How we help you broaden your customer base

From mobile units to catering, Rita’s offers alternate revenue streams that help boost customer traffic and make the most of your franchise investment

Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard is the ideal franchise for people who want to operate seasonally, because in most colder climates we shut down for the winter. Franchisees can build up demand, and sure enough every First Day of Spring, Rita’s shops tend to see long lines of hungry guests waiting for their fix.

But for those who are located in warmer territories or simply want to make the most of their franchise investment during the winter months, Rita’s has several ways to help them keep the revenue flowing.

Reach more people

Some franchisees who are closed during the winter months still leave the door open for special events and catering. They can promote catering for school events like concerts and basketball games, for office Christmas parties and other community events. Adding food trucks or even mobile carts is a relatively low-cost way to expand your reach.

Franchisees can choose to take carts or trucks where the guests are, work with special venues to provide carts as a regular offering to their guests, or open fixed-location Express Units in special venues. Some of our franchise owners operate carts or Express Units in arenas, water parks and youth sports facilities, which can all provide steady business.

By taking Rita’s to the people, you can generate more traffic for your shop without dipping too far into your capital for another franchise investment on a second build-out. Special venues and mobile business are valuable marketing tools, introducing the brand to new guests who can become loyal fans.

Save on labor and operating costs

Many franchisees use their social media channels to show guests they’re still available for catering, fundraising and bulk orders, or to let them know that the shop will be open for limited winter hours on weekends. These tactics help cover fixed costs like rent while still reducing payroll.

Carts obviously have a simplified product offering and lower operating costs, which helps franchisees generate revenue at higher profit margins than in-store business. Inventory is easier to handle and staffing is simple, too.

Maintaining a skeleton crew also means franchisees don’t have to go out and hire additional staff specifically for carts and mobile units. Instead, they can utilize the team members they already know and trust.

Why Rita’s is a great franchise investment

We sell Italian ice and frozen custard, and everything on the menu is made from some combination of those two items. Rita’s is a unique franchise opportunity with 600+ units across the country, and we still have many prime territories available.

Rita’s is a happy business that requires no food franchise background and is much simpler to operate than most restaurant businesses. Our startup costs range from $175,500 – $435,000, and we offer opportunities for both multi-unit and single-unit investors. Franchise candidates need $100,000 in liquid capital and a net worth of at least $300,000.

Get started today

If you’d like to learn more about Rita’s, we’d love to hear from you. Please fill out the form on this page to access more information about the franchise investment including startup costs and more. You can also discover more about our brand by exploring our website.