From the filings
Software purchasing at Crispy Cones is controlled at the headquarters level by a small executive team, including CEO Jeremy Carlson and VP of Finance DJ Sims. The franchise does not mandate any specific technology systems in its most recent FDD, leaving the tech stack largely undefined for vendors. With 21 total units (18 franchised, 3 company-owned), the addressable market is compact but concentrated, offering a direct line to decision-makers.
For software vendors selling into US franchise brands.
Live signals
Ongoing fee load
The recurring percentage of gross sales named in this filing, before rent, labour or any technology fee.
7%of gross sales (FY2026)
15% reference
Franchisor behaviours
25 requirements the franchisor states in this filing, each in its own words; 2 explicit no's; 7 questions the text does not settle, which is not a no.
Accounting
Must the franchisee use an accounting or bookkeeping system designated or approved by the franchisor?
YesItem 11
We also require you to purchase and use our approved computer system, including accounting software, hardware and software for kiosks, computers, printers, label printers, displays, receipt printers, scanners, cash drawers, and all other necessary hardware and software for the operation of your Store (the “Tech…
Does the franchisor have direct or independent electronic access to the franchisee's financial, sales or customer records?
YesItem 11
We also have the right to independently access the information and data you collect and gather using any required computer hardware and software, and there is no limitation on our right to access this information.
Must the franchisee submit periodic financial statements (monthly, quarterly or annual) to the franchisor?
YesItem 11
We also require that you have high-speed Internet access at your Store premises in order to electronically submit to us Gross Sales and financial statement reports (including monthly profit and loss statements, and quarterly and annual financial statements) for your Store, and to allow us to access information…
How the franchisor buys
Is the franchisor or an affiliate itself a supplier of required products, services or systems?
YesItem 8
We and our affiliates are currently the approved or sole supplier of (i) the dry mix, (ii) all branded paper products, (iii) Crispy Cones branded merchandise such as memorabilia, T-shirts, and hats, and (iv) certain hardware and software as further described in Item 11.
Is there a franchisee advisory council, association or committee?
YesItem 11
We may establish a franchisee advisory council that serves in an advisory capacity only.
Does the franchisor reserve the right to change designated suppliers or systems at any time?
YesItem 8
We reserve the right to add or remove approved suppliers for any item that you are required to purchase.
How much revenue did the franchisor and its affiliates earn from franchisee purchases in the last fiscal year?
170994Item 8
Our total revenue from all sources in our last fiscal year was $2,312,285, and the revenues from required purchase of our products by franchisees was $170,994 for the same period, or 7.4% of our total revenues.
Does the franchisor or an affiliate receive rebates, commissions or other revenue from designated or approved suppliers?
YesItem 8
As of the date of this Disclosure Document we receive rebates from two designated suppliers - one of which is structured as a percentage of total franchisee purchases ranging from 0% to 3% and the other which is structured as a flat fee rebate amount based on the volume of items purchased from the supplier.
Item 8 gives this proportion in one of two shapes: separate percentages for establishing the business and for operating it, or one figure covering "establishing and operating" together. Where they are separate, answer with the operating percentage; where the passage gives only the combined figure, answer with that. What percentage of the franchisee's purchases must come from designated or approved suppliers?
85Item 8
The cost of required purchases, including inventory and equipment purchased in accordance with our specifications represents 85% to 90% of your total purchases in connection with the establishment of your Crispy Cones Franchising LLC 15 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document franchise and 85% to 90% or more of your cost…
Does the franchisor charge a fee to evaluate a proposed supplier?
YesItem 8
A charge of $1,000 is required to be paid by you whether or not the supplier is approved.
Can a franchisee propose a new supplier for the franchisor's approval?
YesItem 8
If you would like us to approve a different supplier, you are required to submit to us a written request to approve a proposed supplier together with such information as we may require, including financials, total sales figures, written references, etc.
Communications
Does the franchisor own or control the business telephone numbers, or take them over when the agreement ends?
YesItem 17
take all action necessary to assign all telephone numbers, email address, social media and similar accounts to us
Franchise management
Does the franchisor conduct periodic inspections, audits or evaluations of the franchised business?
YesItem 11
As we reasonably determine necessary, we will visit and evaluate the Store, the products and service to verify that our System Standards for quality, appearance and the operation of a Crispy Cones Store are met.
Can the franchisor change the operations manual and brand standards unilaterally?
YesItem 11
We will update the Brand Standards Manual from time to time.
Must the franchisor approve the franchisee's site or location before opening?
YesItem 11
We must approve the site for your Store.
Marketing
Is the franchisee prohibited from operating its own website or social media accounts, or required to use pages the franchisor provides?
YesItem 11
You may not create a website, social media site, or engage in advertising on the internet without our prior written approval (Franchise Agreement, Section 5.C.).
Is a minimum grand opening advertising spend required?
YesItem 11
You must spend at least $2,000 on a grand opening campaign to promote the opening of your Store within 30 days of opening for business.
Is the franchisee required to spend a minimum amount on local advertising or marketing, as a percentage of sales or a fixed amount?
YesItem 11
Additionally, you must spend at least 1% of your Gross Sales on a monthly basis on local advertising, marketing, and promotional programs.
Operations
Must the franchisee buy products from a designated distributor?
YesItem 8
You are required to obtain certain products and other items from us, our affiliates, or from sources we approve.
Must equipment be purchased from designated or approved suppliers?
YesItem 8
Currently, we require you to use our designated vendors for (i) all food and drink products, paper products, and other supplies for your Store, (ii) certain equipment such as grills, (iii) exterior and interior signage for your Store, (iv) Crispy Cones branded merchandise such as memorabilia, T-shirts, and hats, (v)…
Payments
Must the franchisee participate in a gift card program?
YesItem 11
You must participate in this system and may not independently issue or manage gift cards outside of the system without our prior written approval.
People
Does the franchisor require minimum staffing levels or specific roles?
YesItem 15
You, a Principal Owner, or a general manager who has successfully completed our initial training program, are required to devote your full-time to operate and directly supervise the Store.
Point of sale
Must the franchisee use a specific point-of-sale system designated or approved by the franchisor?
YesItem 11
You must also use in your Store our designated point of sale (“POS”) system as upgraded or modified.
Does the franchisor have independent access to the data in the franchisee's POS or computer system?
YesItem 11
We also have the right to independently access the information and data you collect and gather using any required computer hardware and software, and there is no limitation on our right to access this information.
Training
Can the franchisor charge the franchisee for additional, refresher or remedial training?
YesItem 11
We may, in our discretion, provide additional training or refresher programs for any personnel.
Who buys here
The decision-maker a vendor sells to at this scale, and the gaps they’re paid to close, derived from our data by segment and unit count, not a guess.
The franchisor's owner/CEO decides; an ops or franchise-development lead may evaluate.
Crispy Cones operates 21 quick-service restaurant locations in the US, with 18 franchised and 3 company-owned units. The brand does not disclose average unit volume (AUV) in its 2026 FDD. For software vendors, the immediate addressable market is small—just 21 locations—but the concentration of decision-making at headquarters simplifies the sales process. The franchise is independently owned, with no parent company on file, meaning the executive team listed in the FDD is the ultimate authority on technology purchases.
Year-over-year unit growth is not reported, and the operator footprint consists of four mapped single-unit operators across approximately four located units. No multi-unit operators are recorded. The top state for locations is Idaho, with four units identified. This footprint suggests a localized, tightly managed operation where a single software deployment could cover the entire system.
The 2026 FDD lists five key executives in Item 1. Jeremy Carlson serves as CEO and President, making him the likely final decision-maker for enterprise software investments. DJ Sims, Vice President of Finance, is the probable budget gatekeeper and would evaluate ROI and cost implications. Mackinley Quast, Vice President of Growth and Revenue, may champion tools that drive sales or streamline operations. Vanessa Perez (Director of Franchise Support) and Fionna Pedersen (Director of Training) could influence platforms that affect franchisee onboarding, compliance, or daily operations.
Because the franchise system is small and HQ-centric, vendors should expect a direct, relationship-driven sales cycle. There are no regional layers or multi-unit franchisees with independent purchasing power to navigate.
Crispy Cones does not mandate or recommend any specific technology systems in its 2026 FDD. Item 11, which typically discloses required POS, back-office, or IT systems, contains no entries. This means franchisees are not contractually obligated to use a particular POS, inventory management, or scheduling platform. For vendors, this represents a greenfield opportunity—but also a fragmented environment where each location may use different tools.
Without a mandated stack, the current technology landscape is unknown. Vendors should approach discovery calls prepared to assess what each unit uses independently. The lack of standardization could be a pain point that a unified platform pitch could address.
Item 8 of the FDD, which typically outlines procurement restrictions and designated suppliers, contains no extract. This suggests an open procurement environment with no centralized purchasing mandates. Franchisees may source their own supplies and, by extension, software, unless HQ later imposes requirements.
Item 17 provides renewal terms: franchisees must give 180 days' notice, have sufficient lease term remaining, not be in default, remodel the premises to current standards, sign the then-current franchise agreement (which may differ materially), pay a $3,500 non-refundable renewal fee, and execute a general release. The initial term is 10 years. These renewal windows—every decade, with a six-month lead time—could be natural moments for system-wide technology upgrades or re-evaluations. Vendors should monitor when the first cohort of franchise agreements comes up for renewal.
The full 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document is embedded below. Key sections for software vendors include Item 1 (executives), Item 8 (procurement), Item 11 (technology mandates), and Item 17 (renewal and contract terms). The document is filed with state franchise regulators and provides the most authoritative public view into the franchise's operations and obligations. Review it to validate the decision-maker names, unit counts, and any updates to technology requirements that may not be summarized here.
For a ranked target list of franchise systems matched to your software category, FranCloud can help you prioritize outreach based on real FDD data.
Questions vendors ask
Every number on this page traces back to this document. Read it in full, page by page. Buy the original PDF to download, search, and annotate it.
View only A one-time purchase: the original filing, yours to keep.
FDD alert
We’ll email you the moment Crispy Cones files a new annual FDD, usually the freshest signal of a vendor change.
Operator footprint
4 operators run 4 mapped locations. 0 of them are multi-unit. Aggregate counts from the filing; no names.
Operators by units owned
Top states by locations
| ID | 4 |
|---|
Ownership
unknown of crispy cones holdings.
Related Quick service restaurant brands
Primary franchise filings · updated June 2026. Every figure is source-traceable and QA-checked.