To whom is the Royalty Fee paid for a Cinnabon Express Bakery?
Cinnabon Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
ument. We and the Co-Branded Franchisor will jointly collect and split the other initial fees described in this Item 5.
All Initial Fees. Except as noted above, you do not pay us or our affiliates any other fees or payments for services or goods before your Bakery opens. The initial fees are not refundable.
ITEM 6 OTHER FEES
| Type of Fee1, 5 | Amount | Date Due | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royalty Fee | 6% of Net Sales, except: Auntie Anne's Co Branded Bakeries in Other Locations: 6% of Net Sales attributed to Cinnabon; 7% of Net Sales attributed to Auntie Anne's, which Auntie Anne's may increase in its sole discretion to 8% of Net Sales Express Bakeries in a Schlotzsky's: then-current product price per case | For Full Bakeries, payable weekly on the date specified in the Manuals (the "Payment Due Date"); For Express Bakeries, due on receipt of our or the Supplier's invoice for the products | See Note 2 for the definition of "Net Sales." See Note 3 for the definition of "Other Locations" For Auntie Anne's Co-Branded Bakeries in Other Locations, we will collect our Royalty Fee (which is 6% of Net Sales) based on the portion of Net Sales attributable to products that we and Auntie Anne's have agreed to credit to the Cinnabon side of the Co-Branded Bakery, and Auntie Anne's will collect a separate Royalty Fee (which is 7% to 8% of Net Sales) based on the portion of Net Sales attributable to products that we and Auntie Anne's have agreed to credit to the Auntie Anne's side of the Co-Branded Bakery. For Express Bakeries that are in a Schlotzsky's, the Royalty Fee shall be the then-current price per case of freezer-proofer-oven rolls or other approved proprietary Cinnabon products you purchase from us or our designated Supplier. |
Source: Item 6 — OTHER FEES (FDD pages 31–45)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Cinnabon's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees operating an Express Bakery location typically pay their Royalty Fees directly to Cinnabon. The FDD specifies that unless stated otherwise, Cinnabon directly imposes all fees, and franchisees pay them to Cinnabon, with no refunds. This is a standard practice in franchising, where royalty fees are a primary source of income for the franchisor.
However, there's an exception for Express Bakeries located within a Schlotzsky's. In this specific case, the royalty fee is determined by the then-current product price per case of freezer-proofer-oven rolls or other approved proprietary Cinnabon products purchased from Cinnabon or its designated supplier. This means the royalty is embedded in the cost of goods purchased, rather than calculated as a percentage of net sales.
For a prospective Cinnabon franchisee, it's crucial to understand which royalty structure applies to their specific location type. If operating a standalone Express Bakery, the royalty is a percentage of net sales and paid directly to Cinnabon. If operating within a Schlotzsky's, the royalty is paid indirectly through the purchase of Cinnabon products. This difference impacts cash flow management and should be carefully considered when evaluating the financial viability of the franchise.