Can You Franchise a Starbucks? No — Here's What's Actually Available

The Answer Is No — And Here's Why Starbucks Chose This Model

4,400 people search "Starbucks franchise" every month. The answer has been the same since Howard Schultz founded the modern company in 1987: **Starbucks does not franchise to individual investors in the United States.**

This is a deliberate and longstanding corporate strategy, not an oversight.

Starbucks' position: quality control over the customer experience requires owning and operating all US locations. Franchising introduces variability — different operators with different standards, training approaches, and equipment maintenance. Starbucks has determined this variability is incompatible with their brand positioning.

The result: Starbucks owns and operates approximately 16,000 US locations as company stores. Every barista is a Starbucks employee. Every lease is held by Starbucks. There are no franchisee owners generating individual profits on the Starbucks brand in the US.

What About Licensed Starbucks Stores?

You've seen Starbucks inside Target, inside airports, inside hospitals and university campuses. These are **licensed stores** — not franchises. The distinction matters:

**A licensed Starbucks store:** - Operates under a licensing agreement with Starbucks - Is available **only** to existing foodservice operators who already manage food/beverage programs at scale (Target, Aramark, Compass Group, HMS Host, etc.) - Cannot be obtained by an individual investor approaching Starbucks - Requires demonstrated multi-unit foodservice management capability - Pays a licensing fee to Starbucks and operates Starbucks equipment, recipes, and training - The licensee makes money on the food and beverage sales (Starbucks takes a fee); it is not a traditional franchise model

If you manage a hospital's foodservice operation or operate a university dining program, you might be able to license a Starbucks. If you're an individual looking to open a coffee business, you cannot.

International Starbucks: Still Not for Individual Buyers

Outside the US, Starbucks operates differently. In many markets — including much of Asia, the Middle East, and parts of Latin America — Starbucks uses **master licensees**: large regional operators who hold the rights to develop Starbucks stores across an entire country or region.

These are not accessible to individual investors. They require: - Hundreds of millions in capital - Existing multi-unit foodservice infrastructure - Long-term development agreements for 50–200+ locations - Years of negotiations with Starbucks corporate

An individual buyer cannot purchase a Starbucks franchise internationally through any normal process.

Coffee Franchise Alternatives: What You Can Actually Buy

If you want to own a coffee franchise, here are the real alternatives — brands that actually franchise to individual investors:

**Dunkin' (formerly Dunkin' Donuts):** - Franchise fee: $40,000–$90,000 - Total investment: $109,700–$1,637,700 - Royalty: 5.9% + 5% ad fund - ~9,600 US locations; aggressive in drive-through suburban markets - [Full cost breakdown →](/guides/dunkin-franchise-cost)

**The Human Bean:** - Franchise fee: $25,000 - Total investment: $225,000–$550,000 (primarily drive-through kiosks) - Royalty: 6% + 2% ad fund - ~250 locations; growing regional brand in the West and Southeast

**Scooter's Coffee:** - Franchise fee: $40,000 - Total investment: $794,000–$1,270,000 (kiosk) to $1,073,000–$1,564,000 (coffeehouse) - Royalty: 6% + 2% ad fund - ~700+ locations; Midwest-strong, rapidly expanding

**PJ's Coffee:** - Franchise fee: $35,000 - Total investment: $204,000–$688,000 - Royalty: 5% + 2% ad fund - Southeast-focused; strong brand in Gulf Coast markets

**Biggby Coffee:** - Franchise fee: $20,000 - Total investment: $265,000–$466,000 - Royalty: 6% + 2% ad fund - Michigan-based; Midwest-dominant with steady national expansion

For any of these brands, the location is critical — coffee franchise AUV varies 40–60% based on site characteristics alone.

Frequently Asked Questions