The Scooter’s franchise cost is $1,163,650 to $1,345,750 for a drive-thru Kiosk Store and $658,898 to $1,068,525 for an End Cap Store, land excluded, per the October 5, 2026 amended FDD.
Key takeaways
- The kiosk’s Site and Building Improvements line alone is $725,200 to $772,000, about 62% of the low total, and it still excludes buying land (Scooter’s Coffee Franchise Disclosure Document, issued July 14, 2026, as amended October 5, 2026, Item 7).
- Between $220,000 and $286,000 of a store’s budget goes to Scooter’s Coffee Franchisor, LLC or its affiliate Scooter’s Coffee Supply Chain before opening (FDD cover page and Item 5).
- Weekly deductions are 6% royalty plus 2% national marketing today, and Item 6 lets total marketing reach 5% of Net Sales.
- Franchisees bought $247,244,700 of goods from Scooter’s Coffee Supply Chain in 2025, and supplier rebates ran from under 1% to 10% or more (Item 8).
- The system ended 2025 with 882 franchised and 24 company-owned stores, plus 242 signed agreements not yet open (Item 20).
| Number | Value | Where it is printed |
|---|---|---|
| Kiosk Store total | $1,163,650 to $1,345,750 | Item 7, Kiosk table |
| End Cap Store total | $658,898 to $1,068,525 | Item 7, End Cap table |
| Initial Franchise Fee plus Initial Opening Support Fee | $40,000 plus $20,000 | Item 5 |
| Royalty and national marketing | 6% and 2% of Net Sales (marketing up to 4%) | Item 6 |
| Typical time to open | 180 to 545 days | Item 11 |
| Liquid assets and net worth sought | $250,000 and $500,000 | Scooter’s franchising site, not the FDD |
Kiosk or end cap: which Scooter’s Coffee format are you pricing?
Scooter’s Coffee prints two separate Item 7 tables, and the format decides most of the answer. A Kiosk Store is a 650 to 700 square foot drive-thru building, usually in a parking lot near retail. An End Cap Store fills 800 to 1,400 square feet at the end of a strip center with indoor ordering and a drive-up window (Item 1 and Item 7, Note 2).
The gap between the two totals is $504,752 at the low end and $277,225 at the high end, our arithmetic from Item 7. Nearly all of it sits in one line: the kiosk owner builds a freestanding structure and pays for the pad, utilities and drive-thru paving, while the end cap owner fits out a shell a landlord already built.
| Feature | Kiosk Store | End Cap Store | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 650 to 700 sq ft | 800 to 1,400 sq ft | Item 7, Note 2 |
| Seating | Generally none, drive-up windows | Indoor ordering plus drive-up window | Item 1 |
| Rent paid in 2025 | $3,500 to $10,000 per month | $3,700 to $7,800 per month | Item 7, Note 2 |
| Site and Building Improvements | $725,200 to $772,000 | $234,448 to $500,000 | Item 7 |
| Total initial investment | $1,163,650 to $1,345,750 | $658,898 to $1,068,525 | Item 7 |
| Stores in the system, Dec 31, 2025 | 781 (768 franchised) | 63 (62 franchised) | Item 19 store count table |
The store count row comes from the Item 19 count table, which tallies 881 franchised and 25 affiliate stores because one officer-owned kiosk is counted as affiliate; Item 20 reports the same 906 total as 882 and 24. Category-wide format comparisons across several brands are on our coffee franchise cost comparison.
The Item 7 kiosk budget, line by line
Eleven lines make up the Kiosk Store estimate of $1,163,650 to $1,345,750, and two of them, the building and the equipment package, account for $906,950 of the low figure. The table below copies every line exactly as Item 7 prints it, sets the End Cap figure beside it and names who the FDD says receives the money.
| Item 7 line | Kiosk Store | End Cap Store | Paid to (per FDD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $40,000 | $40,000 | Franchisor |
| Initial Opening Support Fee | $20,000 | $20,000 | Franchisor |
| Site and Building Improvements (no land) | $725,200 to $772,000 | $234,448 to $500,000 | Franchisor or other suppliers |
| Architectural and Engineering Fees | $46,700 to $56,500 | $28,400 to $42,725 | Other suppliers |
| Equipment, fixtures and furniture | $181,750 to $191,300 | $186,500 to $194,750 | Supply Chain and other suppliers |
| Signs | $52,500 to $58,400 | $52,050 to $63,500 | Other suppliers |
| Technology Systems and Software | $34,500 to $41,000 | $34,500 to $41,000 | Other suppliers |
| Deposits and licenses | $1,200 to $7,750 | $1,200 to $7,750 | Other suppliers |
| Initial training travel and living | $5,000 to $8,000 | $5,000 to $8,000 | Other suppliers |
| Opening inventory, supplies, smallwares | $27,800 to $31,800 | $27,800 to $31,800 | Supply Chain and other suppliers |
| Additional funds, 3 months | $29,000 to $119,000 | $29,000 to $119,000 | Other suppliers and employees |
| Total | $1,163,650 to $1,345,750 | $658,898 to $1,068,525 |
The full comparison, with the per-line difference, is in scooters-coffee-item-7-kiosk-vs-end-cap.csv. We added each column and both totals reconcile to the printed figures to the dollar.
Site and building is the only line where the formats differ by more than $15,000 at the high end: $772,000 for a kiosk vs $500,000 for an end cap. Source: Scooter’s Coffee FDD amended October 5, 2026, Item 7.
What the kiosk notes put inside each line
Item 7 attaches 11 explanatory notes to the kiosk table, and they show which costs a landlord or a cheaper pad can move. Notes 2, 3 and 10 carry the most variable items: soil and storm water work, the site investigation report and the payroll a new owner funds before sales cover it.
- Site work (Note 2): utilities to the building, storm water tie-in, new concrete or asphalt for the drive-thru, contaminant remediation and soil import or excavation, plus an energy consultant at about $2,500.
- Architecture (Note 3): architectural, structural and civil engineering fees, including a required site investigation report of about $5,000.
- Equipment (Note 4): espresso machine, brewers, grinders, smoothie machines, oven, refrigerators, ice makers, sinks and shelving; optional extras are not counted.
- Signs (Note 5): a monument or pole sign is assumed unless law or the landlord forbids it.
- Additional funds (Note 10): payroll of $12,000 to $60,000, grand opening spending of $10,000 to $30,000 and 3 months of rent; no owner salary.
Every line in both tables is either non-refundable or, to the franchisor’s knowledge, non-refundable when paid to others (Item 7, Note 11). The End Cap estimates rest on costs reported by five franchisees who each opened one End Cap Store in 2025, in Alabama, Utah, Wyoming, Illinois and Nebraska.
Who gets paid before the first espresso is pulled?
For a Kiosk Store, $220,000 to $286,000 flows to the Scooter’s side before opening: the $40,000 Initial Franchise Fee and $20,000 Initial Opening Support Fee at signing, plus $160,000 to $226,000 of equipment and opening inventory bought from Scooter’s Coffee Supply Chain and preferred suppliers (FDD cover page and Item 5). The rest goes to contractors, landlords and vendors.
| Payment | Amount | When | Item |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $40,000 by ACH, not refundable | At signing | Item 5 |
| Initial Opening Support Fee | $20,000, not refundable | At signing | Item 5 |
| Equipment and opening inventory, Kiosk | $160,000 to $226,000 (inventory $27,000 to $30,800) | Equipment as ordered; inventory about 2 weeks before opening | Item 5 |
| Equipment and opening inventory, End Cap | $214,300 to $225,550 | Same | Item 5 |
| Development Fee, multi-store | $20,000 per Store after the first | At signing of MSD Agreement | Item 5 |
| Site Concept Plan | Up to $1,000 | Before ground lease or purchase | Item 6 |
During 2025 the predecessor franchisor collected initial fees from $20,000 to $40,000, so lower fees have been granted in some cases (Item 5). Honorably discharged veterans who qualify receive a $20,000 product credit from Scooter’s Coffee Supply Chain, usable within one year of opening and only on the first store; other brands’ veteran terms are compiled in our veteran franchise discounts report.
What a five-store development deal adds
Under a Multiple Store Development Agreement for 5 Stores, the developer pays the $40,000 fee for store one plus an $80,000 Development Fee ($20,000 times 4) at signing. Each later store’s then-current fee is reduced by the $20,000 credit, so if the fee stays at $40,000, franchisor fees total $200,000, our arithmetic. Item 7 puts the multi-store first-store investment at $678,898 to $1,425,750.
What happens to the budget if you buy the land?
Land is outside every Item 7 total. Note 2 says real estate bought by franchisees and affiliates for kiosks cost $250,000 to $1,300,000 as of the issuance date, and that buying is optional. A buyer must hold the land in a separate entity that leases the site to the franchisee entity (Item 11).
| Scenario (Kiosk Store) | Low | High | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Item 7 total, leased pad | $1,163,650 | $1,345,750 | Item 7 |
| Land purchase prices reported | $250,000 | $1,300,000 | Item 7, Note 2 |
| Item 7 plus land | $1,413,650 | $2,645,750 | Our arithmetic |
| Rent instead, 12 months | $42,000 | $120,000 | $3,500 to $10,000 per month x 12, our arithmetic |
Leasing keeps land off the opening budget, but the lease term, counting any renewal terms, must reach at least 10 years and the lease must carry Scooter’s Lease Addendum (Franchise Agreement Section 5.2). Note 2 also says a landlord allowance or rent credit may offset part of the site work, which is the line that moves the kiosk budget most.
Which percentages come out of every week’s Net Sales?
Scooter’s debits 6% royalty and 2% national marketing from the franchisee’s bank account every Tuesday for the prior Saturday to Friday week. Item 6 allows marketing to rise: national up to 4%, local up to 2% and regional co-ops up to 3%, with all marketing capped at 5% of Net Sales. That puts today’s percentage take at 8% and the written ceiling at 11.25% once a 0.25% inventory program is added.
| Fee | Today | Maximum in Item 6 |
|---|---|---|
| Royalty | 6% of Net Sales | 6% |
| National Marketing and Advertising Contribution | 2% | 4%, with 60 days’ notice |
| Local marketing | None | 2% |
| Regional co-op | None (no co-ops exist) | 3% |
| All marketing combined | 2% | 5% cap (Note 3) |
| Inventory Management Program | None | 0.25% |
| Technology Fee | $350 per month | Rises 15% a year, compounded |
| Annual conference | $499 per person | Charged even if no one attends |
How the Technology Fee compounds
The Technology Fee is the one fixed charge with a built-in escalator: Item 6 says it is subject to an annual increase of 15%, compounded and cumulative. If each increase is applied, the monthly fee moves from $350 to $402.50 in year 2 and $462.88 in year 3, so the yearly bill goes from $4,200 to $4,830 to $5,554.50, our arithmetic.
Other fixed charges include the transfer fee and renewal fee (each the greater of $10,000 or 25% of the then-current initial fee), $3,000 for each search area change after two free ones, $150 per hour for real estate help, and $500 per person for added training (Item 6). Brand-by-brand royalty comparisons sit in our franchise royalty rates report.
What must be bought from Scooter’s Coffee Supply Chain?
Item 8 names Harvest Roasting, LLC, trading as Scooter’s Coffee Supply Chain, and designated dairy providers as the required source for coffee beans, syrups and sauces, sandwiches, burritos, baked goods where it delivers, smoothie mixes, dairy, cups and lids, branded items, and espresso machines, brewers, grinders and ovens. A franchisee may not propose an alternative for any item that has a Designated Supplier.
| Item 8 disclosure (fiscal 2025) | Figure |
|---|---|
| Supply Chain revenue from sales to franchisees | $247,244,700 |
| Predecessor revenue from required purchases | $448,684, under 0.62% of $72,107,159 total revenue |
| Supplier rebates and payments received | Less than 1% up to 10% or more of prices franchisees paid |
| Specified purchases as share of development cost | About 75% to 85% |
| Specified purchases as share of operating cost | About 28% to 36% |
| Review fee for a proposed non-designated supplier | $2,500 plus testing costs, decision within 90 days |
The federal rule behind this table, 16 CFR 436.5(h), requires a franchisor to state whether it or an affiliate earns revenue from required purchases and what share of the franchisee’s spending those purchases represent. For a kiosk owner, those required purchases are a margin source for the Scooter’s side in addition to the 6% royalty. How the 23 Items and the 14-day waiting period fit together is set out in our FTC Franchise Rule explainer.
Item 8 also sets insurance minimums: general liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate, employer’s liability of $500,000, and umbrella cover of $1,000,000 for 4 or fewer stores, from an insurer rated A- or higher by A.M. Best.
How long is the clock from signing to opening?
Item 11 states a typical 180 to 545 days from signing to opening, and the agreement lets Scooter’s terminate if the store is not open within 18 months. Two earlier deadlines carry the same risk: an approved site within 90 days and a signed lease with Lease Addendum within 180 days, with paid fees retained on termination.
- Day 0: sign the Franchise Agreement and pay the $40,000 fee and $20,000 support fee.
- Within about 30 days of a complete package: Scooter’s consents or declines a proposed site.
- Day 90: deadline to secure an approved Franchised Location.
- Day 180: deadline to sign the approved lease and Lease Addendum.
- Before opening: a three-day owners session and four weeks of training for up to four people (Item 7, Note 8).
- About 2 weeks before opening: pay for opening inventory after delivery (Item 5).
- Month 18: the store must be open unless Scooter’s agrees otherwise in writing.
The franchise term is 10 years with one 10-year renewal (Item 17). There is no exclusive territory: the agreement names a Non-Exclusive Search Area that limits where the store can go but does not keep other Scooter’s stores out (Item 12). Term, renewal and noncompete lengths for other systems are compared in our franchise agreement terms report.
Is the Scooter’s system adding or losing stores?
Franchised Scooter’s Coffee stores grew from 525 at the start of 2023 to 882 at the end of 2025, while openings slowed each year: 209, then 121, then 85. Stores leaving the franchised count through termination, non-renewal, reacquisition or ceased operations rose from 5 to 25 to 28 (Item 20, Table 3).
Franchised openings fell from 209 in 2023 to 85 in 2025 while exits rose from 5 to 28. Source: Scooter’s Coffee FDD amended October 5, 2026, Item 20, Table 3.
| Year | Franchised start | Opened | Terminated | Not renewed | Reacquired | Ceased, other | Franchised end | Transfers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 525 | 209 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 729 | 20 |
| 2024 | 729 | 121 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 20 | 825 | 36 |
| 2025 | 825 | 85 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 24 | 882 | 38 |
At December 31, 2025, 242 franchise agreements were signed but not open, against 79 franchised openings projected for the next year (Item 20, Table 5). The FDD’s cover lists unopened franchises as a special risk: if other franchisees are delayed in opening, a new buyer may face delays too.
Item 19 does contain historical data for franchised Kiosk and End Cap stores in five sections (A to E): average Gross Sales, Average Customer Ticket, a statement of sales, expenses and earnings, Same Store Net Sales, and first-month Gross Sales. We do not reproduce those figures; read them in Item 19 of the filing and test them with owners listed in Exhibits D and E.
Figures in circulation versus the October 2026 filing
Several top-ranking Scooter’s cost pages print ranges that no longer match, or never matched, the current Item 7. The table sets four such claims, described without naming the sites, against the 2026 FDD or the franchisor’s own qualifications page, with the Item number for each correction.
| Claim seen | What the primary source says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| A lender’s guide dated July 2026: total cost $776,000 to $1,320,000 | Kiosk $1,163,650 to $1,345,750; End Cap $658,898 to $1,068,525 | Item 7 |
| Same guide: equipment $80,000 to $160,000, technology $10,000 to $25,000 | Equipment $181,750 to $191,300 (Kiosk); technology $34,500 to $41,000 | Item 7 |
| Same guide: $200,000 liquid capital, “700+ locations” | $250,000 liquid assets; 906 stores at Dec 31, 2025 | Scooter’s franchising site; Item 20 |
| A coffee blog: a flat “2% advertising fee” | 2% today, up to 4% national and 5% for all marketing | Item 6 |
Decision table: five Scooter’s Coffee situations and the clause to check
The right Scooter’s format depends on the site you can control and the cash you can commit before month 18. Each row below pairs a situation with a figure threshold and the FDD clause that answers it; the closing column says what to put to the franchise attorney or lender before signing. This is general information, not legal, financial or investment advice.
| If your situation is | Then price | Check before signing |
|---|---|---|
| Cash and borrowing below about $660,000 | Neither format fits the Item 7 low end of $658,898 | Item 7 totals; Item 10 says no franchisor financing |
| A strip-center end unit of 800 to 1,400 sq ft with drive-up access | End Cap Store, $658,898 to $1,068,525 | Lease term of at least 10 years and the Lease Addendum |
| A parking-lot pad and $1,163,650 or more | Kiosk Store, $1,163,650 to $1,345,750 | Landlord allowance or rent credit against $725,200 to $772,000 of site work |
| Plans to buy the land too | Kiosk plus $250,000 to $1,300,000 | Separate land entity and Guaranty (Item 11) |
| 2 to 5 stores in one area | MSD Agreement, $20,000 Development Fee per added store | Development schedule; 2-year, 10-mile noncompete (Item 17) |
Lender questions on SBA terms and collateral are covered on our franchise financing guide. Ask a franchise attorney whether the 90-day site and 180-day lease deadlines can be extended in writing, because missing either lets Scooter’s keep the $60,000 already paid.
How we compiled this
We read one primary document in full: the 308-page Scooter’s Coffee FDD issued July 14, 2026, as amended October 5, 2026, downloaded from Minnesota CARDS, plus the franchisor’s qualifications page and the federal disclosure rule, all accessed November 10, 2026. We checked six top-ranking Scooter’s cost pages against it. Item 19 sales and earnings figures were excluded on purpose. The rules for reading each Item are on our franchise disclosure document guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Scooter's Coffee franchise cost?
The October 2026 amended Scooter’s Coffee FDD puts a drive-thru Kiosk Store at $1,163,650 to $1,345,750 and an End Cap Store at $658,898 to $1,068,525 (Item 7). Both include the $40,000 Initial Franchise Fee and $20,000 Initial Opening Support Fee. Neither includes land, which franchisees and affiliates bought for $250,000 to $1,300,000.
Is Scooter's Coffee a franchise?
Yes. Scooter’s Coffee Franchisor, LLC of Omaha, Nebraska took over franchising from its predecessor in June 2026, and the FDD says affiliates and predecessors have run Scooter’s stores for 28 years. At the end of 2025 the system had 882 franchised and 24 company-owned stores, so about 97% were franchised (Item 20, our arithmetic).
What is the Scooter's Coffee franchise fee?
The Initial Franchise Fee is $40,000, paid by ACH at signing and not refundable, plus a $20,000 Initial Opening Support Fee due at the same time (Item 5). In 2025 the predecessor collected initial fees ranging from $20,000 to $40,000. Multi-store developers pay $20,000 per extra store up front, credited against later fees.
How much do Scooter's Coffee franchise owners make?
We do not publish earnings figures. Item 19 of the 2026 FDD holds historical data for franchised Kiosk and End Cap stores in Sections A to E, including a statement of sales, expenses and earnings. What an owner keeps also turns on costs the FDD does state: the 6% royalty, up to 5% for marketing, kiosk rent paid in 2025 and the loan on a build of up to $1,345,750.
What are the requirements to own a Scooter's Coffee?
The franchisor’s website lists $250,000 in liquid assets and a net worth of $500,000; the FDD itself does not print those thresholds. The FDD requires an approved site within 90 days, a lease within 180 days, completion of a three-day owners session and four-week training, and an open store within 18 months (Items 7 and 11).
Where can I find Scooter's Coffee franchise reviews from owners?
Exhibits D and E of the FDD list current and former franchisees with contact details, and Item 20 shows 38 transfers between owners in 2025. The FTC’s consumer guide calls talking to these owners possibly the most reliable way to verify a franchisor’s claims. Ask them about build overruns and opening dates.
Does Scooter's Coffee offer financing or veteran discounts?
Item 10 states that Scooter’s offers no direct or indirect financing and guarantees no loans or leases, so owners use banks, SBA lenders or their own capital. Qualifying honorably discharged veterans receive a $20,000 product credit from Scooter’s Coffee Supply Chain, usable within one year of opening on the first store only (Item 5).
Sources
- Scooter’s Coffee Franchise Disclosure Document, issued July 14, 2026, as amended October 5, 2026, Scooter’s Coffee Franchisor, LLC, via Minnesota Department of Commerce CARDS, cover, Items 1, 3 to 12, 17, 19 (store counts and section list only), 20, 21. Accessed November 10, 2026.
- Coffee Franchise Costs and Investment, Scooter’s Coffee franchising site. Accessed November 10, 2026.
- 16 CFR 436.5, Disclosure items, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School. Accessed November 10, 2026.
- A Consumer’s Guide to Buying a Franchise, Federal Trade Commission. Accessed November 10, 2026.