Smoothie King franchise: what it costs
Smoothie King's own franchise site carries an Item 7 table, and it puts opening an inline or endcap store at $329,850 to $683,715. A free-standing drive-thru store runs $639,950 to $1,278,900.
- Cash and net worth it wants
- Liquid funds of $175,000, net worth of $400,000 one store
The Smoothie King figures here are taken from Smoothie King's page on the franchise process. For each brand in the main table, the source is Minnesota Department of Commerce records. Before you sign, the brand must still hand you its complete FDD.
Smoothie King franchise cost by store type
What shifts the total is the build-out. Because a drive-thru calls for its own lane, larger signs and extra site work, the leasehold line by itself can top what a whole inline store costs.
Smoothie King's site sends readers to the FDD it issued on April 8, 2026. There you'll find the complete Item 7 plus the fees owed after opening, like the royalty, which the page leaves out.
| Cost line | Inline or endcap | Drive-thru |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $25,000 to $30,000 | $25,000 to $30,000 |
| Leasehold improvements | $145,000 to $300,000 | $350,000 to $825,000 |
| Furniture, fixtures, equipment and graphics | $85,000 to $159,000 | $95,000 to $140,000 |
| Signage | $5,000 to $14,000 | $28,000 to $38,000 |
| Start-up supplies and inventory | $27,250 to $27,750 | $25,250 to $25,750 |
| Working money for the first three months | $5,000 to $25,000 | $15,000 to $25,000 |
| Total | $329,850 to $683,715 | $639,950 to $1,278,900 |
Similar franchises, each with its full FDD on file
For each brand here, an FDD we could read gives every figure: royalty, fee, opening cost and whether sales get shared.
| Brand | Total cost to open, low to high estimate | Upfront fee, paid once | Royalty, ongoing fee |
|---|---|---|---|
 Tropical Smoothie Cafe2026 FDD | $276K to $771K | $35,000 | 6% |
 Playa Bowls2026 FDD | $282K to $1.06M | $35,000 | 6% |
 Jamba2026 FDD | $481K to $941K | $35,500 | 6% |
A brand has to give you its Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) before you buy, and every figure comes from the brand's most recent one. After you open, you keep paying the brand a royalty: a share of sales or a fixed amount. An M stands for million, a K for thousand. Each of the 3 brands shares sales or earnings figures in its FDD (see them by opening a brand). Each FDD here was filed with the Minnesota Department of Commerce in 2026.
A franchise attorney can check the Smoothie King FDD with you
When Smoothie King sends you its FDD and franchise agreement, one franchise attorney can read both before you sign.