Auntie Anne’s Pretzels franchise financing options

Overall costs for Auntie Anne's Pretzels run anywhere from $155,350 to $437,500. See how the costs break down and what funding options might be right for your new venture into the franchise foray.

Estimated initial costs

Our cost estimates are accurate as of 2022 from Franchise Direct and include opening fees and expenses only. The location you choose for your Auntie Anne's Pretzels franchise may result in higher or lower fees.

Franchise fees

Auntie Anne's Pretzels franchise fees total around $30,000, which beats out the $37,000 average for the 200 largest franchises nationwide.

Franchise	Cost
Initial franchise fee	$30,000 to $30,000
Estimated total	$30,000 to $30,000

Equipment fees

Equipment fees total $67,125 for Auntie Anne's Pretzels. This is less than the $180,023 average for the top 200 franchises.

Equipment	Cost
Equipment package	$28,000 to $47,000
Millwork	$5,000 to $24,000
Furniture	$0 to $2,500
Menu board, graphics and interior signage	$250 to $12,000
Exterior signage	$1,500 to $8,500
Smallwares	$1,000 to $4,500
Estimated total	$35,750 to $98,500

Real estate fees

Real estate will set you back $115,500 for Auntie Anne's Pretzels, thought it's less than the average of $788,376 for the top 200 franchises.

Real estate	Cost
Construction and build-out costs	$40,000 to $150,000
Architect and engineer	$2,000 to $12,000
Rent	$2,000 to $10,000
Security deposits	$0 to $15,000
Estimated total	$44,000 to $187,000

Training fees

Auntie Anne's Pretzels initial training costs total $8,650, which comes in under the nationwide average of $9,788.

Training	Cost
Computer system and software training	$4,300 to $13,000
Estimated total	$4,300 to $13,000

Inventory costs

Initial inventory for Auntie Anne's Pretzels shakes out to $3,650. This is less than the nationwide average of $53,119.

Inventory	Cost
Opening inventory	$3,300 to $4,000
Estimated total	$3,300 to $4,000

Marketing costs

Advertisement and marketing costs total up to $3,000 for Auntie Anne's Pretzels, beating out the nationwide average of $9,938.

Marketing	Cost
Grand opening marketing	$1,000 to $5,000
Estimated total	$1,000 to $5,000

Licenses and permits costs

Auntie Anne's Pretzels initial licenses and permits will set you back $3,000. This comes out to less than $18,770 — the overall nationwide average.

Licenses and permits	Cost
Permits	$2,000 to $4,000
Estimated total	$2,000 to $4,000

Insurance costs

Initial insurance costs for Auntie Anne's Pretzels run $6,000. This means you'll be paying less than the overall nationwide average of $6,311.

Insurance	Cost
Insurance	$2,000 to $10,000
Estimated total	$2,000 to $10,000

Administrative fees

Auntie Anne's Pretzels administrative fees total up to $7,500 — which comes in over the overall nationwide average of $6,761.

Admin	Cost
Legal and accounting fees	$5,000 to $10,000
Audit	Cost of audit.
Estimated total	$5,000 to $10,000

Other expenses

Miscellaneous expenses for Auntie Anne's Pretzels total $52,000 — less than the nationwide average of $69,970.

Other	Cost
Miscellaneous opening costs and office supplies	$13,000 to $25,000
Three months' additional funds	$15,000 to $51,000
Estimated total	$28,000 to $76,000

All costs were found using the 200 largest franchises nationwide using Franchise Direct's list of more than 300 franchises, and are accurate as of 2022.

How to finance

Since the estimated total for Auntie Anne's Pretzels is on the more costly side, we recommend following these steps to get fully financed:

1. Go to the Auntie Anne's Pretzels franchising website and review its financial requirements, including cash-on-hand requirements.
2. Reach out to Auntie Anne's Pretzels about in-house financing for franchisees.
3. If in-house financing isn't available, look for online loans, bank loans and SBA loans to help meet the $296,425 estimated opening costs.
4. Compare lenders based on amounts, interest rates and what types of personal and business credit history they accept.
5. Once you settle on a lender, gather all required documents, including account statements and assets.
6. Apply for financing online or in person as required by the lender.

What types of financing is available?

You have several options when it comes to financing a Auntie Anne's Pretzels — even if the cost is on the heavier side. What assets you have available will largely determine how much you need to borrow, and which option suits you best.

• Online loan. A number of online business lenders offer amounts up to $1 million, with some extending up to $5 million.
• Bank loan. Your personal credit will typically need to at least be good — 670 or higher — when it comes to getting a bank loan large enough to cover a significant portion of Auntie Anne's Pretzels opening costs.
• SBA loan. While your personal credit score doesn't need to be as good to qualify for an SBA loan, they usually cost more than standard term loans from banks or online lenders.

Also check if Auntie Anne's Pretzels franchise financing is available. You may be able to get some of the costs covered for less than you would with other traditional funding options.

Compare small business lenders

You may not need financing to cover the estimated $155,350. But if you need funds for other business ventures, select the loan amount, your time in business and revenue and your personal credit score to compare a selection of lenders.

How Auntie Anne's Pretzels stacks up

Compare how Auntie Anne's Pretzels holds up against two similarly sized franchises.

	Sears Maid Services	Auntie Anne's Pretzels	Carrefour
Average Franchise fees	$52,500	$30,000	NA
Average Equipment fees	NA	$67,125	NA
Average Real estate fees	$2,250	$115,500	NA
Average Training fees	$3,250	$8,650	NA
Average Inventory fees	$4,250	$3,650	NA
Average Marketing fees	NA	$3,000	NA
Average Licenses and permits fees	NA	$3,000	NA
Average Insurance fees	$2,000	$6,000	NA
Average Admin fees	NA	$7,500	NA
Average Personnel fees	NA	NA	NA
Average Other fees	$15,000	$52,000	NA

Bottom line

Auntie Anne's Pretzels franchise costs run a total of $296,425. Before you decide to become a franchisee, compare the total costs against industry averages. And to learn more about financing read our guide to franchise financing.