Great American Cookies Franchise Cost 2026: New Owner, Fees

Great American Cookies has been owned by FBG Bid Co. (now operating as OHG) since June 16, 2026, per the buyer’s announcement; here is what that changes for a prospective franchisee.

Ownership and bankruptcy: what the amended FDD says

The newest FDD identified in the Minnesota CARDS record checked October 14, 2026 is issued April 30, 2025 as amended February 10, 2026, document 35448-202603-03, received March 2, 2026. It predates the June sale, but it does not predate the bankruptcy disclosure. The Minnesota registry is the source for this document.

Item 1: GAC Franchising, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of GAC Franchise Brands, LLC, its immediate parent. The FDD says FAT Brands acquired the prior ultimate parent on July 22, 2021, and GAC Franchise Brands was contributed to FAT Brands GFG Royalty I, LLC in that transaction. These are the ownership relationships disclosed before the sale.

Item 4: The FDD states that on January 25, 2026, the parent, Twin Hospitality Group Inc. and their subsidiaries, including GAC Franchising and its affiliates, filed voluntary Chapter 11 petitions in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. It says the group requested joint administration under case 26-90126 (ARP), lists GAC Franchising’s case as 26-90157 (ARP), and describes the franchisor continuing to operate and manage its assets as a debtor-in-possession under court supervision. It also warns of a possible sale, including to a competitor or a company without prior franchise experience, and states that no other bankruptcies require disclosure in Item 4. The January 25 date is the FDD’s stated filing date; FAT Brands’ separate public announcement is dated January 26, 2026.

On June 16, 2026, FBG Bid Co. announced completion of its acquisition of substantially all assets of certain FAT Brands subsidiaries for approximately $595 million, including Great American Cookies. Fast Casual reported the OHG rebranding on September 30, 2026. Compare other bakery formats in the bakery franchise cost guide.

The legal matter, stated precisely

FAT Brands’ 2024 Form 10-K disclosed a May 2024 DOJ indictment of the company, Great American Cookies’ former parent. The charges were dismissed: Restaurant Dive reported the July 29, 2025 dismissal motion, and Bloomberg Law reported court approval on August 8, 2025. On March 27, 2026, the SEC filed a joint stipulation to dismiss its civil enforcement action against FAT Brands with prejudice, according to SEC Litigation Release LR-26510.

Initial fees and investment by format: Items 5 and 7

These are the amended FDD’s disclosed costs under FAT Brands ownership, before the June 2026 sale. The Item 7 investment ranges are reproduced as published, including the co-brand total.

Format	Item 5 initial fee	Item 7 estimated initial investment
Traditional Restaurant	$25,000	$340,500 to $462,650
Non-Traditional Restaurant	$25,000	$205,800 to $359,150
Satellite	$15,000 per Satellite	$166,850 to $263,811
Traditional Standard Co-Brand Restaurant with Marble Slab Creamery	$25,000 for GAC plus $25,000 for Marble Slab	$496,185 to $654,635

Co-brand fee detail: Item 5 says GAC charges no additional fee to add Marble Slab, but the Marble Slab affiliate charges its own $25,000 initial fee under a separate agreement and FDD. Item 7’s co-brand table displays only $25,000 in its franchise-fee row, while Item 7 Note 1 specifies $25,000 for each brand. The published total above is not recalculated; have the franchisor reconcile that fee treatment in the budget supplied with an offer. See how franchise co-branding works.

Multi-unit development: The cover requires at least two restaurants. Item 5 sets the development fee at $25,000 multiplied by the number of restaurants required, with credits against initial fees typically at $25,000 per agreement until used. Item 7 lists a development fee of $25,000 and up, a $25,000 first franchise fee, $0 to $5,000 for training travel and living expenses, and $0 to $10,000 for legal and registration fees, totaling $50,000 to $65,000 and up. This is the development-agreement estimate, not the cost to build every restaurant; the cover summarizes it as $50,000 and up.

Item 5 also requires $5,000 to $10,000 of initial cookie-ingredient inventory from GAC Supply, in addition to the franchise fee. Initial fees, Satellite fees and development fees are nonrefundable under the disclosed terms; Item 5 describes circumstances in which fees may be reduced or waived.

Royalty and advertising: Item 6

Obligation	Disclosed amount and basis
Royalty	6% of total net sales
National Advertising Fund	2% of total net sales for stores in shopping centers or malls; 3% elsewhere; franchisor reserves the right to increase the contribution to 4%
Local advertising	Currently 2% of total net sales, spent on approved local advertising

Net sales is broadly defined. Item 6 Note 1 includes carryout, delivery and service charges, catering and permitted off-site events, and business-interruption insurance proceeds after the deductible. It excludes qualifying redeemed coupons or discounts except reimbursed amounts, sales taxes paid to authorities, good-faith refunds and occasional sales of used fixtures or capital items. Gift-card revenue is recognized when redeemed at the restaurant. Third-party delivery fees are not deductible.

For a standard co-brand, royalties and national advertising fees are calculated on the combined operations and split with Marble Slab. Other payments under Marble Slab’s separate agreement may still apply. These advertising obligations are separate from the royalty; local advertising is spending on approved activity, not simply another payment to the national fund. Item 11 describes a generic 2 percent national contribution, while Item 6 distinguishes 2 percent for shopping centers or malls from 3 percent elsewhere. The table above follows Item 6; confirm the applicable rate in the offered agreement.

Outlet trend: Item 20 and the current brand page

Item 20’s systemwide table reports the following year-end counts:

Year	Franchised restaurants	Company-owned restaurants
2022	378	0
2023	400	0
2024	395	0

The franchised count rose from 378 to 400, then fell to 395. The FDD prints a negative net-change figure for 2023 despite its beginning and ending counts increasing from 378 to 400; the table above uses the disclosed outlet counts rather than that inconsistent change cell.

Checked October 14, 2026, the OHG Great American Cookies brand page lists 206 franchised units, 212 franchised co-branded units, 29 states, 4 countries and a 6% royalty on net sales. The page does not provide an as-of date for those counts or explain whether the two unit categories overlap. They are separate brand-page figures, not a continuation of the FDD’s year-end table.

For another cookie-brand comparison, see whether Insomnia Cookies franchises.

For another brand’s franchise status and costs, see the Krispy Kreme franchise guide.

Open questions after the sale (as of October 14, 2026)

The amended FDD supplies fees and investment estimates, but its issue and amendment dates precede the sale. The OHG brand page lists a royalty and an Apply To Own link without publishing an initial fee, investment range or net-worth figure. Obtain the disclosure document applicable to the offered franchise and compare its legal entity, fees, supply obligations and support terms with this pre-sale disclosure.

Minnesota’s franchise registry shows an Order of Cancellation dated August 10, 2026 for GAC Franchising, LLC, stating the franchisor failed to file an annual report and fee (checked October 14, 2026). See the Minnesota CARDS record.

SBA Franchise Directory: Great American Cookies was not found in the SBA’s Franchise Directory file effective October 9, 2026 (searched Great American Cookies, checked October 14, 2026). Under SBA SOP 50 10 8.1, a brand that meets the FTC definition of a franchise must be on the Directory for SBA financing, so ask the franchisor and your lender about its status before planning an SBA loan. See how to check the SBA Franchise Directory.

Questions to ask Great American Cookies before you sign

• Which legal entity will sign the agreement, and which FDD and amendments apply after the June sale?
• How do the offered Item 5 fees and Item 7 budget compare with the February 2026 amendment for the selected format?
• For a Marble Slab co-brand, how does the written budget account for both $25,000 initial fees and both agreements?
• What net-worth and liquid-capital qualifications apply to the offered franchise?
• Does the new agreement retain the disclosed net-sales definition, 6 percent royalty, national fund rates and local advertising obligation?
• What changed through the bankruptcy and sale in support, supply terms and existing franchise agreements?
• What registrations apply in the proposed state, and how has the Minnesota cancellation been addressed?
• Which current and former franchisees in Item 20 can discuss support through the ownership change?
• Will a franchise attorney and an accountant review the full FDD and agreements before any commitment?

Buying into a brand under new ownership?

Our free due-diligence checklist covers what to verify after an ownership change: the new FDD, Item 3 and 4 disclosures, and franchisee validation. Plus the due-diligence kit.

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