Cinnabon vs Great Harvest Bread Co.
Cinnabon vs Great Harvest Bread Co.: Cinnabon costs $25K to $883K to open; Great Harvest Bread Co. costs $50K to $392K. Cinnabon has 46 units, Great Harvest Bread Co. has 150. SBA loan history: Cinnabon = 63 loans (3.2% default); Great Harvest Bread Co. = 197 loans (10.2% 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.
Cinnabon vs Great Harvest Bread Co.: 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
Cinnabon requires the lower minimum capital commitment ($25K vs $50K for Great Harvest Bread Co.), a 50% spread. Initial franchise fees come in at $25K for Cinnabon versus $50K for Great Harvest Bread Co., Cinnabon has the lower entry fee. Ongoing royalty load is 6% for Cinnabon and 5% for Great Harvest Bread Co., giving Great Harvest Bread Co. the lighter per-unit drag on operating income.
System Scale & Tenure
On scale, Great Harvest Bread Co. operates 150 units to Cinnabon's 46, roughly 3× the system size. Great Harvest Bread Co. has been operating 44 years (founded 1982) versus 41 for Cinnabon (founded 1985), a 3-year tenure gap that affects unit-economics maturity and FDD revision history.
SBA Lending Profile
Great Harvest Bread Co. has the deeper SBA lending track record, with 197 7(a) approvals compared with 63 for Cinnabon. Cinnabon's peak SBA year was 2015 (7 loans); Great Harvest Bread Co.'s peak was 2003 (16 loans). Cinnabon's more recent peak generally indicates fresher lender appetite. Cinnabon has the most SBA funded units in CA, with 12. Great Harvest Bread Co. leads in MN, with 14. Borrowers should pick the brand whose strongest SBA state matches their own state for warmer lender introductions. Average SBA loan size on funded Cinnabon deals is $411K vs $245K for Great Harvest Bread Co., useful as a sizing anchor when modeling your own unit.
Risk Signal
SBA default rates are 3.2% for Cinnabon and 10.2% for Great Harvest Bread Co., Cinnabon has the cleaner SBA loss record by 7.0 points. PeerSense FPI scores come in at 66 (Strong) for Cinnabon and 57 (Moderate) for Great Harvest Bread Co., giving Cinnabon the stronger composite signal across SBA performance, lender appetite, and operational consistency.
Health & Performance
FPI Score | 66/100 | 57/100 |
Health Tier | Strong | Moderate |
Confidence | N/A | N/A |
Lending Trend | Declining | Declining |
SBA Lending
SBA Loans | 63 | 197 |
SBA Volume | – | – |
Default Rate | 3.2% | 10.2% |
Peer Tier | established | major |
Investment & Costs
Total Investment | $25K to $883K | $50K to $392K |
Franchise Fee | $25K | $50K |
Royalty Rate | 6% | 5% |
Ad Fund | 2.5% | 1.5% |
Liquid Capital | N/A | $75K |
Net Worth Required | N/A | $300K |
Financial Performance (Item 19)
Item 19 Status | Disclosed | Disclosed |
System Size & Operations
Total Units | 46 | 150 |
Franchised Units | 46 | 150 |
Company Owned | – | – |
Term Length | 20 yrs | 10 yrs |
Brand Information
Year Founded | 1985 | 1982 |
Franchising Since | 2017 | 1960 |
Years Franchising | 9 yrs | 66 yrs |
Headquarters | LOS ANGELES, CA | PORTAGE, MI |
Category | Baked Goods Stores | Baked Goods Stores |
Website | ||
FDD Year | 2023 | 2025 |
Which Is Better, Cinnabon or Great Harvest Bread Co.?
Lower upfront capital required
Cinnabon
Cinnabon: $25K starting · Great Harvest Bread Co.: $50K starting
More SBA lender confidence
Great Harvest Bread Co.
Cinnabon: 63 SBA loans · Great Harvest Bread Co.: 197 SBA loans
Lower SBA default rate
Cinnabon
Cinnabon: 3.2% · Great Harvest Bread Co.: 10.2%
Larger system & brand presence
Great Harvest Bread Co.
Cinnabon: 46 units · Great Harvest Bread Co.: 150 units
Lower ongoing royalty load
Great Harvest Bread Co.
Cinnabon: 6% · Great Harvest Bread Co.: 5%
More lender financing options
Great Harvest Bread Co.
Cinnabon: 36 unique lenders · Great Harvest Bread Co.: 100 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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Cinnabon vs Great Harvest Bread Co.: Franchise Funding Comparison
Comparing Cinnabon and Great Harvest Bread Co. is about more than brand preference. It's about which franchise fits your financial profile and funding strategy. Investment ranges from $25K to $883K.
Cinnabon has 63 SBA loans on record and Great Harvest Bread Co. has 197. 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.
Cinnabon vs Great Harvest Bread Co., Frequently Asked Questions
Which is a better franchise investment, Cinnabon or Great Harvest Bread Co.?
How much does a Cinnabon franchise cost compared to Great Harvest Bread Co.?
Can I finance Cinnabon or Great Harvest Bread Co. with an SBA loan?
Which has a lower SBA default rate, Cinnabon or Great Harvest Bread Co.?
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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; it does not lend, fund, or approve loans, and 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