BIGGBY Coffee vs Cold Stone Creamery
BIGGBY Coffee vs Cold Stone Creamery: BIGGBY Coffee costs $296K to $1.0M to open; Cold Stone Creamery costs $121K to $655K. BIGGBY Coffee has 194 units, Cold Stone Creamery has 945. SBA loan history: BIGGBY Coffee = 289 loans (1.0% default); Cold Stone Creamery = 1,219 loans (23.5% 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.
BIGGBY Coffee vs Cold Stone Creamery: 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
Cold Stone Creamery requires the lower minimum capital commitment ($121K vs $296K for BIGGBY Coffee), a 145% spread. Initial franchise fees come in at $20K for BIGGBY Coffee versus $25K for Cold Stone Creamery, BIGGBY Coffee has the lower entry fee. Ongoing royalty load is 6% for BIGGBY Coffee and 6% for Cold Stone Creamery, equal royalty drag.
System Scale & Tenure
On scale, Cold Stone Creamery operates 945 units to BIGGBY Coffee's 194, roughly 5× the system size. Cold Stone Creamery has been operating 38 years (founded 1988) versus 31 for BIGGBY Coffee (founded 1995), a 7-year tenure gap that affects unit-economics maturity and FDD revision history.
SBA Lending Profile
Cold Stone Creamery has the deeper SBA lending track record, with 1,219 7(a) approvals compared with 289 for BIGGBY Coffee. BIGGBY Coffee's peak SBA year was 2023 (44 loans); Cold Stone Creamery's peak was 2005 (227 loans). BIGGBY Coffee's more recent peak generally indicates fresher lender appetite. BIGGBY Coffee has the most SBA funded units in MI, with 147. Cold Stone Creamery leads in CA, with 238. Borrowers should pick the brand whose strongest SBA state matches their own state for warmer lender introductions. Average SBA loan size on funded BIGGBY Coffee deals is $277K vs $256K for Cold Stone Creamery, useful as a sizing anchor when modeling your own unit.
Risk Signal
SBA default rates are 1.0% for BIGGBY Coffee and 23.5% for Cold Stone Creamery, BIGGBY Coffee has the cleaner SBA loss record by 22.5 points. PeerSense FPI scores come in at 75 (Strong) for BIGGBY Coffee and 49 (Fair) for Cold Stone Creamery, giving BIGGBY Coffee the stronger composite signal across SBA performance, lender appetite, and operational consistency.
Health & Performance
FPI Score | 75/100 | 49/100 |
Health Tier | Strong | Fair |
Confidence | N/A | N/A |
Lending Trend | Stable | Declining |
SBA Lending
SBA Loans | 289 | 1,219 |
SBA Volume | – | – |
Default Rate | 1.0% | 23.5% |
Peer Tier | major | major |
Investment & Costs
Total Investment | $296K to $1.0M | $121K to $655K |
Franchise Fee | $20K | $25K |
Royalty Rate | 6% | 6% |
Ad Fund | 3% | 3% |
Liquid Capital | N/A | $100K |
Net Worth Required | N/A | $250K |
Financial Performance (Item 19)
Item 19 Status | Disclosed | Disclosed |
System Size & Operations
Total Units | 194 | 945 |
Franchised Units | 194 | 945 |
Company Owned | – | – |
Term Length | 10 yrs | 10 yrs |
Brand Information
Year Founded | 1995 | 1988 |
Franchising Since | 1999 | 1994 |
Years Franchising | 27 yrs | 32 yrs |
Headquarters | East Lansing, MI | Scottsdale, AZ |
Category | Snack | Snack |
Website | ||
FDD Year | 2025 | 2023 |
Which Is Better, BIGGBY Coffee or Cold Stone Creamery?
Lower upfront capital required
Cold Stone Creamery
BIGGBY Coffee: $296K starting · Cold Stone Creamery: $121K starting
More SBA lender confidence
Cold Stone Creamery
BIGGBY Coffee: 289 SBA loans · Cold Stone Creamery: 1,219 SBA loans
Lower SBA default rate
BIGGBY Coffee
BIGGBY Coffee: 1.0% · Cold Stone Creamery: 23.5%
Larger system & brand presence
Cold Stone Creamery
BIGGBY Coffee: 194 units · Cold Stone Creamery: 945 units
Lower ongoing royalty load
Tie
BIGGBY Coffee: 6% · Cold Stone Creamery: 6%
More lender financing options
Cold Stone Creamery
BIGGBY Coffee: 70 unique lenders · Cold Stone Creamery: 220 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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About These Franchises
BIGGBY Coffee vs Cold Stone Creamery: Franchise Funding Comparison
Comparing BIGGBY Coffee and Cold Stone Creamery is about more than brand preference. It's about which franchise fits your financial profile and funding strategy. Investment ranges from $121K to $1.0M.
BIGGBY Coffee has 289 SBA loans on record and Cold Stone Creamery has 1,219. 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.
BIGGBY Coffee vs Cold Stone Creamery, Frequently Asked Questions
Which is a better franchise investment, BIGGBY Coffee or Cold Stone Creamery?
How much does a BIGGBY Coffee franchise cost compared to Cold Stone Creamery?
Can I finance BIGGBY Coffee or Cold Stone Creamery with an SBA loan?
Which has a lower SBA default rate, BIGGBY Coffee or Cold Stone Creamery?
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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