Dirty Dough
Preferred Sq. Footage: 1,000-2,500 s.f.
12-Month Anticipated Openings: 30-40
This Arizona-based cookie shop franchise is rapidly expanding into new states, with up to 48 sites in development in Utah, Ohio, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, North Dakota, Texas, Florida, Oklahoma, Colorado, Tennessee and Nebraska. Dirty Dough prefers sites in retail street fronts, strip malls, grocery-anchored centers and the ground floor of mixed-use buildings. Urban, suburban and rural areas are all considered. Dirty Dough is known for its rotating cookie types that are padded with multiple layers and extra treats baked inside.
Chip City
Preferred Sq. Footage: 500-1,200 s.f.
12-Month Anticipated Openings: 15-20
Chip City, with locations in New York City and New Jersey, received a $10M infusion from the Shake Shack founder’s investment firm, Enlightened Hospitality Investments, which will enable expansion into Boston, Washington, D.C., and Miami. The cookie brand will also scout sites in Connecticut. Chip City prefers retail street-front sites or thriving suburban retail centers with heavy pedestrian traffic. Its cookies are famous for their thick gooey size and feature unique rotating flavors.
I Scream Gelato
Preferred Sq. Footage: 1,500-5,000 s.f.
12-Month Anticipated Openings: 3-5
This Italian dessert franchise will be opening its first unit in Columbus, Ohio, this summer, and the brand has plans to also expand into Texas. The gelato chain seeks spaces in tourist destinations within downtown street-front locations or in traditional shopping center food halls. Using ingredients sourced from Italy, I Scream Gelato sells its handcrafted gelato in a wide variety of unique flavors, as well as espresso drinks, milkshakes, smoothies and other desserts.
Better Than Sex
Preferred Sq. Footage: 3,000-3,500 s.f.
12-Month Anticipated Openings: 1-3
This adult-oriented franchise restaurant destination serves signature desserts and drinks with fun double entendre names such as French Kiss Affair and Cookie Nookie Pie. Growth is expected to continue in the Sunbelt states where Better Than Sex already has a presence, such as in California, Florida, Georgia, Texas and the Carolinas, with potential future growth into Phoenix and Las Vegas. The restaurant seeks space in inline or end cap urban street fronts near other restaurants and nightclubs with a large number of millennials and 21+ Gen Z singles in the vicinity.
White Rabbit Dessert Experience
Preferred Sq. Footage: 2,500-3,500 s.f.
12-Month Anticipated Openings: 1-3
This dessert restaurant, based in New York, opened its first unit in Florida last year, in Orlando, and a second is expected in the state by late spring in Winter Garden. Future growth is projected to be along the East Coast corridor states, especially college-oriented and vacation destinations, as well as upscale family friendly suburban sites. Inline or end cap spaces in outdoor malls or power centers are targeted for the Alice in Wonderland-themed sit-down dessert restaurant.
