Franchise Facts Report → compare → Kona Ice vs Mister Softee
Kona Ice vs Mister Softee
Two food & beverage franchises, compared on the numbers their own Franchise Disclosure Documents put on record — investment, fees, Item 19 earnings, outlet churn, and litigation. Not marketing copy.
| Kona Ice | Mister Softee | |
|---|---|---|
| Total initial investment FDD Item 7 | $173,356 – $222,141 | $204,500 – $287,000 |
| Initial franchise fee FDD Item 5 | $15,000 | — |
| Royalty FDD Item 6 | — | — |
| Item 19 earnings disclosed FDD Item 19 | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Avg unit revenue (headline) FDD Item 19 | — | — |
| Franchised outlets FDD Item 20 | 1,670 | 585 |
| Net outlet change (latest yr) FDD Item 20 | +194 | -6 |
| Closure rate FDD Item 20 | 0.1% | — |
| Franchisee lawsuits FDD Item 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Risk level our read | Medium | Medium |
| FDD year registration | 2025 | 2024 |
Are Kona Ice and Mister Softee the same company?
No — Kona Ice and Mister Softee are franchised by separate companies. Kona Ice's franchisor is Kona Ice, Inc.; Mister Softee's is Mister Softee Franchise, L.L.C.. Each registers and files its own Franchise Disclosure Document, and you would be signing with a different entity depending on which you chose. Note that a registry filing names the franchisor, not necessarily its ultimate parent — two brands owned by the same parent company can still have separate franchisors.
Cost to open
Kona Ice is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $173,356 – $222,141, against $204,500 – $287,000 for Mister Softee.
How much does each make? (Item 19)
Neither Kona Ice nor Mister Softee makes an Item 19 financial performance representation in its most recent FDD — neither franchisor discloses what units earn. Any earnings claim you hear for either brand is not backed by the disclosure document.
Closures & failure rate
Kona Ice reports 1,670 franchised outlets, net change +194 in the latest reported year, a 0.1% closure rate (FDD Item 20). Mister Softee reports 585 franchised outlets, net change -6 in the latest reported year (FDD Item 20). Outlet churn — closures, terminations, non-renewals — is the closest thing an FDD has to a failure rate; the full report puts both brands' churn against food & beverage medians.
Litigation
Kona Ice discloses no franchisee-initiated proceedings in FDD Item 3. Mister Softee discloses no franchisee-initiated proceedings in FDD Item 3.
This page is the headline numbers. The Deep report compares up to three brands on the complete FDD record — every fee line, the actual Item 19 figures and what they represent, each lawsuit, and churn benchmarked against food & beverage peers.
Only looking at one of them?
Kona Ice vs Mister Softee — frequently asked
Are Kona Ice and Mister Softee the same company?
No — Kona Ice and Mister Softee are franchised by separate companies. Kona Ice's franchisor is Kona Ice, Inc.; Mister Softee's is Mister Softee Franchise, L.L.C.. Each registers and files its own Franchise Disclosure Document, and you would be signing with a different entity depending on which you chose. Note that a registry filing names the franchisor, not necessarily its ultimate parent — two brands owned by the same parent company can still have separate franchisors.
What is the difference between Kona Ice and Mister Softee?
Kona Ice and Mister Softee are food & beverage franchises from different franchisors (Kona Ice, Inc. and Mister Softee Franchise, L.L.C.). Kona Ice is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $173,356 – $222,141, against $204,500 – $287,000 for Mister Softee. Neither Kona Ice nor Mister Softee makes an Item 19 financial performance representation in its most recent FDD — neither franchisor discloses what units earn. Any earnings claim you hear for either brand is not backed by the disclosure document.
Is Kona Ice more profitable than Mister Softee?
Neither Kona Ice nor Mister Softee makes an Item 19 financial performance representation in its most recent FDD — neither franchisor discloses what units earn. Any earnings claim you hear for either brand is not backed by the disclosure document.
Which is cheaper to open — Kona Ice or Mister Softee?
Kona Ice is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $173,356 – $222,141, against $204,500 – $287,000 for Mister Softee.
Is Kona Ice or Mister Softee growing faster?
Kona Ice reports 1,670 franchised outlets, net change +194 in the latest reported year, a 0.1% closure rate (FDD Item 20). Mister Softee reports 585 franchised outlets, net change -6 in the latest reported year (FDD Item 20).
Go deeper on each brand
Food & beverage rankings
Figures are as disclosed in each brand's most recent registered FDD (Kona Ice 2025, Mister Softee 2024). “—” means the FDD does not disclose it or the table did not parse cleanly — never an estimate.