Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
- Investment
- $202K – $255K
- Disclosed sales
- not disclosed
- SBA charge-off
- Not SBA-matched
Data from FDD filing
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Travelin' Tom's Coffee is a mobile coffee franchise serving espresso drinks and specialty beverages from branded coffee trucks at events and gatherings. Franchisees operate one or more trucks booking events and managing service.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee franchise requires a total initial investment of $202K – $255K, including a $15K franchise fee. This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. FranchiseVerdict grade: A (Strongest tier), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Sources, dates and evidence
FDD issued: · Data extracted: · Last cited check: · Staleness risk: medium - issued 12 to 24 months ago; a newer filing is likely on file
Evidence: strong✓ Investment (Item 7)✓ Item 19 status✓ Units and owners (Item 20)✗ SBA loan coverage✓ Litigation (Item 3)✓ Financial statements (Item 21)✓ Franchisor identityhow this is scored3 of 3 headline figures on this page cite a page of the filing.
Overview
- Investment
- $202K – $255K
- 23rd pct Service Resta…
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Royalty
- Not extracted
- Units
- 261
- 85th 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 median · 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 $202K – $255K including a $15K franchise fee.
- RETURNSThis franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that.
- RISKVerdict A (Strongest tier), verdict score 74/100 (higher is better).
- GROWTHPositive: net +119 franchised outlets in the latest year (124 opened, 5 closed) (Item 20).
- GROWTHSystem growing at 416.0% CAGR over 3 years with 261 total units. Strong expansion trajectory.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Mobile Coffee Company, LLC
- Parent company
- Kona Ice BuyerCo, LLC / Kona Ice TopCo, LLC (ultimate parent structure)
- FDD Item 1, page 8 of the 2025 FDD
- Ultimate parent
- Kona Ice TopCo, LLC
- FDD Item 1, page 8 of the 2025 FDD
- CEO title
- Chief Executive Officer, President and Secretary
- Tony Lamb
- Founder active
- Yes
- Original founder still leading the business
- Incorporated in
- Delaware
- HQ
- 5945 Centennial Circle, Florence, Kentucky 41042
- Auditor
- Barnes Dennig
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $28.6M
- vs $19.3M prior year
Same owner · FDD Item 1, page 8
1 other brand on this site name Kona Ice TopCo, LLC as parent or ultimate parent in their own FDD.
Grouped by the owner's name as each filing prints it (this page: the 2025 FDD). Spelling variants of the same group may be listed apart; a brand is never grouped with an owner its filing does not name.
Overview
About
- CEO
- Tony Lamb
- Headquarters
- KY
- Founded
- 2021
- FDD year
- 2025
- States available
- 37
Leadership team6 execs · Item 2
Executive team
Tony Lamb
Chief Executive Officer, President, Secretary and Board Member
5 yrs in role
Has served as Chief Executive Officer, President, Secretary, and Board Member of Kona Ice Affiliate Franchisor in Florence, Kentucky since its inception in February 2008, and in the same roles for Cookie Affiliate Franchisor in Florence, Kentucky since August 2024.
Matthew Perelman
Board Member
5 yrs in role
Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Garnett Station Partners, an investment firm in New York focused on retail and consumer companies, since September 2013. Trustee of the Heckscher Foundation for Children since June 2016 and Trustee of Reading Partners, both in New York.
Alexander Sloane
Board Member
5 yrs in role
Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Garnett Station Partners, an investment firm in New York focused on retail and consumer companies, since September 2013. Trustee of the Heckscher Foundation for Children since June 2009 and Trustee of America Needs You since 2011, both in New York.
Robert A. Whitehouse II
Board Member
5 yrs in role
Serves on the Board of Directors of Kona Ice Affiliate Franchisor since July 2019 and Cookie Affiliate Franchisor since August 2024 in Florence, Kentucky. Chief Executive Officer of Eagle Financial Services, Inc. and affiliated entities in Florence, Kentucky (multi-state consumer lending, commercial real estate, furniture stores) since August 2014. Past president and board member of the Ohio Financial Services Association since August 2014, and board member of the Kentucky Consumer Finance Association since November 2014.
Henry Wei
Board Member
1 yr in role
Vice President of Seidler Equity Partners, an investment firm in Marina Del Ray, California, since August 2019.
Matt Seidler
Board Member
1 yr in role
Partner of Seidler Equity Partners, an investment firm in Marina del Ray, California, since January 2009.
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 53% 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 | $15K | $15K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $1K | $14K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $186K | $226K |
| Total initial investment | $202K | $255K |
Source: Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee 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
- $202K – $255K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $1K – $14K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $15K – $15K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- $3,000 for years one and two; $4,000 for years three thro…
- Ad fund
- $1,000 per year
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty (flat) | $3,000 for years 1-2; $4,000 for years 3-6; $5,000 for years 7-10 |
| Technology fee | $600 |
| Transfer fee | $10K |
| Renewal fee | $8K |
| Inventory (initial) | $12K – $12K |
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD - a voluntary item under the FTC Franchise Rule - so no unit revenue figures are disclosed. The return models need a revenue figure to start from, and the operating costs that turn gross sales into a profit are in no FDD. Enter your own and the calculator runs on your assumptions — nothing here is modelled until you do.
Returns model · single-unit ROIC
What would one Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee unit return on the cash you put in?
Illustrative category typicals — not sourced to any filing, survey or sample. Replace them with figures from franchisee validation calls before you rely on the output.
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Your modelled return on total invested capital, before any debt financing.
—
An FDD discloses gross sales, not profit. We hold no sourced figure for annual revenue, royalty rate, ad fund rate, COGS, labour, rent / occupancy and other operating costs, and will not substitute an assumed one. Enter your own and the model runs on your assumptions.
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
No financial performance representation
This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that.
Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Operator outlook
What the numbers say
Data-driven interpretation of this brand's financial disclosures, fee structure, and system trajectory.
Disclosure
This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Operator retention
System expanding at 416.0% CAGR over 3 years across 261 units — operators are staying and new ones are joining.
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 medians
How Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee Compares
Category median of published Quick-Service Restaurants brands that report the figure; the middle half spans the 25th to 75th percentile and n counts the brands behind it. Medians are used because a few very large systems pull an average far from the typical brand. Revenue is disclosed gross sales, not profit.
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2025 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 261
- Opened
- 124
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 5
- Terminated
- 0
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 0
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- 1.9%
- Company-owned
- 3
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 99%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (3-yr)
- Outlier (see FDD)
- Likely small-sample artifact
- 3-yr CAGR
- Outlier (see FDD)
- Likely small-sample artifact
Last fiscal year · Item 20 exits and transfers
- Terminated
- 0
- Not renewed
- 0
- Transferred
- 7
- Reacquired
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
- Transfer rate
- 2.7%
- Owners selling to other franchisees
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 20 · 37 states with active franchisees
The Territory Map
Derived from franchisee contact records. Shows states with at least one current operator. Not where the franchisor is registered to sell new units (that data is re-extracting in a future refresh).
States derived from franchisee contact records (FDD Item 20). Shows states with at least one current operator on file. Full state registration data (Item 12) will appear on a future FDD refresh.
Where the owners are · Item 20 owner list
210 current owners across 37 states.
- TX 23
- CA 13
- FL 13
- IN 13
- OH 11
- GA 10
- NC 8
- IL 7
- MD 7
- OR 7
- PA 7
- SC 7
- +25 more states
Counts only, from the list the franchisor prints in Item 20. Names and phone numbers are for your own due diligence and are not shown here.
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
Mobile coffee franchisor (since 2021) with 261 units, no litigation, no bankruptcy, no going-concern, audited financials and $28.6M revenue. Only concern is the absence of an Item 19 earnings disclosure; growth of 416% reflects a young, rapidly expanding system.
Litigation (Item 3)
Subject: officers or affiliates. The franchisor is not a named party in these cases.
No litigation required to be disclosed
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Barnes Dennig
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
During FY2024, franchisor received $23,424,009 in revenue from required purchases, representing 82.01% of total revenues of $28,563,004; affiliate Kona Insurance received $3,169,267 from required insurance purchases.
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: Yes
- 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 74 / 100 verdict
- 01MINORNo Item 19 disclosure
- 02MEDNo franchisor net worth/net income figures disclosed
- 03MINOROtherwise clean: 0 litigation, no bankruptcy, 261 units, audited
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 10 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 10 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 2 |
| Territory type | Exclusive territory |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | Yes |
| Territory population | 100,000 |
| Online sales rightsℹ | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Required |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Non-compete (miles)ℹ | 20 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| RoFR response window | 30 days |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Curable defaultsℹ | 3 |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | Florence, Kentucky (principal city closest to franchisor's principal place of business) |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Kentucky |
| Litigation count | 0 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
No litigation required to be disclosed
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 14 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 10 hrs
- Training location
- On-site and corporate
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Franchisor financing
- Not offered
- Item 10
- POS system
- Square
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: Square
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
210 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee franchise?
The total investment to open a Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee franchise ranges from $202K – $255K, with an initial franchise fee of $15K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee franchise owners earn?
Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD - a voluntary item under the FTC Franchise Rule - so no unit revenue figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Who owns Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee?
Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee is franchised by Mobile Coffee Company, LLC. Its parent company is Kona Ice BuyerCo, LLC / Kona Ice TopCo, LLC (ultimate parent structure). The ultimate parent named in the FDD is Kona Ice TopCo, LLC. Source: FDD Item 1, 2025 filing.
What is Item 19 in the Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee 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 Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee (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 Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee has 261 total units in the United States, including 258 franchised units and 3 company-owned units. 124 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee as a A-grade franchise with a verdict score of 74 out of 100 (higher is better). The grade is a deterministic score built from six weighted dimensions — financial health, unit economics, unit growth, scale, legal, and transparency — then calibrated against SBA loan charge-off rates and FDD age. Transparency is one of the six, so a filing that discloses less scores lower on that dimension than one that discloses more. 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?
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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.