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FRANCHISE RESALES

Buy a Corner Bakery Franchise

Corner Bakery Cafe is a fast-casual American cafe chain founded in 1991 in Chicago. The menu centers on artisan breads, pastries, gourmet sandwiches, soups, salads, and pasta, served across breakfast, lunch, and dinner from scratch kitchens. The brand positions above standard fast food in both food quality and atmosphere, offering limited table service in neighborhood-focused cafes.

The brand operates approximately 100 locations across the United States, with established presence in California, Texas, and Illinois. Around a third of the system is franchised; the remainder is corporate-owned. Headquarters are in Dallas, Texas, which also serves as the brand’s franchisee training center location.

Corner Bakery Cafe is owned by Best Cafe Enterprises, LLC, the operating entity of SSCP Capital, which acquired the brand through a bankruptcy auction in June 2023. Under new leadership, the brand has pursued a structured operational recovery — restoring scratch-kitchen standards, deploying kiosk technology in a third of its cafes, and launching a new smaller-footprint store prototype designed to improve unit economics. The franchisor is actively recruiting franchisees, targeting approximately 10 new locations annually.

Latest Resales

  • There are currently no Corner Bakery resales available
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Why buy a Corner Bakery Franchise?

Corner Bakery Cafe’s catering program accounts for up to 30% of cafe sales, operating through direct bookings and platforms such as Easy Cater; this gives each unit recurring commercial revenue that single-daypart competitors typically lack. A loyalty rewards platform and retail packaged-goods sales extend the revenue mix.

The 2023 acquisition brought in a leadership team with direct brand history. President Erin Hasselgren had spent nearly two decades with Corner Bakery Cafe before rejoining; since her return, scratch-kitchen standards have been restored, training improved, and a new smaller-footprint prototype launched. The franchise program targets hands-on owner-operators active in their locations daily.

Corner Bakery Franchise Costs & Information

Based on 2024 data reported in the 2025 FDD

  • Brand Profile

    • Year Founded

      1991

    • Franchising Since

      2005

    • New Startup Cost

      $1,090,000 – $2,335,000

    • Avg. Resale Price

      Contact us for details

  • Franchise Fees

    • Initial franchise Fee

      $40,000

      for new territories

    • Transfer Fee

      $7,500

    • Royalty Fee

      5%

      of Gross Revenue

    • Marketing Fee

      1.25–4.5%

      of Gross Revenue

  • Unit Performance

    • Total Units *

      99

    • New Units Opened *

      0

    • Units Transferred *

      0

    • Avg. Unit revenue *

      Not Disclosed

    * Based on 2024 data reported in the 2025 FDD

Corner Bakery – Additional  Information

  1. Training & Support

    Corner Bakery Cafe trains incoming franchisees at its Dallas, Texas training center, with programs covering multi-daypart scratch-kitchen operations. The brand reports 583 hours of on-the-job training. Ongoing support covers operations consultation, national and local marketing through the brand's dedicated marketing function, supply chain management and purchasing access, performance benchmarking, and guest experience measurement through the SMG platform. Resale buyers should confirm with Corner Bakery Cafe what onboarding and system access are provided to incoming owners at the time of transfer.

  2. Ideal Owner

    Corner Bakery Cafe targets hands-on owner-operators who intend to be present in their locations daily. The model is staffing-heavy and operations-led: managing front-of-house teams and kitchen staff across breakfast, lunch, and dinner service requires consistent oversight. Prior restaurant or retail experience is valued, and the franchise program is designed around operators who want an active role in the business rather than a semi-absentee model. The brand's scratch-kitchen standards and catering program suit operators with strong food quality instincts and a commitment to local client relationships.

  3. Recognition & Awards

    Corner Bakery Cafe has more than 30 years of brand presence in the US fast-casual market, a track record that predates most current bakery-cafe competitors. The brand's revitalization under new ownership has drawn trade coverage in outlets including Nation's Restaurant News, documenting a redesigned store prototype and renewed franchise development program. For resale buyers, brand-level recognition is best assessed alongside local factors: the specific unit's community visibility, customer review history, and catering client reputation in its territory.

  4. Industry / Market

    The US fast-casual restaurant market is forecast to grow by more than $84 billion between 2024 and 2029, according to industry analysts, driven by consumer demand for quality food with faster service than traditional casual dining. The bakery-cafe segment draws weekday lunch traffic and catering demand from offices and institutions; together these revenue streams reduce dependence on any single meal occasion. For buyers of an existing Corner Bakery Cafe unit, the depth of catering accounts already established in the territory and proximity to competing bakery-cafe concepts are key demand factors to evaluate.

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