Is Caribou Coffee or THE OUTSIDE SCOOP cheaper to open?

Caribou Coffee costs $898,100–$1,515,000 and THE OUTSIDE SCOOP costs $222,000–$2,200,000 to open (FDD Item 7). THE OUTSIDE SCOOP has the lower entry cost.

Which is the better franchise, Caribou Coffee or THE OUTSIDE SCOOP?

FranchiseVerdict grades Caribou Coffee A and THE OUTSIDE SCOOP C, from FDD Items 5–7, 19–21 and SBA loan performance. See the full side-by-side above.

Caribou Coffee vs THE OUTSIDE SCOOP

Franchise Comparison 2026

Both Caribou Coffee and THE OUTSIDE SCOOP are quick-service restaurants franchises. Caribou Coffee requires an investment of $898K – $1.5M while THE OUTSIDE SCOOP requires $222K – $2.2M. FranchiseVerdict rates Caribou Coffee A (Strongest tier) and THE OUTSIDE SCOOP C (Average).

Metric	Caribou Coffee	THE OUTSIDE SCOOP
Verdict Grade	AStrongest tierStrongest tier	CAverageAverage
Investment Range	$898K – $1.5M	$222K – $2.2M
Franchise Fee	$30K	$25K
Royalty Rate	5.0%	4.0%
Average Revenue (Item 19)	N/A	N/ACompany-owned only
SBA Charge-Off Rate	N/A	N/A
Total Units	494	0
Unit Growth (YoY)	N/A	N/A
Year Began Franchising	2006	2025
FDD Year	2026	2025