Bruster's vs Handel's
See which one brings in more, and what it costs to get there, read straight from the filings. Independent: no commissions, no franchisor revenue.
Bruster's lists an Item 7 opening range of $1,215,120 to $2,669,060, compared with $404,500 to $995,200 for Handel's. Bruster's reports an Item 19 average of $746,650 and median of $685,840; Handel's reports an average of $1,115,650 and median of $1,036,792, with Handel's higher on average by 49%. Bruster's has the larger Item 20 system, 220 units versus 173 for Handel's; Bruster's has fewer Item 3 actions, 1 versus 2 for Handel's. Both averages sit above their medians, so model the median for your own location. Independent analysis, no commissions, no franchisor revenue.
One of These Numbers Decides Whether the Next Ten Years Work
Everything that decides it, side by side: cost to open, ongoing fees, what a location actually brings in, system size, and lawsuits on record, straight from each filing.
| Metric | Bruster's | Handel's |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to openFDD Item 7 | $1,215,120 to $2,669,060SINGLE-UNIT range across the two single-store scenarios: Table 2 End-Cap lease TOTAL $414,900-$1,143,700 (PDF p20) is the low end; Table 1 Free-Standing buy-real-estate TOTAL $1,215,120-$2,669,060 (PDF p18) is the high end. DISCREPANCY vs existing brand JSON: existing item7_investment_low $64,950 matches NO table total in this FDD (likely stale/from a prior filing) and existing item7_investment_high $3,391,100 is actually the Table 3 THREE-STORE Development Agreement TOTAL (PDF p22), i.e. a multi-unit figure the FDD states is 'just three times the figures in Table 2' - not a single-unit cost. Corrected here to single-unit basis. | $404,500 to $995,200 |
| Total ongoing feesFDD Item 6 | 8% | 8% |
| Average unit revenueFDD Item 19 | $746,650 | $1,115,650 |
| Median unit revenueFDD Item 19 | $685,840 | $1,036,792 |
| System sizeFDD Item 20 | 220 | 173 |
| LitigationFDD Item 3 | 1 actions | 2 actions |
Item 19 reports historical gross revenue, not profit. It does not include your labor, rent, debt service, or owner pay.
Some Signals Are Real Strengths. Others Hinge on Your Deal
Five signals, scored the same way for both, so you see at a glance where a brand is a disclosed strength and where the number is only a starting point for your own deal.
| Signal | Bruster's | Handel's |
|---|---|---|
| Fee Structure(Item 6) | ||
| Unit Economics(Item 19) | ||
| Litigation History(Item 3) | ||
| Operator Validation(Item 20) | ||
| Term & Exit Terms(Item 17) |
The Numbers Don't Tell You Which One to Buy.
The Read Does
How the revenue and cost gaps net out on your own P&L, what the litigation record signals, and the questions to take into validation. That read is Zorzee Pro.
- The head-to-head read
- The payback math
- What the litigation record signals
- The diligence questions to take to validation
- The Zorzee Report Pro every Tuesday, one franchise decoded each week
- The full Signal Tracker across the portal
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An Investment, a Job, or a Lemon?
Which one you get comes down to the operator behind the brand, your market, and how you'd run it. Telling those apart takes someone who's read hundreds of them, before it's your money on the line.
Four months of research and more confused than when you started?
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Every Number Names Its Source
Every figure traces to the exact FDD item behind it, laid out in full in each brand's dossier. We can show you all of it because no franchisor pays us to hide any of it. Open either one and see for yourself.
Questions Buyers Ask About Bruster's vs Handel's
Short, sourced answers to what buyers actually search.
Does Bruster's or Handel's cost more to open?
Handel's costs less to open, $404,500 to $995,200 under Item 7, versus $1,215,120 to $2,669,060 for Bruster's.
Which makes more money, Bruster's or Handel's?
Handel's reports higher revenue, an Item 19 average of $1,115,650 versus $746,650 for Bruster's. Item 19 is gross sales, not profit.
Which has more litigation, Bruster's or Handel's?
Handel's discloses more, 2 Item 3 actions versus 1 for Bruster's.
Which is bigger, Bruster's or Handel's?
Bruster's is larger, 220 Item 20 units versus 173 for Handel's.
Which is the better franchise, Bruster's or Handel's?
Zorzee doesn't rate franchises good or bad; it depends on your capital, your market, and how you'd run it. Handel's has the lower entry cost, and Handel's reports the higher Item 19 average.
Ever Wondered Which One's Actually Better?
The filings can't tell you. Neither can 10 more comparisons. "Better" comes down to your money, your market, and how you'd run it, which is exactly what the clarity call is for. Or keep exploring the matchups below.
More Ice Cream Matchups
The favorite on paper isn't always the one to own. See how the rest of the field really stacks up.
Independent analysis, no commissions, no franchisor revenue.