DALLAS, Aug. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — In 2025, Smoothie King, whose vision is to make the world a better place by nourishing healthy habits, invested in better understanding its guests’ evolving needs and introduced its first ever food menu, laying the foundation for the future. That investment is paying off in a big way; one year later, Smoothie King is seeing same-store sales growth averaging nearly 4x the industry rate, even as many QSR brands continue to navigate industry headwinds and rely heavily on discounting.
During the second quarter of 2026, Smoothie King delivered industry-leading sales performance, expanded its food platform, opened 19 new stores and added 32 new store commitments to its development pipeline. That success has carried into the early part of the third quarter with same-store sales growth up 9% in July.
A key driver of Smoothie King’s momentum has been the introduction and continued expansion of its food platform. Most recently, the brand added new protein-packed Chicken Flatbreads – its biggest oven-based food innovation to date – which has contributed to the brand’s strongest same-store sales period of 2026. This builds on a strong track record of growth from 2020 through 2025, where average unit volumes grew by 27% and system sales increased by 64%.
“Smoothie King has always been a brand that both guests and franchisees can trust, and the numbers tell the story – our consistent growth over the past several years demonstrates the strength, resilience and continued evolution of our business,” said Gavin Felder, President and Chief Financial Officer of Smoothie King. “Consumers are placing a greater emphasis on health and wellness than ever before, and with more than five decades of nutritional expertise, Smoothie King is uniquely positioned to lead that movement. With lower investment costs than many traditional QSR concepts, continued focus on product innovation, store growth and the guest experience, we’re engaging with our franchisees to build a business that’s designed to lead the category for years to come.”
Beyond menu innovation, Smoothie King continues to invest in resources to support franchisee success and strengthen the operating model. To enable the expansion of its food platform, the brand rolled out ovens across the system at no equipment cost to franchisees, allowing operators to add new food offerings without sacrificing the operational simplicity that has long differentiated the Smoothie King model. The brand is also investing in AI-driven back-of-house technology and operational enhancements designed to improve efficiency, streamline execution, and support franchisee growth.
That momentum is translating into continued franchisee interest and expansion. In Q2 2026, Smoothie King achieved its highest number of qualified franchise inquiries in a single quarter since the brand began tracking the metric in 2017. Smoothie King also opened 19 new locations across 11 states, including Minnesota, Michigan, Colorado and New York, and added 32 new store opening commitments to its development pipeline, including several multi-unit agreements across Arkansas, Ohio and Florida. Since 2016, Smoothie King has seen consistent growth and development, with store count growing 76% over the past 10 years.
As Smoothie King continues executing its long-term growth strategy, the brand remains focused on investing in menu innovation, strengthening franchisee success and bringing its purpose-driven approach to nutrition to more communities nationwide.
For more information about Smoothie King, visit www.smoothieking.com.
