SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA · FY1991–PRESENT · PENNSYLVANIA
Bruster'S franchise in Pennsylvania: what the public record shows
Franchisees of Bruster'S in Pennsylvania have taken 22 SBA loans since 1991 (average $220,809), and of the 16 loans whose story has ended, 6.3% were charged off — versus 14.8% for Bruster'S nationally and 14.8% across all rateable franchise brands.
Loans in PA
22
Resolved
16
Local charge-off
6.3%
National charge-off
14.8%
Source: SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA files (data.sba.gov), borrower state = PA. Charge-off rate = charged-off ÷ (charged-off + paid-in-full); open loans excluded. A local rate is published only when the resolved cohort clears our floor.
Businesses in this industry
22,134
statewide, all operators
Per 100k residents
169.2
national 179.9
Versus the country
-6%
thinner
Every business in Bruster'S's industry operating in Pennsylvania — franchised and independent — from the Census Bureau's County Business Patterns (2023), against 2024 population estimates. Counter-intuitively, density is not a warning: across 198 brand-state cells in our loan data, the densest quartile charges off at 5.6% versus 18.1% in the thinnest. A crowded market is usually proven demand; an empty one is often empty for a reason.
| System | Loans in PA | Local charge-off | Units in PA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dunkin Donuts/Baskin-Robbins Co-Brand | 178 | 3.7% | — |
| Rita'S Real Italian Water Ice | 104 | 6.0% | — |
| Quiznos | 100 | 36.1% | — |
| Fox'S Pizza Den | 60 | 19.6% | — |
| RITA'S ICE-CUSTARD-HAPPINESS | 50 | 0.0% | — |
| Saladworks | 47 | 23.7% | — |
| Domino's Pizza | 46 | 20.0% | — |
| Cold Stone Creamery | 45 | 56.7% | — |
| Philly Soft Pretzel Factory | 45 | 25.0% | — |
| Manhattan Bagel | 36 | 9.4% | — |
| Primohoagies | 32 | 7.1% | — |
| Tropical Smoothie Cafe | 29 | thin | 48 |
Same sector, same state, same public records — how Bruster'S compares to the systems a buyer in Pennsylvania would actually be choosing between. Local rates under 10 resolved loans are marked thin, not hidden.
A broker is paid by the franchisor to place you. An independent CPA is paid by you — and the job is pressure-testing Bruster'S's numbers, including talking you out of a bad deal.
Talk to an independent CPA before you buy →