Carvel franchise
Carvel is an ice cream brand best known for its ice cream cakes, sold from shops that also serve soft-serve cones, sundaes and Flying Saucers. Express units can sit inside other GoTo Foods restaurants. At the end of 2025 there were 360 Carvel locations in the US, 359 franchised and 1 company-owned.
- Cost to open
- $428K–$1.05M
- Franchise fee
- $35,500
- Royalty
- 6%
- Locations, 2025
- 360+31 in 3 yrs
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Company snapshot
- Franchising since
- 1947
- First location
- 1934
- Franchisor based in
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Time to open
- 3 to 12 months after signing
- Agreement length
- 20 years
- Financing
- None offered
From Carvel Franchisor SPV LLC’s 2026 filing.
How much a Carvel franchise costs
Opening a full Carvel shoppe costs an estimated $428,405 to $1,051,200. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
| Express shoppe | $75,225 to $233,300 |
|---|
Source: Carvel Franchisor SPV LLC, 2026 filing, page 44
Carvel franchise fee
The franchise fee is $35,500, for a full shoppe ($10,500 for an Express shoppe, $20,000 for qualifying veterans). You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: Carvel Franchisor SPV LLC, 2026 filing, page 29
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | 6% of net sales, paid weekly. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | 1% of gross sales |
Source: Carvel Franchisor SPV LLC, 2026 filing, page 31
Sales and earnings
Shares figures Carvel publishes sales or earnings figures for its locations: it reports fiscal 2025 results for single-branded streetside shoppes open all 52 weeks. The full tables, with notes on which locations are counted, are in its filing.
Source: Carvel Franchisor SPV LLC, 2026 filing, page 91
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 326 (−2) | 0 | 14 |
| 2024 | 336 (+10) | 0 | 5 |
| 2025 | 359 (+23) | 1 | 12 |
Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating.
Source: Carvel Franchisor SPV LLC, 2026 filing, page 93
How Carvel compares
Of the 12 ice cream franchises on this site, Carvel is the 8th cheapest to open and the 7th largest by number of locations.
| Measure | Carvel | Typical ice cream |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $428K | $359K |
| Royalty | 6% | 6% |
| Closed or left per year | 3.1% | 2.8% |
| Change in franchised locations, 3 yrs | +9.5% | +8.6% |
| Shares earnings figures | Yes | 11 of 12 |
Typical is the median across the 12 brands in ice cream franchises.
Other ice cream franchises
Carvel franchise questions
How long does it take to open a Carvel?
3 to 12 months after signing, according to Carvel's 2026 filing. Finding a site, permits and build-out are what usually stretch it.
Does Carvel help with financing?
No. Carvel does not offer financing or guarantee loans or leases, so buyers arrange their own, usually a bank or SBA loan.
How long is a Carvel franchise agreement?
The initial term is 20 years. Renewal is usually possible if you're in good standing, often for a fee and a remodel.
Is Carvel growing or shrinking?
Over the last 3 years 62 franchised locations opened and 31 closed or left, a net change of +9.5%. About 3.1% of locations closed or left each year. That is in line with the 2.8% typical for ice cream franchises.
How does Carvel compare with other ice cream franchises?
Of the 12 ice cream franchises here, Carvel is the 8th cheapest to open (low end $428K against a $359K median) and the 7th largest by number of locations. Its 6% royalty is in line with the 6% median.
Does Carvel say how much franchisees make?
Yes: it reports fiscal 2025 results for single-branded streetside shoppes open all 52 weeks. Your results can differ; the filing explains which locations are counted.
Where is Carvel based?
Carvel Franchisor SPV LLC is based in Atlanta, Georgia and the brand has sold franchises since 1947; the first location opened in 1934.