Cinnabon


Cinnabon is an American chain of baked goods stores and kiosks, normally found in areas with high pedestrian traffic such as malls, airports and rest stops. The company's signature item is a cinnamon roll. As of December 2017, over 1,200 Cinnabon bakeries were operating in 48 countries. Its headquarters are in Sandy Springs, Georgia, United States.
The company is co-owned — with Schlotzsky's, Carvel, Moe's Southwest Grill, McAlister's Deli, and Auntie Anne's brands — by Focus Brands, an affiliate of private equity firm Roark Capital Group, based in Sandy Springs, Georgia, operating over 5,000 stores.

History

The first Cinnabon opened on December 4, 1985, Federal Way, Washington at SeaTac Mall, now called The Commons at Federal Way. Cinnabon was an offshoot of the Seattle Based Restaurants Unlimited restaurant chain majority owned by Rich Komen with minority partner and CEO Ray Lindstrom at the helm. Komen and Lindstrom wanted to create the perfect cinnamon roll, eventually hiring Jerilyn Brusseau to finalize the recipe since Brusseau was famous for her baking in the Seattle area. The first bakery began by serving only its cinnamon rolls with a sign touting "World Famous Cinnamon Rolls". Cinnabon's first franchise-operated store opened in August 1986 just outside of Philadelphia at the King of Prussia Mall. In 1991, the first Cinnabon store in SeaTac mall was opened. Cinnabon stores today can also be found in gas stations, universities, rapid transit stations, casinos, and amusement parks.
Cinnabon was bought by AFC Enterprises, Inc. in 1998 for $65 million. In 2004, AFC Enterprises, Inc., sold Cinnabon for $30.3 million to FOCUS Brands, Inc., which is owned by the Atlanta-based private equity firm Roark Capital Group. The headquarters moved to Greater Atlanta in 1999.

International locations

Current locations

Cinnabon has franchise operations in 48 countries which include:
In the AMC television series Better Call Saul, the main character, Saul Goodman, is shown working at a Cinnabon store in Nebraska as he is a fugitive from justice and living under an assumed name.
Comedian Louis C.K. has mentioned his consumption of Cinnabon while showing disgust toward himself and his decision to consume Cinnabon products.
In the Starkid musical Black Friday, the audience overhears Linda Monroe remind her husband that is not allowed "within a thousand feet of a Cinnabon". The reason why is never explicitly mentioned, although Linda says she doesn't believe he just wants to smell them.
In the comedy-drama film Please Stand By, protagonist Wendy Welcott works at a Cinnabon chain in a mall in San Francisco, California.