Icebox/Soupbox vs House of Donuts Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Icebox/Soupbox vs House of Donuts including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Icebox/Soupbox Franchise
House of Donuts Franchise
Investment $69,500 - $174,500$350,000 - $400,000
Franchise Fee $14,000 - $20,000N/A
Royalty Fee 4%-
Advertising Fee --
Year Founded 19951979
Year Franchised 19981996
Term Of Agreement 10 years-
Term Of Agreement 10 years-
Renewal Fee Negotiable-


Business Experience Requirements

 
Icebox/Soupbox Franchise
House of Donuts Franchise
Experience
  • General business experience
  • -

    Financing Options

     
    Icebox/Soupbox Franchise
    House of Donuts Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/No-/-
    Start-up Costs No/No-/-
    Equipment No/No-/-
    Inventory No/No-/-
    Receivables No/No-/-
    Payroll No/No-/-

    Training & Support

     
    Icebox/Soupbox Franchise
    House of Donuts Franchise
    Training --
    Support Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives-
    Marketing Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, Regional advertising-
    Operations 0% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 10

    Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

    -

    Expansion Plans

     
    Icebox/Soupbox Franchise
    House of Donuts Franchise
    US Expansion --
    Canada Expansion No-
    International Expansion Yes-

    Company Overviews

    About Icebox/Soupbox

    Before opening his first store, Jamie Taerbaum stood outside a Baskin-Robbins store to figure out how many customers an ice cream store could expect at different times of day, on different days of the week, and in different weather conditions. Armed with this research, the young business school graduate opened the original Icebox/Soupbox store in 1995 in Chicago.

    In the spring and summer, Icebox operates as a retailer of Icyfruit, a mixture of fruit juice, sugar, water and chunks of fruit that comes in 20 flavors. Throughout the fall and winter, it becomes a Soupbox store, offering a wide variety of soups.

    About House of Donuts

    An upscale cafe-bakery concept offering the finest American pastries