Mrs. Fields is a franchised retail bakery system: the franchisee runs a Store or Kiosk, sells Approved Products, controls unit employment, and records sales through required technology. Mrs. Fields Franchising, LLC controls System Standards, suppliers, core systems, reporting, and channel permissions.
Operating model in one view
A customer-facing Mrs. Fields unit turns approved ingredients and merchandise into over-the-counter bakery sales, with limited approved paths for delivery, catering, company accounts, online ordering, and satellite selling. The franchisee or full-time on-Premises manager runs the unit; employees execute production and service; the franchisor governs the menu, systems, suppliers, brand standards, data access, inspections, and channel permissions.
Data basis: Mrs. Fields Franchising, LLC; U.S. FDD issued June 11, 2026; Store and Kiosk; Items 1, 6, 8, 11, 12, 15, 16, 19, and 20; Item 20 data through December 31, 2025; official pages checked August 9, 2026. The Franchise Agreement, Area Development Agreement, and Operations Manual table of contents were also reviewed. No franchise-controlled public 2026 FDD was verified; FDD citations are unlinked.
2
Current FDD formats
Store and Kiosk are the current U.S. offer.
98
Franchised outlets
U.S. system count at December 31, 2025.
0
Company-owned outlets
Item 20 year-end 2025 company-owned count.
Full-time
On-Premises management
Required if the franchisee does not manage personally.
Offering and formats
What does a Mrs. Fields unit sell, and who buys it?
The operating core is prepared bakery and dessert items sold to retail customers from an approved Premises. Training covers Cookies, Nibblers, Brownies, Cookie Cakes, and Beverages; the franchisee must offer all and only the Approved Products that Mrs. Fields Franchising, LLC mandates or approves.
Item 1 permits a broader Approved Products set that can include other bakery items, desserts, snacks, and beverages. The menu is not franchisee-created: Item 16 lets the franchisor change Approved Products through the Operations Manual and other communications. The official consumer cookie collection and franchise store-design page show the current bakery focus.
| FDD format | Physical model | Operational distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Store | Average 600–900 sq. ft.; typical shopping-mall or strip-center location. | Full retail bakery footprint; Store computer estimates contemplate one to two POS terminals. Select Stores may be approved for drive-through service. |
| Kiosk | Typically 100–300 sq. ft.; free-standing structure in mall, strip-mall, or lifestyle-center corridors. | Smaller physical footprint; the FDD’s Kiosk computer estimate uses one terminal. Modular components may have to come from designated vendors. |
Format difference
The official design page still displays a “Non-Traditional” model and different size ranges. The June 11, 2026 FDD identifies only Store and Kiosk as the current U.S. offer, so “Non-Traditional” is treated here as website context rather than an FDD-defined format.
Evidence: 2026 FDD, Item 1, pp. 1–2; Item 7, pp. 9–11 for physical-format details; Item 16, p. 27; Item 11 training curriculum and Exhibit E Operations Manual table of contents.
Workflow
How does work move from demand to a completed sale?
The verified operating cycle is local demand generation, customer order and service, in-unit production or finishing, payment capture through the required Computer System, and recurring sales/financial reporting. Delivery, catering, company accounts, satellite selling, and internet activity sit outside the default over-the-counter path and are subject to specific permissions and System Standards.
Generate approved demand
- Actor
- Franchisee/manager; Brand Fund and franchisor marketing support.
- Action
- Run local marketing with approved materials; use franchisor-led brand, digital, promotional, or loyalty programs when provided.
- Required system/asset
- Approved creative; potentially the Social Media Technology Platform.
- Output
- Store traffic, an approved online/order-ahead path, or an eligible catering/company-account inquiry.
Take and shape the order
- Actor
- Unit employees under franchisee or on-Premises manager supervision.
- Action
- Greeting, sampling, upselling, product selection, and transaction completion are explicit training topics.
- Required system/asset
- Approved Products, displays, customer-service standards, and approved ordering channel.
- Output
- A valid retail order for an authorized product and fulfillment path.
Prepare and fulfill
- Actor
- Trained unit staff.
- Action
- Prepare, bake, finish, decorate, display, and hand off Approved Products under food-safety, product, equipment, and decorating procedures.
- Required system/asset
- Operations Manual; ovens, refrigeration/freezers, beverage equipment, display cases, and approved supplies.
- Output
- Finished product meeting System Standards for the customer or approved same-day local delivery.
Record payment and sales data
- Actor
- Unit staff; designated credit-card processor; franchisee.
- Action
- Complete payment and route sales activity through the specified Computer System and pre-approved internet connection.
- Required system/asset
- Specified POS/electronic register, credit-card terminal, receipt printer, cash drawer, router, and designated processor.
- Output
- Transaction data available for Gross Revenue reporting and franchisor access.
Report, review, and correct
- Actor
- Franchisee/manager; franchisor or its representatives.
- Action
- Submit weekly Gross Revenue and required financial statements; maintain records; cooperate with inspections and audits.
- Required system/asset
- Prescribed accounting/data system and designated financial-reporting technology platform.
- Output
- Reported operating data, auditable records, and any corrective action required under System Standards.
Evidence: 2026 FDD, Item 11, pp. 17–20; Item 12, pp. 21–23; Exhibit B, Franchise Agreement §§7.3–7.5 and 8.1–8.2, pp. 10–13; Exhibit E, Operations Manual table of contents, p. E-2 and following page. The official store locator shows “Place Order” and “Delivery Available” for some locations, but the Franchise Agreement—not the locator—controls whether a franchisee may use those channels.
Owner role and staffing
Who performs the work, and can Mrs. Fields be manager-run?
The franchisee is not contractually required to operate the Store personally, but must either manage it or use a full-time “on Premises” manager. Manager-run operation is therefore possible; the FDD does not call the model absentee or semi-absentee and does not disclose a required employee headcount.
Franchisee / manager
- Direct daily unit operation and supervision.
- Maintain required licenses, records, reporting, and System Standards.
- Choose and manage unit employees and contractors.
- Execute approved local marketing and channel activity.
Unit employees
- Customer greeting, sampling, upselling, and transaction completion.
- Product preparation, baking, decorating, display, and fulfillment.
- Use approved equipment, POS procedures, food-safety, and service standards.
- Perform assigned work under franchisee/manager supervision.
Franchisor / designated parties
- Maintain System Standards and electronic Operations Manual.
- Train managers and provide additional/refresher training.
- Administer the Brand Fund and approved marketing programs.
- Designate suppliers, processor, Computer System, and reporting platform.
Owner participation
Item 15 requires the franchisee—or one Entity Owner if the franchisee is an entity—and the initial store manager to complete the training program to the franchisor’s satisfaction; replacement managers must also complete training. The franchisee, not Mrs. Fields Franchising, LLC, remains exclusively responsible for recruiting, hiring, firing, compensation, schedules, assignments, discipline, safety, and supervision.
Evidence: 2026 FDD, Item 15, p. 26; Exhibit B, Franchise Agreement §7.11, p. 12. The official franchise support page describes field support, eLearning, training, and POS support; the FDD defines the contractual assistance baseline.
Systems, suppliers, and control
Which operating systems and inputs are mandatory?
Supplier choice and core technology are controlled. Item 8 requires approved or specified vendors, and designated suppliers may be the only source for Approved Products, credit-card processing, signs, furnishings, the Computer System, fixtures, and equipment. A proposed alternative supplier cannot be used unless approved.
- Computer System: Mrs. Fields Franchising, LLC specifies the POS setup, designated credit-card processor, approved router, and internet connection used for sales activity.
- Data and upgrades: the franchisor may access Computer System data and require different hardware, software, services, or suppliers; the FDD states no contractual limit on upgrade frequency.
- Financial reporting: a designated-vendor platform collects financial statements using a standardized chart of accounts.
- Operations Manual: the online manual contains mandatory System Standards and may be modified as products, specifications, procedures, and standards change.
- Inspection and audit: the franchisor may inspect the Premises without notice, take samples, interview personnel/customers, inspect the Computer System, and access books and records.
- Menu and pricing: the unit must sell all and only Approved Products. The franchisor may impose lawful minimum or maximum prices; otherwise it may control advertised pricing while leaving actual selling price within the disclosed limits.
Franchisor control
The strongest dependency is the franchisor’s right to define approved products and suppliers, change System Standards, require core technology and payment processing, access unit data, and inspect records. The FDD does not publish the complete current approved-supplier list.
Evidence: 2026 FDD, Item 8, pp. 11–13; Item 11, p. 17; Item 16, p. 27; Exhibit B, Franchise Agreement §4.4, p. 6; §§7.5 and 7.9, pp. 11–12; §§8.1–8.2, pp. 12–13.
Channels and territory
How do local marketing, online ordering, delivery, and territory rights work?
A single-unit Franchise Agreement grants no exclusive or minimum territory. Approved Products are primarily sold over the counter from the Premises; internet activity and alternative distribution require consent, subject to defined exceptions for approved delivery, catering, and company-account activity.
The Brand Fund may support websites, digital advertising, apps, and loyalty programs. Local marketing remains the franchisee’s job, but materials must be provided or pre-approved; proposed materials are submitted at least 15 days before use, and a Social Media Technology Platform may be required. The consumer promotions page references pickup, order-ahead, and DoorDash, while the FDD controls franchisee access to those channels.
For catering and company-account programs, same-day local delivery is permitted when products meet freshness System Standards and the activity is not mail order. Store delivery is also permitted under specified standards. Satellite tables, kiosks, or carts need prior written approval; resale is prohibited.
An Area Development Agreement can protect Store/Kiosk development inside a Designated Area while the developer meets the Development Schedule, but the franchisor retains alternative-distribution and electronic-sales rights. TCBY Systems, LLC may also place TCBY outlets nearby under separate rights.
Territory limit
A protected Designated Area for multi-unit Store/Kiosk development does not equal control of every channel. The franchisor can retain internet, mail-order, wholesale, and other reserved-channel rights.
Evidence: 2026 FDD, Item 11, pp. 19–21; Item 12, pp. 21–23; Exhibit B, Franchise Agreement §§7.3–7.4, p. 10, and §§9.1–9.2, pp. 14–15; Exhibit C, Area Development Agreement §1, pp. 1–2. For public channel context, see the Mrs. Fields store locator.
System footprint
What does Item 20 show about the U.S. operating footprint?
Item 20 reports an entirely franchised U.S. outlet base at year-end 2025: 98 franchised outlets and no company-owned outlets. Using comparable December 31 point-in-time counts after the system’s 2023 fiscal-year transition, franchised outlets declined from 121 at year-end 2023 to 113 at year-end 2024 and 98 at year-end 2025.
Year-end U.S. outlet count, 2023–2025
Franchised versus company-owned outlets; point-in-time counts at December 31
Interpretation: the reported year-end system contracted by 23 franchised outlets between December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2025, while company ownership remained at zero.
Source: 2026 FDD, Item 20, Table 1, pp. 35–36. Item 20 includes a separate July 1–December 31, 2023 transition row because the fiscal year-end changed to December 31; this chart uses December 31 year-end counts for consistency.
Buyer verification
Which operating questions remain important to verify?
The FDD defines control rights but not every implementation detail. Verify the current supplier roster, software vendors, ordering integrations, exact format/menu configuration, and actual staffing pattern for the intended Premises rather than relying on legacy units or marketing pages.
- Current approved-supplier list: which vendors are sole/designated sources for core ingredients, packaging, equipment, and services at the intended Store or Kiosk?
- Current technology stack: which POS, processor, financial-reporting platform, online-ordering integrations, and Social Media Technology Platform are mandatory on the signing date?
- Channel permissions: will the Premises be approved for order-ahead, third-party delivery, catering, company accounts, satellite selling, or any drive-through feature?
- Format status: if a proposal is described as non-traditional, co-branded, or otherwise different from a Store or Kiosk, which current agreement and FDD authority governs that path?
- Manager-run mechanics: what manager coverage, training timing, backup-manager expectations, and local staffing pattern are actually used at comparable current units? The FDD does not set a unit headcount.
Public context: see the official U.S. franchise page and store locator; contractual claims above use the 2026 FDD.
Operating-model synthesis
Mrs. Fields works by selling approved bakery items to retail customers through its two current formats, with controlled delivery, catering, account, and digital paths. The franchisee runs people, production, service, and records. The franchisor’s strongest control is over inputs, technology, reporting, and channels. The larger retail format versus the smaller free-standing format is the key distinction. The largest unknown is the current unit-specific vendor, software, integration, and staffing configuration.