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FRANCHISE RESALES

Buy a Big Apple Bagels Franchise

Big Apple Bagels is a bakery-café franchise chain founded in 1985 and headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois. Operating under parent company BAB, Inc. (OTCQB: BABB), the brand centers its menu on made-from-scratch bagels baked fresh each morning using proprietary recipes, alongside gourmet muffins, breakfast and lunch sandwiches, salads, and Brewster’s branded coffee and specialty drinks.

The concept operates as both a retail destination and a wholesale distributorship. Franchisees can sell baked goods in bulk to corporate clients, convenience stores, and local restaurants, while a catering program and gift basket offering provide additional revenue channels beyond counter sales. Standard operating hours of 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. keep the business concentrated in peak demand periods.

BAB, Inc. also franchises the My Favorite Muffin and Jacobs Bros. Bagels concepts. The network operates across the United States and has extended internationally via a master franchise agreement for the Middle East. Big Apple Bagels serves a local consumer base seeking fresh, made-to-order breakfast and lunch options, with wholesale and catering channels expanding the unit’s commercial reach.

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Why buy a Big Apple Bagels Franchise?

To buy a Big Apple Bagels franchise is to enter a bakery-café concept built on a made-from-scratch positioning, with proprietary bagel recipes and the Brewster’s coffee brand giving the menu a distinctive identity that supports repeat local traffic.

The multi-channel revenue model adds practical ownership appeal. Beyond counter sales, franchisees can generate revenue through wholesale distribution to corporate clients and local businesses, catering programs, and gift basket sales. Standard hours of 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. limit the extended-shift demands common to other food service models. BAB, Inc.’s publicly traded status (OTCQB: BABB) provides a degree of financial transparency that buyers and their advisers can draw on when evaluating system health.

Big Apple Bagels Franchise Costs & Information

Based on 2025 data reported in the 2026 FDD

  • Brand Profile

    • Year Founded

      1993

    • Franchising Since

      1993

    • New Startup Cost

      $512,500 – $745,000

    • Avg. Resale Price

      Contact us for details

  • Franchise Fees

    • Initial franchise Fee

      $25,000

      for new territories

    • Transfer Fee

      $5,000

      for Production Store and Satellite Store

    • Royalty Fee

      5%

      of Gross Revenue

    • Marketing Fee

      3%

      of Gross Revenue; up to 5%

  • Unit Performance

    • Total Units *

      48

    • New Units Opened *

      0

    • Units Transferred *

      2

    • Avg. Unit revenue *

      Not Disclosed

    * Based on 2025 data reported in the 2026 FDD

Big Apple Bagels – Additional  Information

  1. Training & Support

    Big Apple Bagels provides initial franchisee training covering 34.75 to 40 hours of classroom instruction and 60 to 143 hours of on-the-job training. Ongoing support includes regional advertising programs, social media, SEO, email marketing, and customer loyalty program support. Franchisees have access to a franchisee intranet platform for operational resources. The brand's Brewster's coffee system and proprietary made-from-scratch recipes are part of the core operating toolkit. Buyers of an existing Big Apple Bagels unit should confirm what transfer training and intranet platform access are available to incoming ownership.

  2. Ideal Owner

    A Big Apple Bagels owner manages a staffed production environment requiring 7 to 12 employees, so the model suits candidates comfortable managing a team and overseeing daily operations. The business has a structured daily rhythm built around made-from-scratch baking, requiring operational consistency. An aptitude for local business development is valuable for building catering and wholesale accounts alongside counter sales. Food service background is not required, but candidates comfortable in a kitchen production environment and motivated to build community relationships fit the model well.

  3. Recognition & Awards

    Big Apple Bagels has appeared in Entrepreneur Magazine's Franchise 500 rankings, with recognition as No. 1 in its category and No. 6 among all bagel and bakery product franchises. The brand has also received a GI Jobs Military Friendly Franchise designation, a Best of the Best Top Franchises recognition, and a feature in Restaurant Business Magazine's Top Future 50. BAB, Inc., the publicly traded parent company, has been a fundraising partner with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation since 2010. For resale buyers, brand recognition should be considered alongside the specific unit's local reputation.

  4. Industry / Market

    Big Apple Bagels operates in the US fast-casual bakery-café segment. The US breakfast restaurant and diner market was estimated at approximately $15.3 billion in 2024 (IBISWorld), with breakfast food service showing steady demand as more consumers choose freshly prepared morning meals away from home. The fast-casual format benefits from demand for quality without full-service wait times. Baked goods and coffee support repeat-purchase traffic, while the wholesale and catering channels give franchisees additional demand pathways. For resale buyers, local commuter patterns and proximity to offices and residential neighborhoods are worth assessing.

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