Great American Cookies

North American gourmet cookie chain commonly found in shopping malls

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Great American Cookies" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (February 2010) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

|

Great American Cookie Co.

Trade name

| Great American Cookie
Company type| Wholly owned subsidiary
Industry| Food
Bake shop
Founded| 1977; 47 years ago (1977)
Dunwoody, Georgia, U.S.
Founders|

* Michael J. Coles
* Arthur Karp

Headquarters| Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.

Number of locations

| 371 (February 20, 2022)

Area served

| United States
Bahrain
Saudi Arabia
Products|

* Cookies
* Cookie cake
* Double doozies
* Brownies

Parent| FAT Brands
Website| greatamericancookies.com

Great American Cookie Co., doing business as Great American Cookies, is an American chain of independently owned and operated franchised stores that specialize in gourmet cookies, especially cookie cakes. It has over 290 stores in the U.S., particularly in the Southeast as well as Puerto Rico and Guam, most commonly located in malls. The company was founded in 1977 and has its headquarters in Atlanta. It is since 2010 a franchise brand in the portfolio of Global Franchise Group.

## History[edit]

Old logo

Great American Cookie Co. was founded by future CEO Michael J. Coles and partner Arthur Karp, who each invested $4,000 to develop a business selling cookies on the strength of a family recipe passed on to Karp's wife.[1] That same year the first store opened in Atlanta's Perimeter Mall.[2]

The first store in Perimeter Mall became successful in its first month, and the company first became franchised the year after its opening.[3] By 1985, the company had revenue of $100 million per year and was the largest retail cookie chain in the U.S.[4]

In 1985, Coles shortened the name to Great American Cookie Company, with a plan to shorten it further to Great American Cookies. "To complement the revised recipes and pricing structure, we refashioned our branding. Our name—the Original Great American Chocolate Chip Cookie Company—was cute at first, but it had become a liability. What might work for a small, local company did not have national cachet," said Coles.[5]

When Coles sold the firm to Mrs. Fields Famous Brands in 1998, the company had sales of over $100 million.[6] On January 29, 2008, the company was acquired by NexCen Brands Inc. for its Quick Service Restaurant portfolio, which included sister companies Marble Slab Creamery, MaggieMoo's Ice Cream and Treatery and Pretzelmaker. Since July 2010, this portfolio of brands has been owned by Global Franchise Group, LLC, an affiliate of Levine Leichtman Capital Partners, and managed by GFG Management.[7]

On June 28, 2021, Global Franchise Group announced that it would be acquired by FAT Brands, owners of Fatburger and Johnny Rockets.[8] The acquisition was completed on July 22.[9]

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Press release: Great American Cookies celebrates 25 years of sharing the fun of cookies". BISON:Franchise and Business Opportunities. June 18, 2002. Archived from the original on February 22, 2008. Retrieved April 7, 2008.
2. ^ "Great American Cookie Company Franchise". thefranchisemall.com. Archived from the original on March 16, 2008. Retrieved April 7, 2008.
3. ^ "SpeakerNotes/Michael Coles". ceomakers.com. January 26, 2008. Archived from the original on July 9, 2007. Retrieved April 7, 2008.
4. ^ "Mall cookie sales make company a sweet success". The Leaf-Chronicle. Associated Press. October 23, 1985. Archived from the original on February 22, 2021. Retrieved February 22, 2021 - via Newspapers.com.
5. ^ Coles, Michael Joseph, 1944- (2018). Time to get tough : how cookies, coffee, and a crash led to success in business and life. Lewis, Catherine M.,, Kennedy, Jim, 1948-. Athens, Georgia. ISBN 978-0-8203-5462-0. OCLC 1030909455.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
6. ^ "Entrepreneurial Forum - Breakfast Series, features: Michael Coles". Archived from the original on October 16, 2008. Retrieved April 7, 2008.
7. ^ "NexCen Brands (NEXC) buys the Great American Cookie Company from Mrs. Fields Famous Brands". streetinsider. Archived from the original on May 15, 2008. Retrieved April 7, 2008.
8. ^ Inc, FAT Brands (28 June 2021). "FAT Brands Inc. Agrees to Acquire Global Franchise Group for $442.5 million". GlobeNewswire News Room. Retrieved 1 September 2021. `{{cite news}}`: `|last1=` has generic name (help)
9. ^ Inc., FAT Brands (22 July 2021). "FAT Brands Completes Acquisition of Global Franchise Group". GlobeNewswire News Room. Retrieved 1 September 2021. `{{cite news}}`: `|last1=` has generic name (help)

## Further reading[edit]

* Brett, Jennifer (January 27, 2019). ""It's not complicated. It's cookies." Wit and wisdom from Michael Coles". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. p. D1.
* McWilliams, Jeremiah (September 8, 2010). "In soft economy, cookies put to test". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. p. A11.

## External links[edit]

* Official Great American Cookies website

* v
* t
* e

Global Franchise Group

* Great American Cookies
* Hot Dog on a Stick
* MaggieMoo's
* Marble Slab Creamery
* Pretzelmaker
* Round Table Pizza
* Shoebox New York

* v
* t
* e

Fast food and fast casual restaurant chains in the United States

* Burger chains
* Chicken chains
* Coffeehouse chains
* Hot dog chains
* Pizza chains

Asian|

* Happi House
* Manchu Wok
* Panda Express
* Pei Wei Asian Diner
* P. F. Chang's
* Pick Up Stix
* Sarku Japan
* Yoshinoya

Baked goods|

* 85°C Bakery Cafe
* Au Bon Pain
* Auntie Anne's
* Boudin Bakery
* Bruegger's
* The Cheesecake Factory
* Cinnabon
* Corner Bakery Cafe
* Crumbl Cookies
* Daylight Donuts
* Duck Donuts
* Einstein Bros.
* Five Daughters Bakery
* Great American Cookies
* Honey Dew Donuts
* Insomnia Cookies
* Krispy Kreme
* Mochinut
* Mrs. Fields
* Panera Bread
* Paris Baguette
* Pretzelmaker/Pretzel Time
* Red Ribbon
* Shipley Do-Nuts
* Tim Hortons
* Wetzel's
* Winchell's

Barbecue|

* Claim Jumper
* Dickey's
* L&L Hawaiian Barbecue
* Logan's Roadhouse
* Mission BBQ
* Morton's The Steakhouse
* Outback Steakhouse
* Saltgrass Steak House
* Smithfield's
* Texas Roadhouse
* Vic & Anthony's Steakhouse

Breakfast|

* Black Bear
* Cracker Barrel
* Denny's
* Golden Corral
* IHOP
* The Original Pancake House
* Waffle House

Beverages|

* Argo Tea
* Biggby Coffee
* Caribou
* Colectivo Coffee Roasters
* Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
* Coffee Beanery
* Dunkin'
* Dunn Bros
* Dutch Bros.
* Gloria Jean's
* Heine Brothers'
* Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea
* It's Boba Time
* Jamba Juice
* Juice It Up!
* Kung Fu Tea
* Orange Julius
* Peet's
* Planet Smoothie
* Robeks
* Smoothie King
* Starbucks
* Tropical Smoothie Cafe

Chicken|

* Bojangles'
* Bonchon
* Boston Market
* Brown's Chicken & Pasta
* Buffalo Wild Wings
* Bush's Chicken
* Chester's
* Chick-fil-A
* Chicken Express
* Chicken Salad Chick
* Church's/Texas Chicken
* Cluck-U
* Dave's Hot Chicken
* El Pollo Loco
* Golden Chick
* Golden Skillet
* Guthrie's
* Harold's Chicken Shack
* Hartz Chicken
* Hooters
* Jollibee
* KFC
* Krispy Krunchy
* Kyochon
* Louisiana Famous Fried Chicken
* Mrs. Winner's
* Pollo Tropical
* Popeyes
* Raising Cane's
* Roy Rogers
* Wingstop
* WingStreet
* Zankou Chicken
* Zaxby's

Frozen
desserts|

* Baskin-Robbins
* Ben & Jerry's
* Braum's
* Bruster's
* Carvel
* Cold Stone Creamery
* Dairy Queen
* Dippin' Dots
* Fosters Freeze
* Friendly's
* Golden Spoon
* Graeter's
* Häagen-Dazs
* Handel's
* La Michoacana
* MaggieMoo's
* Marble Slab
* Menchie's
* Oberweis
* Orange Leaf
* Pinkberry
* Red Mango
* Rita's
* Sweet Frog
* Tastee-Freez
* TCBY
* Tropical Sno
* Tutti Frutti
* Yogen Früz
* Yogurtland

Hamburgers|

* A&W
* Applebee's
* Arctic Circle
* Back Yard
* Big Boy
* BurgerFi
* Burgerim
* Burger King
* Burgerville
* Carl's Jr.
* Checkers/Rally's
* Cook Out
* Cheeburger Cheeburger
* Culver's
* Fatburger
* Five Guys
* Ford's Garage
* Freddy's
* Fuddruckers
* Good Times Burgers & Frozen Custard
* The Habit
* Hardee's
* Hwy 55
* In-N-Out
* Jack's
* Jack in the Box
* Johnny Rockets
* Kewpee
* Krystal
* McDonald's
* Mooyah
* Nation's
* Original Hamburger Stand
* Red Robin
* Roy Rogers
* Ruby Tuesday
* Shake Shack
* Smashburger
* Sonic
* Spangles
* Steak 'n Shake
* Wayback
* Wendy's
* Whataburger
* White Castle

Hot dogs|

* Hot Dog on a Stick
* Nathan's Famous
* Portillo's
* Wienerschnitzel

Mexican / Tex-Mex|

* Baja Fresh
* Cafe Rio
* Chevys
* Chili's
* Chipotle
* Del Taco
* El Torito
* Fuzzy's
* Green/Red Burrito
* La Salsa
* Moe's
* On the Border
* Pancheros
* Qdoba
* Roberto's
* Rubio's
* Salsarita's
* Taco Bell
* Taco Bueno
* Taco Cabana
* Taco John's
* Taco Mayo
* TacoTime
* Tijuana Flats

Pizza / Italian|

* &pizza
* Blaze Pizza
* Domino's
* Fazoli's
* Little Caesars
* MOD Pizza
* Mountain Mike's
* Olive Garden
* Papa Gino's
* Papa John's
* Patxi's
* Pie Five
* Pizza Hut
* Pizza My Heart
* Pizza Patrón
* Romano's Macaroni Grill
* Round Table Pizza
* Sbarro
* Shakey's Pizza
* Straw Hat Pizza
* Uncle Maddio's Pizza Joint

Sandwiches|

* Arby's
* Atlanta Bread
* Blimpie
* Capriotti's
* Charley's
* Così
* Cousins
* D'Angelo
* Daphne's
* Erbert & Gerbert's
* Firehouse Subs
* Great Wraps
* Jason's
* Jerry's Subs
* Jersey Mike's
* Jimmy John's
* Lee's Sandwiches
* Lenny's Sub
* McAlister's Deli
* Mendocino Farms
* Miami Subs
* Newk's Eatery
* Penn Station
* Port of Subs
* Potbelly
* Primo Hoagies
* Quiznos
* Rax
* Sandella's
* Schlotzsky's
* Steak Escape
* Subway
* Togo's
* Tubby's
* Tudor's Biscuit World
* Which Wich?

Salads|

* Salad and Go
* Saladworks
* Sweetgreen

Seafood|

* Arthur Treacher's
* Bubba Gump Shrimp Company
* California Fish Grill
* Captain D's
* H. Salt Esquire
* Ivar's
* Joe's Crab Shack
* Long John Silver's
* McCormick & Schmick's
* Mitchell's Fish Market
* Red Lobster
* Skippers Seafood & Chowder House

Other|

* German Doner Kebab
* The Halal Guys
* Noodles & Company
* Pita Pit
* Rainforest Cafe
* Skyline Chili
* WaBa Grill

Defunct|

* Bresler's
* Brigham's
* Burger Chef
* Carrols
* D'Lites
* Dawn Donuts
* Druther's
* Henry's Hamburgers
* Hot 'n Now
* Hot Sam Pretzels
* Naugles
* Nestlé Toll House
* Red Barn
* Sandy's
* Seattle's Best Coffee
* Souplantation/Sweet Tomatoes
* Teavana
* T.J. Cinnamons
* Tully's
* Wetson's
* White Tower
* Zantigo

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template