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Ask Clara anything → What's a royalty? What does it really cost to open one? Do I get a protected territory? Can I sell this someday? What happens if I get sick? Can my kids take it over? What am I really signing up for? How do I get out if I want to? What fees come after the franchise fee? How long am I locked in for? How are their current franchisees doing? Ask Clara anything → What's a royalty? What does it really cost to open one? Do I get a protected territory? Can I sell this someday? What happens if I get sick? Can my kids take it over? What am I really signing up for? How do I get out if I want to? What fees come after the franchise fee? How long am I locked in for? How are their current franchisees doing?
Kona Ice FDD Analysis · 2026

Inside the Kona Ice franchise disclosure

You searched the right thing. The FDD is the document that spells out what a Kona Ice franchise is really about — what you're committing to, and what they're committing to you. Here's a sampling of what their 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document reveals:

Investment to open
$115K–$229K
System size
1,933 1,929 franchised
Financial perf. (Item 19)
Not in this FDD
Year
2026 analyzed May 7
What changed In 2025, Kona Ice grew from 1,820 to 1,933 locations.
01

Here's what their franchise disclosure tells you

Every detail below is drawn straight from Kona Ice's 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document — and in your Clearly Workspace, Clara links each one back to the exact page in the FDD.

Item 7

Estimated Initial Investment

The full cost to open, low to high, including working capital.
$114,730–$228,601
Item 7
Item 19

Financial Performance

What the franchisor discloses about how outlets perform.
Makes no financial performance representation — no earnings figures are disclosed.
Item 19
Item 20

Outlets & Franchisees

Outlet counts, openings and closures, turnover.
1,933 locations
In 2025, opened 140 new locations and closed 27 · Item 20
Item 6

Other Fees

The recurring fees — royalty, brand fund, and the rest.
Varies (see Item 6) royalty
See the full fee schedule with Clara →
Item 5

Initial Fees

The upfront fees due before opening.
$15,000 franchise fee
Item 5
Item 12

Territory

Whether you get a protected area, and on what terms.
Gives you a protected area.
Ask Clara what the terms mean →
02

What changed this year

  • 1
    Kona Ice grew from 1,820 locations to 1,933 total locations in 2025. (Item 20.)
  • 2
    In 2025, Kona Ice opened 140 new locations and closed 27. (Item 20.)
Kona Ice's franchise agreement is a 10-year commitment — and the FDD is the document that spells out exactly what you're signing up for.

You cannot change the FDD — and that's not the point. The point is to walk into your next conversation with Kona Ice knowing what you're agreeing to, so you ask the questions that matter most to you. We're not here to talk you out of anything — we're here to make sure your excitement is the clear-eyed kind.

Open Kona Ice's FDD in the Clearly Workspace — with Clara beside you.

The Workspace is where you and Clara review the FDD together. She's read every page, and she'll walk you through any of it — the basic questions, the ones you're not sure are smart, the ones keeping you up at night. No judgment, ever. Ask her what a royalty really costs you, whether you could sell one day, what happens if you get sick — anything.

It's the smart first step before you sign, or before you spend on an attorney: get into the Workspace for $49, get to know the FDD, then save the legal fees for the parts you want to discuss with your attorney. Ask Clara as many questions as you want for 30 days — there's no limit, and no question is too small.

We're not paid if you sign a franchise agreement. We're here to help you understand it before you do.
$99$49
Launch price Open the Kona Ice FDD in the Workspace →
The full FDD in your Clearly Workspace · Clara beside you · unlimited questions for 30 days
03

Common questions

How much does it cost to open a Kona Ice franchise?
Kona Ice's 2026 FDD estimates a total initial investment of $114,730 to $228,601, including the $15,000 franchise fee. (Item 7.)
What are the ongoing fees for a Kona Ice franchise?
Kona Ice reports a royalty of varies (see Item 6); the remaining recurring fees are itemized in Item 6 of the 2026 FDD.
Does Kona Ice share how its franchises perform financially?
Kona Ice's 2026 FDD does not include a financial performance representation — Item 19 makes no earnings claims.
How many Kona Ice locations are there?
Kona Ice's 2026 FDD reports 1,933 locations — 1,929 franchised and 4 company-owned (Item 20).
Drawn from Kona Ice's 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document · last updated May 7, 2026.
Review Kona Ice's FDD in the Clearly Workspace
Clara's read every page and reviews it with you — ask as many questions as you want for 30 days. No question too small, no judgment.
$99$49
Open in the Workspace →