 9% of sales in ongoing fees, and discloses 2 legal matters. Get the real owner take-home before you sign.
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Source: MN CARDS 35783-202604-09 (Clean FDD 2026). FranchiseValidate is independent and not affiliated with Carvel or its franchisor. Figures are extracted from the franchisor's own public disclosure document; verify against the current FDD before any decision.