I’m sticking with my prediction and reasoning that soup focused franchises such as Simply Soup Co., Zoup, and San Francisco Soup Co. will be one of the fastest growing QSR segments. My favorite soup is Butternut Squash, by the way 😉 Related:  soup posts at Franchise Pundit Insightful articles about Zoup:  article 1, article 2

Al Yeganeh, the Soup Nazi character from the Seinfeld T.V show is franchising his soup restuarant. They’ve signed 123 deals so far, and they’re aiming for over 1,000 units.  The franchise fee is reported to be $30,000 with royalty and advertising fees totalling 6%. Special kiosks sold by the company and storefront locations will bear Yeganeh’s “The Original Soup Man” logo with his photo. For $10, customers will get eight ounces of soup _ from seafood bisque and chili to cold and exotic soups _ plus bread, a beverage, fresh fruit and a small chocolate. Can this work? I’ve seen a few soup focused franchises coming online lately (Zoup,San Francisco Soup Co.), but I’m skeptical of this small-scale soup franchise. They are making the soup in New Jersey where it will be frozen and shipping to franchisees. I’d feel much more comfortable franchising a nice soup and sandwich cafe, or sandwich cafe known for their soups like Panera Bread, Pickerman’s Soup & Sandwich Shop, Obee’s Soup Salad Subs, or Schlotzky’s. Strangely, as Professor Bainbridge points out, franchisees are prohibited to use the words “Soup Nazi” or “Seinfeld”. I wouldn’t buy it!

VERY OUT OF DATE.  Do a search instead.  This was manually updated March 21, 2006 Companies Mentioned in Posts (likely incomplete):Automotive 1-800 RADIATORS Oil Butler Lube N’ Go On-Site-Lube Business & Home Services 1-800-WATER-DAMAGE Bartercard Garagetek Help-U-Sell Home Instead Homewatch Caregivers My Girl Friday PropertyGuys.com Sears Carpet & Upholstery Tax Centers of America Cleaning & Maintenance none Computer & Internet (some are listed in “Retail”) Screenz Food and Restaurant Arby’s Auntie Anne’s Blimpies Cheeburger Cheeburger Chipotle Dippin’ Dots Dream Dinners Doc Green’s Gourmet Salad Dominic’s of New York The Dugout Durango Grill Fazoli’s Fire of Brazil Fogo de Chao Goldstar Chili Jamba Juice Jerq’zine Krispy Kream Lenny’s Sub Shops Mauwi Wauwi Original Hamburger Stand Panaderia Taza Papa John’s Pizza Factory Pizza Patron Pretzel Time Quiznos Red Rock Chili San Francisco Soup Co Shane’s Rib Shack Skyline Chili Smoothie King Smotthie Planet Soup Nazi Steak-out Subway Submarina Sub Station II Super Suppers The Soup Box Supercuts Suzanne’s Kitchen We’re Rolling Pretzel Company Wetzel’s Pretzels Z Pizza Zoup! Fresh Soup Co (List all sub franchises) Health & Fitness Curves Liberty Fitness Home Building & Repair Services See “Business and Home Services” above Personnel & Staffing none Pet Retail and Services Camp Bow Wow Doody Calls The Pet Pantry Wag My Tail Interquest Detection Canines Pets Are Inn Retail Franchises Ace Hardware AuctionDrop Battery Plus Best Cuts GNC Educational Outfitters Fantastic Sams Fastframe Foot Solutions Friendly Computers Geeks on Call GNC Hair Cuttery Herman’s World of Sports Imagine This Sold Orbit Drop Play It Again Sports QuikDrop Roosters Men’s Grooming Centers Screenz Snips Its Sports Clips Stone Mountain Carpet Mill Tom’s Foods We the People Categories: eBay drop offs (generally) Hair Travel & Hotel none Industry Lists & Research 2004 Same Store Sales Growth of QSRs (quick service restaurants) Royalty and Advertising …