Big Apple Bagels vs Conoco Service Station
Big Apple Bagels vs Conoco Service Station: Big Apple Bagels costs $52K to $248K to open; Conoco Service Station costs $100K to $1.5M. Big Apple Bagels has 56 units, Conoco Service Station has 116. SBA loan history: Big Apple Bagels = 85 loans (31.8% default); Conoco Service Station = 110 loans (13.6% default). The franchise with more SBA funded units, a lower SBA default rate, and a lower royalty load is the safer financing bet; see the comparison below.
Big Apple Bagels vs Conoco Service Station: Capital, Scale & Lending Analysis
Analysis based on FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan level data. Each pairing reflects a unique combination of capital intensity, system scale, and financing path.
Capital Intensity
Big Apple Bagels requires the lower minimum capital commitment ($52K vs $100K for Conoco Service Station), a 48% spread. Initial franchise fees come in at $57K for Big Apple Bagels versus $26K for Conoco Service Station, Conoco Service Station has the lower entry fee.
System Scale & Tenure
On scale, Conoco Service Station operates 116 units to Big Apple Bagels's 56, roughly 2× the system size. Conoco Service Station has been operating 151 years (founded 1875) versus 33 for Big Apple Bagels (founded 1993), a 118-year tenure gap that affects unit-economics maturity and FDD revision history.
SBA Lending Profile
Conoco Service Station has the deeper SBA lending track record, with 110 7(a) approvals compared with 85 for Big Apple Bagels. Big Apple Bagels's peak SBA year was 1996 (13 loans); Conoco Service Station's peak was 2012 (14 loans). Conoco Service Station's more recent peak generally indicates fresher lender appetite. Big Apple Bagels has the most SBA funded units in MI, with 22. Conoco Service Station leads in TX, with 33. Borrowers should pick the brand whose strongest SBA state matches their own state for warmer lender introductions. Average SBA loan size on funded Big Apple Bagels deals is $138K vs $776K for Conoco Service Station, useful as a sizing anchor when modeling your own unit.
Risk Signal
SBA default rates are 31.8% for Big Apple Bagels and 13.6% for Conoco Service Station, Conoco Service Station has the cleaner SBA loss record by 18.2 points. PeerSense FPI scores come in at 28 (Fair) for Big Apple Bagels and 28 (Fair) for Conoco Service Station.
Health & Performance
FPI Score | 28/100 | 28/100 |
Health Tier | Limited | Limited |
Confidence | N/A | N/A |
Lending Trend | Declining | Declining |
SBA Lending
SBA Loans | 85 | 110 |
SBA Volume | – | – |
Default Rate | 31.8% | 13.6% |
Peer Tier | established | major |
Investment & Costs
Total Investment | $52K to $248K | $100K to $1.5M |
Franchise Fee | $57K | $26K |
Royalty Rate | 5% | N/A |
Ad Fund | 3% | N/A |
Liquid Capital | N/A | N/A |
Net Worth Required | N/A | N/A |
Financial Performance (Item 19)
Item 19 Status | Disclosed | Not Disclosed |
System Size & Operations
Total Units | 56 | 116 |
Franchised Units | 56 | 116 |
Company Owned | – | – |
Term Length | 10 yrs | N/A |
Brand Information
Year Founded | 1993 | 1875 |
Franchising Since | 1993 | N/A |
Years Franchising | 33 yrs | N/A |
Headquarters | KALAMAZOO, MI | HOUSTON, TX |
Category | Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores | Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores |
Website | ||
FDD Year | 2025 | N/A |
Which Is Better, Big Apple Bagels or Conoco Service Station?
Lower upfront capital required
Tie
Big Apple Bagels: $52K starting · Conoco Service Station: $100K starting
More SBA lender confidence
Conoco Service Station
Big Apple Bagels: 85 SBA loans · Conoco Service Station: 110 SBA loans
Lower SBA default rate
Conoco Service Station
Big Apple Bagels: 31.8% · Conoco Service Station: 13.6%
Larger system & brand presence
Tie
Big Apple Bagels: 56 units · Conoco Service Station: 116 units
More lender financing options
Conoco Service Station
Big Apple Bagels: 50 unique lenders · Conoco Service Station: 63 unique lenders
Decision matrix uses publicly disclosed FDD and SBA loan data. Not a recommendation. Your best franchise depends on capital, market, operating capacity, and risk tolerance.
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Big Apple Bagels vs Conoco Service Station: Franchise Funding Comparison
Comparing Big Apple Bagels and Conoco Service Station is about more than brand preference. It's about which franchise fits your financial profile and funding strategy. Investment ranges from $52K to $1.5M.
Big Apple Bagels has 85 SBA loans on record and Conoco Service Station has 110. Those totals are cumulative history rather than a measure of current appetite. Recent lending activity is trending down for at least one of these brands, so current lender appetite has to be checked deal by deal rather than assumed from the totals.
SBA 7(a) loans are the most common franchise funding vehicle, offering up to $5M with as little as 10% down. PeerSense connects franchise buyers with the specific lenders who have approved loans for these brands, not generic referrals, but lenders with actual franchise lending track records.
Data sourced from SBA loan records, Franchise Disclosure Documents, and public filings. Updated regularly. Not financial advice, consult with a lending professional before making investment decisions.
Big Apple Bagels vs Conoco Service Station, Frequently Asked Questions
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Page Review
Reviewed by Edward L. Freeman, Founder and Managing Director, PeerSense
- PeerSense is a capital advisory firm that places commercial financing with direct capital sources; the capital source sets final terms.
- Edward L. Freeman founded PeerSense in January 2020.
- He is a Registered Franchise Consultant with Business Alliance, Inc., a credential issued in March 2022, and worked as a franchise consultant there from March 2022 to May 2023.
- His recorded experience includes a $22 million SBA construction loan, with about $16 million funded on the deal.
- In the 12 months through September 30, 2026, PeerSense tracked 912 publicly announced financings with a disclosed size of $361.32 billion. PeerSense Capital Data Report · Methodology page
Last reviewed LinkedIn profileAbout Edward Freeman