Here are the questions we frequently hear about our franchise opportunity.

Tropical Smoothie Cafe was founded in 1997, and we opened our first franchise location in Tallahassee, FL, in 1998.

Yes, the franchise model and the support we provide to our franchise operators makes running a business easier than ever! We handle the menu innovation and provide marketing support to drive traffic and sales to your Cafe. We have also made operations easy for you by removing hard-to-use equipment, like deep fryers and hooding systems, so that you can focus on fresh food, freshly prepared daily.

Our cafes are open 7 days a week and we have required operating hours. Monday – Friday 7am – 9pm. Saturday 8am – 9pm. Sunday 10am – 8pm.

A new Cafe investment is between $300,000 and $720,500^†. The average cost is approximately $500,000^†, costs vary by location.

†‡ The average investment does not reflect tenant improvement allowance. For 2023, the average tenant improvement allowance was $43,500.

We have over 1,500+ locations across the United States.

We currently have more than 1,500+ locations.

Yes. We have an in-house Real Estate Team and a network of local brokers that will assist you in performing a real estate site search.

Typically, we look for between 1,200 to 1,800 square feet. We also have flexible layouts for non-traditional venues.

Cafes usually employ 15-20 part-time employees.

The franchise fee is $35,000 for the first cafe. If you choose to develop multiple cafes, a $25,000 franchise fee must be paid for the second and each additional unit. The franchise fee for qualified veterans is $17,500 for the first and each subsequent unit developed.

This fee covers your training, plans for building out the Cafe, access to our systems, technology, operational support, and more.

Franchise Agreements last for 15 years. If you are in good standing and satisfy certain conditions, you may renew, with no additional fees, for one additional 10-year term.

There is a 6% Royalty Fee, as well as a 5-6% National Marketing Fee. Fees are per Cafe and based on gross sales.

Our training prepares you to succeed. We provide the following training: Basic training – consists of two weeks in a nearby Cafe; Leadership Training – virtual sessions hosted by our Support Center team; Opening Support – 10 days onsite support provided by our Operations Support team.