Cold Stone Creamery vs Cookout Franchise Cost 2026
Cold Stone Creamery runs $370K–$640K. Cookout runs $500K–$1.2M. The gap at midpoint: $345K.
Cold Stone Creamery
$370K–$640K
total investment
Investment Difference
$345K
Cold Stone Creamery costs less
Cookout
$500K–$1.2M
total investment
Cost Breakdown
| Category | Cold Stone Creamery | Cookout | Lower Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Investment | $370K–$640K | $500K–$1.2M | Cold Stone Creamery |
| Franchise Fee | $27,000 | $0 | Cookout |
| Royalty Rate | 6.0% | 0.0% | Cookout |
| Ad Fund Fee | 3.0% | 0.0% | Cookout |
| Net Worth Required | $250K | $500K | Cold Stone Creamery |
| Liquid Capital | $100K | $250K | Cold Stone Creamery |
| Est. Break-Even | 39.1 yr | 2.8 yr | Cookout |
Cold Stone Creamery Profile
- Category
- food
- Total Investment
- $370K–$640K
- Franchise Fee
- $27,000
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- Est. Annual Revenue
- $430K
Cookout Profile
- Category
- food
- Total Investment
- $500K–$1.2M
- Franchise Fee
- $0
- Royalty
- 0.0%
- Est. Annual Revenue
- $2.5M
Bottom Line
Cold Stone Creamery costs $345K less to open at the midpoint. That difference goes toward working capital or a second location. Cookout also wins on royalty rate.