5 Pretzel Franchise Opportunities to Explore in 2022

Auntie Anne’s

• Startup costs: $100,550 to $503,500

• Units: 1,900+

The beloved Auntie Anne’s pretzel franchise started as a concession stand at a farmer’s market in Pennsylvania. Today the brand has more than 1,900 locations worldwide, including in the U.S., Asia, the Middle East, the United Kingdom and Venezuela. It serves a variety of hand-rolled pretzels, dipping sauces and drinks.

We’re Rolling Pretzel Company

• Startup costs: $91,000 to $223,000

• Units: 32

This Ohio-based company has been a franchise for more than 20 years. Its menu features a variety of pretzel products, smoothies and lemonades. Hand-rolled pretzels are made with a company secret-recipe pretzel dough. Franchisees with the brand are offered support from food service professionals with decades of experience and a leadership team with experience in all aspects of restaurant operations and marketing.

Philly Pretzel Factory

• Startup costs: $133,999 to $351,193

• Units: 175+

What would eventually become the Philly Pretzel Factory was founded by Dan DiZio when he was just 11. After college, he partnered up with Len Lehman to open the first Philly Pretzel Factory in 1998. The brand sells hot soft pretzels, pretzel dogs and sausages, cheesesteak-stuffed pretzels, dipping sauces and frozen lemonade.

Pretzelmaker

• Startup costs: $216,200 to $343,000

• Units: 250+

Pretzelmaker has made a name for itself due to its innovative, non-traditional space under the Fresh Twist name. The brand offers flavored hot pretzels, pretzel-wrapped hot dogs, lemonades and blended drinks. Pretzelmaker is part of the Fat Brands that also includes Great American Cookies, MaggieMoo’s and Marble Slab Creamery.

Ben’s Soft Pretzels

• Startup costs: $81,000 to $339,500

• Units: 100

Ben’s Soft Pretzels offers Amish-inspired soft pretzels that are preservative-free and baked fresh onsite daily. The Jumbo Soft Pretzel is nearly double the size of other pretzels and comes with imported salt from Germany. There are more than 100 locations nationwide, including in retail spaces, high-traffic areas and stadium venues.