Established Donut Franchise: $500K+ Revenue, Owner <10 Hr/Wk
Duck Donuts franchise for sale in Lake County, Illinois
List Price: $350,000 USD
Key Facts
Annual Gross Revenue
$500,000 USD
Cash Flow
Upon Inquiry
Seasonal Business
No
Value of Inventory
Less than $25,000
Value of Assets
$100,000 – $150,000
Year Established
2024
Business Operates From
A retail location
Location Is
Leased
Approx. Monthly Rent
Upon Inquiry
Total Employees
10–25
1–3 MonthsTransition
Support
SomewhatPrice/Terms
Flexibility
NoneSeller financing Available
Part-timeOwner
Involvement
About this Business
Semi-Absentee, Strong Location, Priced for Fast Sale
Growth opportunities
The market is built on affluent households, strong community participation, and consistent event driven traffic. The area hosts 55+ annual community and retail events, which consistently drive foot traffic to local businesses and food establishments. Expansion opportunities available with catering, school partnerships, corporate orders, and local marketing to accelerate revenue.
Owner's Day-to-Day Involvement
Owner works < 10 hours a week
Additional Info
The franchisees are provided with comprehensive, end to end support covering training, operations, marketing, and ongoing business guidance. Their model is built around helping owners launch smoothly and operate efficiently, even if they’re new to food service.
Asset Description
Fully built-out, modern store with $100K+ in equipment & improvements including commercial kitchen equipment, POS system, digital menu boards, and furniture/fixtures.
Inventory Description
There is about $4,000 in inventory, covering packaging, donut-making supplies, toppings, milk, shortening, cleaning products, and all consumables needed for daily operations. This is not included in the asking price.
Reason for Selling
With growing professional responsibilities, we are not able to dedicate the time.
Why I Love My Franchise
Fresh, Warm and Made-to-order Donuts! Amazing product!
About Duck Donuts
Duck Donuts is a fast-casual donut and coffee franchise built around a made-to-order concept, where customers watch their cake donuts cooked, dipped in glaze, topped and finished on the spot. The first shop opened in 2007 in the beach town of Duck, North Carolina, and the company began franchising in 2013.
The business runs on a brick-and-mortar, territory-based retail model with multiple dayparts, drawing breakfast, snack, dessert and drink sales across the day. Customers range from morning commuters to families treating their children, and the simple menu avoids the bulky, costly equipment of many food concepts. The brand has grown to well over 100 locations across the United States, with a presence internationally, and is headquartered in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.
Founded by Russ DiGilio, Duck Donuts has been backed by private-equity firm NewSpring Capital since 2021. The brand differentiates itself through the customization of its warm, freshly made donuts and a family-friendly in-store experience that encourages repeat visits.
Franchisee Support
New Duck Donuts owners complete a 5-day intensive training course at the company's headquarters in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, covering operations and day-to-day shop management. Ongoing support comes from corporate operations and training teams, a dedicated operational business consultant, and a marketing team that assists with promoting each location. Resale buyers should confirm with Duck Donuts what onboarding and transfer training the franchisor provides to incoming owners and existing staff when ownership changes.
Brand Accolades & Awards
Duck Donuts has earned recurring national recognition. It ranks in Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 (#278 in 2025, up from #445 in 2024), was named #1 on Newsweek's list of America's Best Customer Service in 2021, and was recognized among America's Favorite Restaurant Chains in 2022. The brand has also won a Franchise Times Zor Award in the "Indulge Me" category. For resale buyers, brand-level recognition should be weighed alongside the specific shop's local reviews, referral sources and community reputation.
Industry / Market
Duck Donuts operates in the US doughnut store market, valued at around $9.6 billion in 2025 with roughly 14,000 outlets nationwide, according to IBISWorld. Demand is supported by the category's everyday affordability, its appeal as an accessible treat across breakfast, snack and dessert occasions, and steady consumer spending on specialty and customizable food experiences. The market is fragmented and competitive, so a unit's local visibility, reviews and territory strength are central to performance and matter to resale buyers.
Ideal Owner
Duck Donuts suits hands-on local operators who are comfortable running a fast-paced retail shop and managing an hourly team. The model rewards owners who are customer-focused, organized and community-minded, with the energy to engage local schools, families and fundraisers through programs like Quack Gives Back. Prior food-service or retail experience is helpful but not essential; marketing or finance backgrounds also translate well. Strong day-to-day operational discipline and local marketing instincts matter more than donut expertise.