Opening a Scooter's Coffee drive-thru kiosk costs an estimated $1,163,650 to $1,345,750, and the smaller endcap format runs $658,898 to $1,068,525, according to Scooter's official franchise cost page. Both ranges include the $40,000 initial franchise fee. To even get in the door, Scooter's wants a minimum net worth of $500,000 and $250,000 in liquid capital. This is not a business you tip-jar your way into.
The kiosk with no seating costs more than the store with walls
The counterintuitive part of Scooter's pricing is that the tiny drive-thru kiosk, the 664 square foot box with no lobby, is the expensive option. The endcap, which is a leased space at the end of an existing retail strip, can cost roughly half as much at the low end. The reason is real estate. A kiosk usually means buying or ground-leasing a pad site, then paying for site work, utilities, and new construction. An endcap drops equipment into a shell someone else already built. Scooter's notes on its investment FAQ that costs vary with site location, market conditions, and build-out requirements, and points to Item 7 of its Franchise Disclosure Document for the full line items.
Once you are open, Scooter's takes 6% of net sales as a royalty plus 2% for advertising, so 8% of every drink comes off the top before you touch rent, labor, or beans. That fee structure is standard for drive-thru coffee. If you are comparing chains, our Dutch Bros franchise cost breakdown covers the closest competitor, which barely franchises to outsiders at all anymore, making Scooter's the most accessible of the big drive-thru coffee brands.
What do the stores actually make? Scooter's publishes its Item 19 results on its franchise site: for fiscal year 2025, the 621 reporting kiosk stores averaged $998,869 in gross sales with a 14.6% average net profit margin and $134,457 in average EBITDA. Top quartile kiosks averaged $1,433,875 in gross sales, a 20.7% net profit margin, and $273,683 in EBITDA. Averages are doing some heavy lifting there. If the top quartile pulls $1.43 million, the bottom stores sit well under the $998,869 average, and a 14.6% margin on a slow store is a long payback on a $1.3 million build.
Scooter's Coffee franchise cost at a glance
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $40,000 |
| Total investment, drive-thru kiosk | $1,163,650 to $1,345,750 |
| Total investment, endcap | $658,898 to $1,068,525 |
| Royalty | 6% of net sales |
| Advertising fee | 2% of net sales |
| Minimum net worth | $500,000 |
| Minimum liquid capital | $250,000 |
| Average gross sales, reporting kiosks (FY2025) | $998,869 |
| Average net profit margin, reporting kiosks (FY2025) | 14.6% |
| Top quartile average gross sales (FY2025) | $1,433,875 |
Investment ranges and fees are from Scooter's official franchise pages, current as of July 2026. Sales and margin figures are franchisor-reported Item 19 numbers for the 621 kiosk stores reporting as of December 31, 2025. Third-party FDD trackers like Franchise Investor Data confirm the $40,000 fee and the 6% plus 2% fee structure, though their investment ranges lag the current official numbers because they pull from an earlier FDD. Always work from the latest FDD before signing anything.
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Is it worth it compared to just being really good behind a bar
Run the honest math. A middle-of-the-pack kiosk throwing off $134,457 in EBITDA against a $1.25 million all-in build is roughly a nine-year payback before debt service, taxes, and paying yourself for the hours you will absolutely be working. A top quartile store at $273,683 gets that closer to four or five years, which is why franchise brokers only ever talk about the top quartile. Scooter's has 900+ stores across 28 states and is still expanding, so territory is available in a way it is not with Dutch Bros or Starbucks, which does not franchise in the US at all.
The operational reality is drive-thru speed. Scooter's stores live and die on throughput of blended drinks and flavored lattes, so if you have never worked a rush where the line wraps the building, spend time in one before you wire anyone $250,000. Knowing the menu helps too. We broke down every drink's numbers in our Scooter's caffeine guide, which is worth reading if only to understand what you would actually be selling.
Related reading
Dutch Bros franchise cost: why you probably can't buy one
Scooter's Coffee caffeine content: every drink measured
How much do baristas make? Real pay numbers
FAQ
How much does a Scooter's Coffee franchise cost in 2026? Scooter's estimates $1,163,650 to $1,345,750 for a drive-thru kiosk and $658,898 to $1,068,525 for an endcap location, both including the $40,000 franchise fee, per its official franchise cost page.
How much money does a Scooter's Coffee franchise make? Per Scooter's published FY2025 Item 19 data, reporting kiosk stores averaged $998,869 in gross sales with a 14.6% net profit margin and $134,457 in EBITDA. Top quartile stores averaged $1,433,875 in sales. Individual results vary widely.
What are the requirements to open a Scooter's Coffee? A minimum net worth of $500,000 and at least $250,000 in liquid capital, plus ongoing fees of 6% royalty and 2% advertising on net sales.