Rita's Italian Ice vs Scooter's Coffee
Rita's Italian Ice vs Scooter's Coffee: Rita's Italian Ice costs $22K to $906K to open; Scooter's Coffee costs $692K to $1.5M. Rita's Italian Ice has 174 units, Scooter's Coffee has 849. SBA loan history: Rita's Italian Ice = 247 loans (11.3% default); Scooter's Coffee = 342 loans (0.9% 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.
Rita's Italian Ice vs Scooter's Coffee: 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
Rita's Italian Ice requires the lower minimum capital commitment ($22K vs $692K for Scooter's Coffee), a 97% spread. Initial franchise fees come in at $35K for Rita's Italian Ice versus $40K for Scooter's Coffee, Rita's Italian Ice has the lower entry fee. Ongoing royalty load is 6.5% for Rita's Italian Ice and 6% for Scooter's Coffee, giving Scooter's Coffee the lighter per-unit drag on operating income.
System Scale & Tenure
On scale, Scooter's Coffee operates 849 units to Rita's Italian Ice's 174, roughly 5× the system size. Rita's Italian Ice has been operating 42 years (founded 1984) versus 28 for Scooter's Coffee (founded 1998), a 14-year tenure gap that affects unit-economics maturity and FDD revision history.
SBA Lending Profile
Scooter's Coffee has the deeper SBA lending track record, with 342 7(a) approvals compared with 247 for Rita's Italian Ice. Rita's Italian Ice's peak SBA year was 2007 (28 loans); Scooter's Coffee's peak was 2022 (70 loans). Scooter's Coffee's more recent peak generally indicates fresher lender appetite. Rita's Italian Ice has the most SBA funded units in PA, with 105. Scooter's Coffee leads in TX, with 39. Borrowers should pick the brand whose strongest SBA state matches their own state for warmer lender introductions. Average SBA loan size on funded Rita's Italian Ice deals is $177K vs $890K for Scooter's Coffee, useful as a sizing anchor when modeling your own unit.
Risk Signal
SBA default rates are 11.3% for Rita's Italian Ice and 0.9% for Scooter's Coffee, Scooter's Coffee has the cleaner SBA loss record by 10.4 points. PeerSense FPI scores come in at 33 (Fair) for Rita's Italian Ice and 86 (Excellent) for Scooter's Coffee, giving Scooter's Coffee the stronger composite signal across SBA performance, lender appetite, and operational consistency.
Health & Performance
FPI Score | 33/100 | 86/100 |
Health Tier | Limited | Excellent |
Confidence | N/A | N/A |
Lending Trend | Declining | Stable |
SBA Lending
SBA Loans | 247 | 342 |
SBA Volume | – | – |
Default Rate | 11.3% | 0.9% |
Peer Tier | major | major |
Investment & Costs
Total Investment | $22K to $906K | $692K to $1.5M |
Franchise Fee | $35K | $40K |
Royalty Rate | 6.5% | 6% |
Ad Fund | 3% | 2% |
Liquid Capital | N/A | $200K |
Net Worth Required | N/A | $500K |
Financial Performance (Item 19)
Item 19 Status | Disclosed | Disclosed |
System Size & Operations
Total Units | 174 | 849 |
Franchised Units | 174 | 825 |
Company Owned | – | 24 |
Term Length | 10 yrs | 10 yrs |
Brand Information
Year Founded | 1984 | 1998 |
Franchising Since | 1989 | 2010 |
Years Franchising | 37 yrs | 16 yrs |
Headquarters | PHILADELPHIA, PA | Omaha, NE |
Category | Snack | Snack |
Website | ||
FDD Year | N/A | 2025 |
Which Is Better, Rita's Italian Ice or Scooter's Coffee?
Lower upfront capital required
Tie
Rita's Italian Ice: $22K starting · Scooter's Coffee: $692K starting
More SBA lender confidence
Scooter's Coffee
Rita's Italian Ice: 247 SBA loans · Scooter's Coffee: 342 SBA loans
Lower SBA default rate
Scooter's Coffee
Rita's Italian Ice: 11.3% · Scooter's Coffee: 0.9%
Larger system & brand presence
Tie
Rita's Italian Ice: 174 units · Scooter's Coffee: 849 units
Lower ongoing royalty load
Scooter's Coffee
Rita's Italian Ice: 6.5% · Scooter's Coffee: 6%
More lender financing options
Scooter's Coffee
Rita's Italian Ice: 62 unique lenders · Scooter's Coffee: 89 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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Rita's Italian Ice vs Scooter's Coffee: Franchise Funding Comparison
Comparing Rita's Italian Ice and Scooter's Coffee is about more than brand preference. It's about which franchise fits your financial profile and funding strategy. Investment ranges from $22K to $1.5M.
Rita's Italian Ice has 247 SBA loans on record and Scooter's Coffee has 342. 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.
Rita's Italian Ice vs Scooter's Coffee, 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