FDD-based startup cost, franchise fee, revenue, profit, SBA default rate, and investment risk signals for Mister Softee.
Based on 2025 FDD · 1 filing in corpus
Cost and profit at a glance
Based on FDDIQ's FDD corpus, a Mister Softee franchise shows an estimated initial investment of $264K – $314K. The franchisor does not provide enough Item 19 data for a clean profit estimate. Use the links below to compare the cost, revenue, SBA loan history, and ROI against other franchises before you request the full FDD.
Quick fee read: $8K franchise fee. These figures are directional screening data, not a substitute for reading the current FDD and speaking with existing operators.
Mister Softee requires a total initial investment of $264K to $314K (midpoint approximately $289K), with an initial franchise fee of $8K.
Mister Softee does not publicly disclose Item 19 financial performance data in their FDD. This is a significant transparency gap — franchisees must rely on validation calls and personal research rather than audited financial representations. Prospective buyers should demand current unit-level financials from existing operators during due diligence.
Mister Softee operates approximately 594 franchised units. Unit count is relatively stable with a 1.2% year-over-year change. The SBA 7(a) loan default rate of 25.0% is above the franchise industry average of approximately 9.4%, suggesting elevated financial risk for franchisees relying on debt financing.
Prospective franchisees should verify all figures against the most recent FDD, conduct validation calls with multiple existing franchisees, and consult with a franchise attorney before signing any agreement.
Analysis based on 2025 FDD filing. FDDIQ Editorial Team · Methodology
Estimated using sector-average margins. Actual franchise economics vary by location, operator, and market conditions.
Industry averages based on FranchiseIQ corpus benchmarks. ▲ = better than avg, ▼ = worse.
Real lending data from SBA 7(a) loans (2015-2024). 5 loans across 3 states.
Source: SBA 7(a) loan data via FOIA. Default rate = charged-off loans / total originated. Industry avg default rate ~7.2%.
Common questions buyers ask about Mister Softee, answered from FDD and SBA data.
The total initial investment for a Mister Softee franchise ranges from $264K to $314K, according to their Franchise Disclosure Document.
Royalty fee details for Mister Softee are available in their FDD. Contact the franchisor for current terms.
The initial franchise fee for Mister Softee is $7,500.
There are approximately 594 Mister Softee franchise locations as of 2023.
Profit data for Mister Softee is disclosed in FDD Item 19 (Financial Performance Representation). Check their most recent Franchise Disclosure Document for current figures.
Mister Softee has an SBA loan default rate of 25.0% based on SBA 7(a) loan data.
Whether a Mister Softee franchise is worth it depends on total startup cost, royalty burden, FDD Item 19 economics, SBA loan performance, and local operator execution. FDDIQ compares these signals against similar franchises so buyers can screen the opportunity before paying for diligence.
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