Nite Creamery Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Nite Creamery is a dessert franchise serving liquid-nitrogen ice cream made fresh to order. Franchisees run the shops, managing made-to-order prep, staffing, and counter service.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Nite Creamery franchise requires a total initial investment of $221K – $713K, including a $35K franchise fee and an ongoing 6.0% royalty[2]. The 2025 FDD does not disclose unit-level revenue (no Item 19). FranchiseVerdict grade: D (Below average), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified · figures per the 2025 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $221K – $713K
- 30th pct Service Resta…
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- 2 outlets
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- 46th pct Service Resta…
- Units
- 2
- 9th pct Service Resta…
- SBA charge-off
- N/A
Quick verdict · Quick-Service Restaurants · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Quick-Service Restaurants avg · No shading = within ±10% · Red = unfavorable by >10% · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Bottom line
- COSTTotal investment $221K – $713K including a $35K franchise fee, 6.0% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSEntity = Nite, Inc. (a California corporation). The exhibit's Independent Auditor's Report (Velez Hardy CPAs and Advisors, Las Vegas NV, signed May 29, 2025) covers AUDITED financial statements for years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022, but the actual audited Balance Sheets, Statements of Income & Retained Earnings, and Cash Flows referenced in the table of contents were NOT included among the rendered page images. The only quantified statements present are UNAUDITED interim QuickBooks reports for 'Nite Inc' (Balance Sheet as of April 30, 2025; Profit & Loss Jan 1-Apr 30, 2025; Cash Flows same period), generated June 4, 2025 and explicitly marked 'prepared without an audit.' Those interim figures: Total Assets $40,000 (all Business Checking), Total Liabilities $0, Total Equity $40,000 (opening balance equity, a newly formed startup), Net Income $0, no revenue (Income line blank, Gross Profit $0). Figures are in whole US dollars, no scaling. Balance sheet reconciles: assets $40,000 = liabilities $0 + equity $40,000. yr2/prior-year and other_revenue are null because no second period or audited income statement was shown.
- RISKVerdict D (Below average), verdict score 35/100 (higher is better).
- DATANo Item 19 financial performance representation. Without franchisor-disclosed revenue data, you'll need to gather unit economics directly from existing franchisees.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Nite Inc.
- CEO title
- Co-Owner
- Sicano Eng
- Incorporated in
- CA
- HQ
- 570 Higuera Street, #103, San Luis Obispo, California, 93401
- Auditor
- Velez Hardy CPAs and Advisors
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $0
- vs $0 prior year
Overview
About
- CEO
- Sicano Eng
- Headquarters
- CA
- Founded
- 2021
- FDD year
- 2025
- States available
- 1
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 29% below the typical quick-service restaurants franchise.
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 5–7
FDD Item 7 · 2025 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $35K | $35K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $10K | $30K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $176K | $648K |
| Total initial investment | $221K | $713K |
Source: Nite Creamery 2025 FDD, Items 5 and 7[2]. “Equipment, build-out, other” is computed as total minus disclosed line items above.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $221K – $713K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $10K – $30K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $35K – $35K
- Middle of category vs category
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- percentage · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 2.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 8.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 6.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 2.0% of gross sales |
| Training fee | $1K |
| Transfer fee | $10K |
| Renewal fee | $50 |
| Inventory (initial) | $3K – $6K |
| Total fee load | 8.0% of rev |
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
Nite Creamery did not disclose financial performance in FDD Item 19. The ROIC and return models require Item 19 revenue. Without it all inputs are estimates. You can still run the calculator with your own assumptions by entering an expected revenue figure.
Returns model · single-unit ROIC
What would one Nite Creamery unit return on the cash you put in?
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Estimated return on your total franchise investment, before any debt financing.
22%
Below the 30–60% attractive-franchise band
These models are for research and scenario planning only. Not investment advice. Actual results depend on your specific location, management, and market conditions. Consult a franchise attorney and accountant before signing any franchise agreement.
Item 19 · Source: 2025 FDD
Financial Performance
Entity = Nite, Inc. (a California corporation). The exhibit's Independent Auditor's Report (Velez Hardy CPAs and Advisors, Las Vegas NV, signed May 29, 2025) covers AUDITED financial statements for years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022, but the actual audited Balance Sheets, Statements of Income & Retained Earnings, and Cash Flows referenced in the table of contents were NOT included among the rendered page images. The only quantified statements present are UNAUDITED interim QuickBooks reports for 'Nite Inc' (Balance Sheet as of April 30, 2025; Profit & Loss Jan 1-Apr 30, 2025; Cash Flows same period), generated June 4, 2025 and explicitly marked 'prepared without an audit.' Those interim figures: Total Assets $40,000 (all Business Checking), Total Liabilities $0, Total Equity $40,000 (opening balance equity, a newly formed startup), Net Income $0, no revenue (Income line blank, Gross Profit $0). Figures are in whole US dollars, no scaling. Balance sheet reconciles: assets $40,000 = liabilities $0 + equity $40,000. yr2/prior-year and other_revenue are null because no second period or audited income statement was shown.
Operator outlook
What the numbers say
Data-driven interpretation of this brand's financial disclosures, fee structure, and system trajectory.
Fee burden
Total ongoing fee load of 8.0% (near the Quick-Service Restaurants average).
Disclosure
Franchisor chose not to disclose financial performance representations. You will need to gather unit economics directly from existing franchisees.
Source: FDD Item 19 financial performance representations and publicly filed FDD data. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Verify all figures with the franchisor and current franchisees before making any investment decision.
vs Quick-Service Restaurants averages
How Nite Creamery Compares
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2025 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 2
- Opened
- 0
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 0
- Terminated
- 0
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 0
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- 0.0%
- Company-owned
- 2
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 0%
- vs corporate-owned
3-year detail · Item 20
- Opened (3yr)
- 0
- Closed (3yr)
- 0
- Terminated (3yr)
- 0
- Non-renewed (3yr)
- 0
- Transfers (3yr)
- 0
- Reacquired (3yr)
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 12 · 1 state reported
The Territory Map
FDD Item 12 reports the state count, but the specific list isn't in our current data. The map will appear once we re-extract from the FDD or enough franchisee contacts are available.
1
states with franchisees (per FDD Item 12)
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
No SBA loan data available for this brand.
What could kill this investment?
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 4, 8, 16, 21
Risk & Legal
Early-stage ice cream franchise with unproven unit economics, missing financial disclosures, franchisor going concern issues, and no territorial protection — represents high execution risk with limited franchisee success data.
Litigation (Item 3)
No litigation required to be disclosed.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Velez Hardy CPAs and Advisors
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: No
- Kickbacks from required suppliers: No
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
- Can negotiate own supplier terms: No
Score breakdown · what drove the 35 / 100 verdict
- 01MINOROnly 2 existing units indicates nascent/stalled system with no demonstrated scalability or franchisee success proof
- 02HIGHGoing Concern = False suggests financial instability or operational uncertainty at franchisor level
- 03MINORNo protected territory creates direct competition risk and cannibalization between franchisees
- 04MINOR$1,200/month minimum royalty (vs. 6% of gross) penalizes low-revenue locations and indicates weak unit economics
- 05MINOR5-year term is relatively short; limits ability to recoup investment or build equity
- 06MEDNo disclosed litigation history suspicious given only 2 units (harder to have disputes with tiny system)
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 8.0% of sales (royalty + ad fund), before rent and labor.
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 5 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 5 years |
| Territory type | protected |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| Territory radius | 3 mi |
| Territory population | 50,000 |
| Online sales rightsℹ | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Optional |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Non-compete (miles)ℹ | 25 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| RoFR response window | 30 days |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | No |
| Arbitration location | San Luis Obispo, California (mediation before litigation) |
| Jury trial waiver | No |
| Governing law | CA |
| Litigation count | 0 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
No litigation required to be disclosed.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 40 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 0 hrs
- Training location
- San Luis Obispo, California
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Time to open
- 9 mo
- From signing to launch
- Site selection
- Franchisee selects; franchisor approves
- Franchisor financing
- Not offered
- Item 10
- POS system
- Square POS
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: Square POS
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
1 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
Nite Creamery · FDD (2025) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Nite Creamery franchise?
The total investment to open a Nite Creamery franchise ranges from $221K – $713K, with an initial franchise fee of $35K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Nite Creamery franchise owners earn?
Nite Creamery does not disclose average franchise owner earnings in their FDD Item 19. Not all franchisors are required to make financial performance representations. We recommend asking existing franchisees directly about their financial experience.
What is Item 19 in the Nite Creamery FDD?
The FDD section where a franchisor may disclose financial performance of its outlets. Disclosure is optional and formats vary; figures are typically gross sales, which is revenue before expenses, not profit. FranchiseVerdict extracts these figures directly from the Nite Creamery FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is Nite Creamery's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Nite Creamery (fewer than 10 loans on file). Charge-off rates are one way to gauge franchise risk, but not all franchise loans go through the SBA program. We recommend reviewing turnover and closure data in the FDD and speaking with current franchisees.
How many Nite Creamery franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Nite Creamery has 2 total units in the United States, including 0 franchised units and 2 company-owned units.
Is Nite Creamery a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Nite Creamery as a D-grade franchise with a verdict score of 35 out of 100 (higher is better), based on our analysis of investment costs, revenue data, SBA loan performance, and growth trends. Our rating is based solely on publicly available FDD and government data; we recommend speaking with current franchisees before making any investment decision. This is not investment advice.
Data sourced from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) FOIA records. Not financial advice.
For franchisors
Are you the franchisor?
If you represent Nite Creamery, you can request corrections or provide updated information.
Other Quick-Service Restaurants franchises
Compare similar franchise opportunities in the Quick-Service Restaurants category
Data extracted from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan disclosures (FOIA). This information is provided for research purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Verify all figures with the franchisor's current Franchise Disclosure Document before making any investment decision.