What donut franchise opportunities are available?

Our comparison covers 9 mini donut brands as of September 2026: The Dapper Doughnut, Dippidy Donuts, Donut Distillery, DonutNV, Doughnuttery, The Mini Donut Company, Niky's Mini Donuts, Peace, Love & Little Donuts, and Tiny Little Donuts. They include storefront, counter, kiosk, trailer, food truck, tent, catering, and licensed Airstream formats. Availability depends on territory, so ask each franchisor whether your area is open.

How much does a donut franchise cost?

For the mini donut brands in our data, published total investment runs from about $63,000 to about $582,000, and published franchise fees run from $20,000 to $59,500, as of September 2026. Full-size chains can cost more: the Duck Donuts franchising page lists $536,150 – $774,500. Confirm current figures in FDD Items 5 through 7.

What is the cheapest donut franchise?

There is no single cheapest option, because published figures describe different formats and inclusions. In our data, the lowest published franchise fee is $20,000 (Niky's Mini Donuts), and the lowest published total investment starting point is about $63,000 (The Dapper Doughnut). A low starting point may exclude costs such as a vehicle or working capital, so compare full Item 7 ranges.

What are the best donut franchises?

We don't rank brands. The best fit depends on your budget, preferred format, market, and the support you want. Compare total investment, ongoing fees at your expected sales, Item 20 unit history, and territory terms, and talk with current and former franchisees of each brand you are considering.

Are there mobile donut franchises?

Yes. In our data, The Dapper Doughnut, Dippidy Donuts, DonutNV, and Tiny Little Donuts publish a truck, trailer, tent, or Airstream format. The Dapper Doughnut also offers a fixed storefront. Mobile units still need vehicle financing, permits, and a commissary or base of operations in many areas.

Do donut franchises offer veteran discounts?

DonutNV: $5,000; Doughnuttery: 10% discount for qualified U.S. military veterans (2025 FDD summary; confirm terms). The other brands in our data had not published a veteran discount in the sources we reviewed as of September 2026, so ask each franchisor directly.

Is this website selling a donut franchise?

No. This is a comparison and inquiry site operated by Mini Donut Franchising LLC, which is affiliated with The Mini Donut Company, and nothing here is an offer to sell a franchise. Offers are made only through a franchisor's current FDD, which must be provided at least 14 calendar days before you sign or pay.

Donut franchise opportunities · September 2026

Donut franchise opportunities: 9 mini donut brands compared

If you are researching a donut franchise, this page puts every mini donut franchise and licensing opportunity in our data side by side: franchise fees, total investment, royalties, marketing and tech fees, and formats. All 9 brands get the same columns, are listed alphabetically, and are not ranked.

As of September 2026, published total investment figures for these brands run from about $63,000 to about $582,000, and published franchise fees run from $20,000 to $59,500. Every figure comes from public FDD summaries or franchisor materials. Where a brand has not published a figure, we say so instead of estimating one.

Mini doughnuts from The Dapper Doughnut topped with strawberries, fruity cereal, chocolate chips, and cookie crumbles

Rows of cinnamon sugar, pink-sprinkle, blue-drizzle, powdered sugar, and glazed mini donuts from Tiny Little Donuts in an open box

Row of topped mini donuts from Donut Distillery perched on colorful filled shot glasses

All 9 donut franchise opportunities at a glance

Startup costs first. The franchise fee is the upfront payment for brand rights and training; total investment is the franchisor's estimate of everything needed to open, usually from Item 7 of the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).

Startup figures as of September 2026, listed alphabetically. Verify every figure in the brand's current FDD.
Brand	Format	Franchise fee	Published total investment
The Dapper Doughnut	Storefront and/or food trailer	$45,000	Wide range by format (~$63K–$220K low-end quotes; retail historically ~$336K–$582K; food truck ~$106K–$242K)
Dippidy Donuts	Mobile food truck / tent / catering	$25,000	From $91,500 (minimum including fee and training; verify current FDD)
Donut Distillery	Storefront (donuts + drinks)	$29,900	$198,150 – $329,900
DonutNV	Mobile trailer	$59,500	$189,580 – $272,900
Doughnuttery	Counter, kiosk, or storefront; catering and pop-ups	$30,000	$172,900 – $450,200
The Mini Donut Company	Storefront, catering	$29,900 – $30,000	$69,000 – $126,000
Niky's Mini Donuts	Storefront (donuts + ice cream/candy)	$20,000	$324,000 – $578,500
Peace, Love & Little Donuts	Storefront	$40,000	$121,200 – $235,100
Tiny Little Donuts (Licensing)	Licensed vintage Airstream / mobile	Licensing fee not publicly listed	Contact licensor; public form asks about $300K+ liquid assets

Royalties and ongoing fees by brand

After opening, most donut franchises charge a royalty plus a marketing or brand fund, and some add technology or POS fees. Among brands that publish a percentage royalty, rates run from 5% to 7% of sales. DonutNV charges a flat monthly royalty of $750 instead of a percentage. Tiny Little Donuts has not published a royalty. Marketing contributions are 1% to 2% of sales or a flat $200 per month where published.

Ongoing fees as of September 2026, listed alphabetically. "Confirm" means the figure was not public in the sources we reviewed.
Brand	Royalty	Marketing fund	Tech / POS fees	Term
The Dapper Doughnut	5% – 7%	2%	Confirm in current FDD	Confirm in current FDD
Dippidy Donuts	6%	Request info / TBD	Request info / TBD	Request info / TBD
Donut Distillery	5%	1%	Confirm in current FDD	Confirm in current FDD
DonutNV	$750/mo	$200/mo	$300/mo	Confirm in current FDD
Doughnuttery	6%	2%	$150/mo	10 years + 5-year renewal (2025 FDD summary)
The Mini Donut Company	5%	1%	~$100/mo tech (up to $500); POS ~$125/mo	10 years + renewal
Niky's Mini Donuts	6%	Confirm in current FDD	Confirm in current FDD	Confirm in current FDD
Peace, Love & Little Donuts	6%	1%	Confirm in current FDD	Confirm in current FDD
Tiny Little Donuts (Licensing)	Confirm with licensor	Confirm with licensor	Confirm with licensor	Confirm with licensor

A flat monthly royalty and a percentage royalty can't be compared until you estimate sales. Model both at a few realistic revenue levels before deciding which structure costs less for you. Our cost guide walks through each fee layer.

Donut franchise opportunities by format

Format drives cost, staffing, and where you can sell more than any other choice. Here is how the brands in our data describe their formats (some appear in more than one group):

Fixed site (storefront, counter, kiosk, or retail): The Dapper Doughnut, Donut Distillery, Doughnuttery, The Mini Donut Company, Niky's Mini Donuts, and Peace, Love & Little Donuts.
Vehicle-based (truck, trailer, tent, or Airstream): The Dapper Doughnut, Dippidy Donuts, DonutNV, and Tiny Little Donuts (Licensing).
Both a fixed site and a vehicle format: The Dapper Doughnut.
Catering, events, or pop-ups listed in the format: Dippidy Donuts, Doughnuttery, and The Mini Donut Company.
Offered as licensing rather than a classic franchise: Tiny Little Donuts (Licensing).

For the trade-offs between formats, see mobile vs storefront. For the vehicle-based options in detail, see mini donut food truck and trailer franchise options.

What a donut franchise costs: the summary

Franchise fee: $20,000 to $59,500 across the 8 brands that publish one. 1 brand does not publish a fee.
Total investment: about $63,000 at the lowest published starting point to about $582,000 at the highest published top of range.
Published starting point under $100,000: The Dapper Doughnut, Dippidy Donuts, and The Mini Donut Company.
Published starting point $100,000 to $199,999: Donut Distillery, DonutNV, Doughnuttery, and Peace, Love & Little Donuts.
Published starting point $200,000 and above: Niky's Mini Donuts.
No published total investment: Tiny Little Donuts.

A low starting point often reflects the smallest format, and it may leave out a vehicle, real estate, or working capital. Tiers describe published starting points; they are not rankings. See formats by budget for each tier in detail.

Which donut franchise is best? How to evaluate the options

No published figure makes one donut franchise the best. The right choice depends on your capital, the format you want to run, your market, and how much support you need. These criteria apply to every brand equally:

Total cost to open, not the franchise fee. Compare Item 7 ranges and ask what is excluded, such as a vehicle, lease deposits, or working capital.
Ongoing fees at your expected sales. Convert royalties, marketing, and tech fees into a monthly dollar figure.
Format fit. A storefront depends on location and lease terms; a trailer or truck depends on keeping an event calendar full.
System size and history. FDD Item 20 lists unit counts, openings, transfers, and closures over three years. Small or young systems are not worse, but they offer less history to judge.
Financial performance data. Item 19 is optional. If a brand provides it, read the basis and sample size; if not, ask current franchisees about their results.
Territory. Check whether your area is exclusive and how mobile event territories are drawn. See territory and exclusivity.
Franchisee conversations. Item 20 also lists current and former franchisees. Call several of each.

Our step-by-step buying guide puts these checks in order, and how to read an FDD explains each Item.

Mini donut franchises vs full-size donut chains

Many people searching for a donut franchise also look at full-size chains. For reference, the Duck Donuts franchising page lists a total investment of $536,150 – $774,500 (excluding tenant allowance), and the Dunkin' franchising page lists $443,000 – $1,832,500. Both are full-size concepts and are not part of our mini donut comparison.

The ranges overlap. Several mini donut brands publish starting points under $100,000 (The Dapper Doughnut, Dippidy Donuts, and The Mini Donut Company), while the top of the published mini donut range reaches about $582,000. Donut size alone does not predict cost. See mini vs full-size donut franchises for the full comparison.

Questions to ask every donut franchisor

What is the issue date of your current FDD, and which figures have changed since the last one?
Which format does the low end of your Item 7 range describe, and what does it exclude?
Is the royalty charged per unit, and does it change if I open more than one?
What equipment must I buy from you or approved suppliers (Item 8)?
How many units opened, transferred, and closed in each of the last three years (Item 20)?
What training and opening support is included, and what costs extra?
Do you offer veteran or multi-unit discounts, and on which fees?

About this data

Figures were compiled from public FDD summaries and franchisor websites as of September 2026. Some come from older FDDs or sources that conflict, and the comparison table notes flag those. This site is operated by Mini Donut Franchising LLC, which is affiliated with The Mini Donut Company; see the disclaimer for the full affiliation disclosure. Every brand is presented with the same fields, and none is promoted over another.

To go deeper on any brand, open its profile: The Dapper Doughnut, Dippidy Donuts, Donut Distillery, DonutNV, Doughnuttery, The Mini Donut Company, Niky's Mini Donuts, Peace, Love & Little Donuts, and Tiny Little Donuts (Licensing).

Frequently asked questions

What donut franchise opportunities are available?: Our comparison covers 9 mini donut brands as of September 2026: The Dapper Doughnut, Dippidy Donuts, Donut Distillery, DonutNV, Doughnuttery, The Mini Donut Company, Niky's Mini Donuts, Peace, Love & Little Donuts, and Tiny Little Donuts. They include storefront, counter, kiosk, trailer, food truck, tent, catering, and licensed Airstream formats. Availability depends on territory, so ask each franchisor whether your area is open.
How much does a donut franchise cost?: For the mini donut brands in our data, published total investment runs from about $63,000 to about $582,000, and published franchise fees run from $20,000 to $59,500, as of September 2026. Full-size chains can cost more: the Duck Donuts franchising page lists $536,150 – $774,500. Confirm current figures in FDD Items 5 through 7.
What is the cheapest donut franchise?: There is no single cheapest option, because published figures describe different formats and inclusions. In our data, the lowest published franchise fee is $20,000 (Niky's Mini Donuts), and the lowest published total investment starting point is about $63,000 (The Dapper Doughnut). A low starting point may exclude costs such as a vehicle or working capital, so compare full Item 7 ranges.
What are the best donut franchises?: We don't rank brands. The best fit depends on your budget, preferred format, market, and the support you want. Compare total investment, ongoing fees at your expected sales, Item 20 unit history, and territory terms, and talk with current and former franchisees of each brand you are considering.
Are there mobile donut franchises?: Yes. In our data, The Dapper Doughnut, Dippidy Donuts, DonutNV, and Tiny Little Donuts publish a truck, trailer, tent, or Airstream format. The Dapper Doughnut also offers a fixed storefront. Mobile units still need vehicle financing, permits, and a commissary or base of operations in many areas.
Do donut franchises offer veteran discounts?: DonutNV: $5,000; Doughnuttery: 10% discount for qualified U.S. military veterans (2025 FDD summary; confirm terms). The other brands in our data had not published a veteran discount in the sources we reviewed as of September 2026, so ask each franchisor directly.
Is this website selling a donut franchise?: No. This is a comparison and inquiry site operated by Mini Donut Franchising LLC, which is affiliated with The Mini Donut Company, and nothing here is an offer to sell a franchise. Offers are made only through a franchisor's current FDD, which must be provided at least 14 calendar days before you sign or pay.

Next steps

Use the comparison table for apples-to-apples fees, then request info on the brands that fit your capital and format preferences.

Compare brands side by side Request information

Sources reviewed (September 2026): Brand figures: public FDD summaries and franchisor websites compiled in our comparison data; Full-size references: Duck Donuts and Dunkin' official franchising pages (fetched Sept 25, 2026); FDD timing: FTC Franchise Rule, 16 CFR Part 436.

This guide is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Talk with a franchise attorney and an accountant before you sign any agreement or make any payment. See our disclaimer.