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FRANCHISE RESALES

Buy a Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee Truck Franchise

Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee Truck is a mobile coffee franchise that brings handcrafted hot, iced, and frozen beverages directly to customers at events and gathering places. Each franchisee operates a branded Beverage Entertainment Vehicle (BEV), a US-built coffee truck serving specialty lattes, cold brew, refreshers, and the proprietary TILT Nitro Energy line at corporate functions, schools, weddings, sports tournaments, festivals, and healthcare sites.

The brand was founded in 2020 and put its first trucks on the road in 2021. It was created by Tony Lamb, founder of Kona Ice, the mobile shaved-ice company that has grown to more than 2,500 units. Travelin’ Tom’s runs on the same family-owned franchising organization, giving the younger coffee concept access to an established mobile-vending playbook.

The network has expanded quickly to more than 250 trucks operating across most of the United States, with franchisees working protected territories of roughly 80,000 to 100,000 residents. The model centers on bringing a recognizable coffee brand to high-traffic venues rather than waiting for foot traffic at a fixed cafe, and its year-round menu supports trading in every season.

Latest Resales

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Why buy a Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee Truck Franchise?

Buying a Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee Truck franchise is a way to enter the coffee category through a mobile, event-driven model rather than a fixed-location cafe. The truck goes to where crowds already gather, which removes much of the lease and build-out commitment traditional coffee shops carry and lets owners book revenue across corporate, school, sports, and private events.

The concept draws on the franchising infrastructure of Kona Ice, one of the largest mobile-vending systems in the country, so newer owners step into proven equipment, supplier sourcing, and operating systems rather than building them. A year-round beverage menu helps smooth the seasonality that affects many event-based businesses, and protected territories give owners room to develop local accounts.

Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee Truck Franchise Costs & Information

Based on 2024 data reported in the 2025 FDD

  • Brand Profile

    • Year Founded

      2020

    • Franchising Since

      2021

    • New Startup Cost

      $201,840 – $265,325

    • Avg. Resale Price

      Contact us for details

  • Franchise Fees

    • Initial franchise Fee

      $15,000

      for new territories

    • Transfer Fee

      $10,000

      $7,500 if to existing franchisee; +$1,000 per additional equipment

    • Royalty Fee

      2%

      of Gross Revenue

    • Marketing Fee

      $1,000

      Per Year

  • Unit Performance

    • Total Units *

      261

    • New Units Opened *

      124

    • Units Transferred *

      7

    • Avg. Unit revenue *

      Not Disclosed

    * Based on 2024 data reported in the 2025 FDD

Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee Truck – Additional  Information

  1. Training & Support

    Incoming owners train through Tom's Academy, the brand's immersive onboarding covering the menu, drink preparation, truck maintenance, and daily operations, with 14 hours of classroom and 10 hours of on-the-job training. Ongoing support includes proprietary software for scheduling, sales, and inventory, an integrated email-marketing platform, in-house graphic designers and marketing specialists, equipment experts, operational mentors, on-demand modules, and live support, plus an exclusive captive insurance program. Resale buyers should confirm what transfer training and software access carry over when an existing truck changes hands.

  2. Ideal Owner

    The model suits hands-on, community-minded operators who enjoy working the truck, engaging guests, and building local relationships at recurring events and venues. Owners need an owner-operator mentality at launch, strong sales and customer-service instincts, and the discipline to follow proven systems before growing into managing a small team. Coffee experience is not required; the brand looks for energetic people who will represent it well, network for bookings, and keep service fast and consistent.

  3. Recognition & Awards

    Travelin' Tom's has been recognized by Franchise Business Review as a Top Food Franchise in 2024 and as a Top 200 Franchise, a Top Franchise for Women, and a Franchise Culture award winner in 2025, with franchisee surveys reporting 96% trust in the franchisor. Entrepreneur has highlighted the brand's rapid expansion, citing roughly 689% unit growth over three years. Backed by the established Kona Ice organization, its recognition should be weighed by resale buyers alongside the specific territory's local reputation and event accounts.

  4. Industry / Market

    Coffee is one of the most consistent consumer categories in the United States, where the National Coffee Association estimates the industry's annual economic impact at roughly $343 billion and most adults drink coffee daily. Demand has shifted toward specialty and on-the-go options, and mobile beverage service has grown as employers, schools, and event organizers increasingly book trucks for catering and morale. A year-round menu also reduces the seasonality that affects many mobile food concepts, giving resale buyers a steadier base of repeat local accounts.

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