The Yard Milkshake Bar
The Yard Milkshake Bar is a franchise-based specialty dessert chain founded in 2017 in Gulf Shores, Alabama, serving over-the-top milkshakes, edible cookie dough, and craft coffee across roughly 30 U.S. storefronts, targeting consumer families, tourists, and prospective franchisees.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersGulf Shores, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Yard Milkshake Bar does
The Yard Milkshake Bar, Inc. is a privately held, franchise-based specialty dessert chain founded in May 2017 by Logan and Chelsea Green in Gulf Shores, Alabama. The company's core offering is over-the-top specialty milkshakes — jar milkshakes, sundaes, specialty bowls, edible cookie dough, craft coffee, and ancillary items like loaded pints and mocktail floats — all built on BlueBell ice cream. The product is positioned around visual presentation, monthly rotating limited-time flavors, and a mascot (Sprinkles the UniCow) designed for social sharing. Operations span roughly 28-30 storefronts across 17+ U.S. states as of mid-2026, with a recently introduced drive-thru format at the Flowood, MS location.
The company monetizes through a franchise model: it collects upfront franchise fees from new franchisees, ongoing royalties from franchised units, marketing/brand fund contributions, and operates at least one company-owned flagship in Gulf Shores. Direct-to-consumer revenue also flows through an e-commerce storefront selling branded merchandise (apparel from $20-$45, mugs at $17, accessories including a Sprinkles stuffed toy), the signature edible cookie dough ($18/pint in reusable mason jars), and co-branded craft coffee blends ($25/12oz bag) developed with Haven Coffee. Distribution channels include physical storefronts, online ordering via order.online for delivery or pickup, and a shippable e-commerce site; digital marketing leans on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and a content blog ('The Scoop'), with national brand credibility established by the company's 2019 appearance on ABC's Shark Tank and its No. 3 ranking on USA Today's 2026 '10 Best dessert/treat chains' list.
The Yard serves two primary customer groups: individual consumers and families — including tourists in destination markets such as Gulf Shores — seeking Instagram-worthy dessert experiences, and prospective franchisees looking for a turnkey dessert concept. The business is supported by a proprietary (egg-free, heat-treated flour) edible cookie dough line that doubles as a shippable e-commerce SKU and an in-store add-on, plus a catalog of co-branded limited-time collaborations (e.g., with CHIPS AHOY!/Mondelez, King's Hawaiian, GoNanas, Kendra Scott) and a sports-marketing partnership with the Big 12 Conference. Revenue, funding, and valuation data are not publicly disclosed; corporate headcount is reported as 1-10 employees, consistent with a lean franchisor structure that relies on franchisee-owned units for the bulk of the operational footprint.
The Yard Milkshake Bar firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Yard Milkshake Bar
- Legal name
- The Yard Milkshake Bar, Inc.
- Website
- https://theyardmilkshakebar.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Yard Milkshake Bar is a franchise-based specialty dessert chain founded in 2017 in Gulf Shores, Alabama, serving over-the-top milkshakes, edible cookie dough, and craft coffee across roughly 30 U.S. storefronts, targeting consumer families, tourists, and prospective franchisees.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Yard Milkshake Bar industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Dessert Restaurants
- NAICS
- Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing (311520), Cookie and Cracker Manufacturing (311821)
- SIC
- Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts (2024), Cookies & Crackers (2052)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Smoothie & Protein Shake Bars (THAFAKAB)
Keywords
Where The Yard Milkshake Bar is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Gulf Shores
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices31 records
Markets served
The Yard Milkshake Bar business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Franchise Fees and Royalty Revenue: The company operates through a franchise model, collecting franchise fees from new franchisees and ongoing royalty payments from existing franchise locations.
- Direct Retail Sales: Revenue generated from sales of over-the-top milkshakes, sundaes, specialty bowls, edible cookie dough, and merchandise at company-owned and franchise locations.
- E-commerce and Merchandise: Online sales of branded merchandise (apparel, accessories, candles), edible cookie dough for shipping, and e-gift cards through the company website.
- Coffee and Specialty Products: Sales of branded craft coffee blends (The Cereal Killer Blend, Peanut Butter Coffee Crunch Blend) and branded merchandise bundles through the online store.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Edible Cookie Dough - $18.00 per pint |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Branded Coffee - $25.00 per 12oz bag |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mug & Coffee Bundle - $37.00 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Coffee Mug - $17.00 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Branded Apparel - $20-$45 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Accessories - $4-$25 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
The Yard Milkshake Bar product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Yard Milkshake Bar operates a specialty dessert chain selling over-the-top milkshakes, sundaes, and specialty bowls made with BlueBell ice cream, along with proprietary edible cookie dough products (egg-free, heat-treated flour). The company complements its in-store dessert business with branded merchandise, small-batch craft coffee blends developed with Haven Coffee, and a franchise program that has expanded the brand to 28+ locations across the United States.
Product overview
The Yard Milkshake Bar is a specialty dessert chain offering over-the-top milkshakes, sundaes, and specialty bowls made with BlueBell ice cream. The core product lineup centers on their signature specialty milkshakes served in decorated jars, complemented by edible cookie dough (sold in reusable mason jars), and craft coffee blends developed with Haven Coffee. Additional offerings include Dipped & Whipped layered treats, Loaded Pint Milkshakes for on-the-go, Loaded Cones, and Mocktail Loaded Pints. The company also operates a merchandise line featuring branded apparel and accessories, plus franchise opportunities across the United States. Seasonal limited-time specials are released monthly with rotating themes.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Edible Cookie Dough
Companies that use The Yard Milkshake Bar
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Yard Milkshake Bar technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Yard Milkshake Bar partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Big 12 ConferencecorePartnership through the Big 12 trEATS program with The Yard Milkshake Bar Kansas City located near T-Mobile Center. The Yard created exclusive Big 12 themed treats and custom team shakes for fans during tournament week, promoting the brand to collegiate sports audiences.
- Haven CoffeecoreHaven Coffee collaborated with The Yard Milkshake Bar to roast and supply branded craft coffee blends sold through The Yard's e-commerce store. The partnership includes two exclusive blends: The Cereal Killer Blend and Peanut Butter Coffee Crunch Blend, inspired by signature milkshake flavors.
- CHIPS AHOY! (Mondelez International)minorLimited-time November 2023 collaboration featuring the 'Doughy Delight' specialty shake made with CHIPS AHOY! cookies, available at all locations nationwide.
- GoNanasminorLimited-time November collaboration featuring 'GoNanas for Happy Tracks' specialty milkshake made with GoNanas banana bread mix in the cookie dough. Included a social media giveaway promoting both brands.
- Kendra ScottminorExclusive collaboration for National Ice Cream Day featuring the 'Kendra's Gems' specialty milkshake at the Austin, TX location. Included joint promotional event at Kendra Scott Flagship store with free samples and cross-promotional discounts.
- King's Hawaiian RollsminorExclusive June 2023 collaboration featuring the 'King's Hawaiian PB&J' specialty dessert combining King's Hawaiian Rolls with The Yard's ice cream and toppings.
- Blue BellcoreExclusive ice cream supplier for The Yard Milkshake Bar. All over-the-top milkshakes are made with BlueBell ice cream, providing consistent quality and brand association with a premium ice cream provider.
- The Candle YardminorThe Candle Yard creates and sells 'milkshake candles' inspired by The Yard Milkshake Bar flavors, available for purchase through The Yard's website. Cross-promotional relationship selling complementary products.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Yard Milkshake Bar competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Cold Stone Creamery: National ice cream and mix-in franchise chain with a similar custom-preparation model focused on indulgent, shareable frozen desserts. Most direct comparable on category, franchise footprint, and over-the-top product positioning.
- Marble Slab Creamery: Premium hand-mixed ice cream franchise with a similar 'mix-in on a cold slab' value proposition and similar franchise-driven growth model. Closest format peer in the premium mix-in ice cream category.
- Kilwins: Specialty ice cream, fudge, and chocolate franchise ranked No. 1 on USA Today's '10 Best dessert/treat chains' list (ahead of The Yard at No. 3). Directly comparable on category mix, franchise model, and tourist-destination real estate strategy.
- Crumbl Cookies: Fast-growing specialty cookie and dessert franchise with a strong social media presence, rotating weekly flavors, and a national franchise footprint. Highly comparable on the cookie/dessert adjacency, LTO-driven marketing, and influencer-led growth model.
- TCBY: Frozen yogurt and frozen treat franchise with a similar small-footprint retail model and franchise-driven growth. Comparable as a specialty frozen dessert franchise competitor in malls, shopping centers, and destination retail.
Broad incumbents
- Dairy Queen: Mass-market ice cream and frozen treat chain with a national franchise footprint. Competes in the same 'affordable indulgence' and Blizzard/blizzard-style premium treat category as The Yard, with substantially larger scale and resources.
- Häagen-Dazs Shops: Premium ice cream café concept operated under the global Häagen-Dazs brand. Competes in the premium-scooped and milkshake-adjacent dessert category, with a more limited domestic café footprint.
- Baskin-Robbins: Long-standing national ice cream chain with a deep franchise system and broad menu of scooped and blended treats. Competes in the same family-occasion and impulse dessert occasions, with a much larger installed base.
Emerging players
- Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams: Premium scoop shop and CPG brand with a cult following and a smaller but growing retail footprint. Comparable on premium positioning, flavor innovation, and brand-driven scoop shop model.
- Insomnia Cookies: Late-night cookie and dessert delivery chain with a strong e-commerce and direct-to-consumer shipping model. Comparable on the cookie-adjacent dessert offering and on operating a DTC shipping business alongside physical retail.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Yard Milkshake Bar social profiles
Digital presenceThe Yard Milkshake Bar financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Yard Milkshake Bar leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The Yard Milkshake Bar funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Yard Milkshake Bar M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Yard Milkshake Bar
What does The Yard Milkshake Bar do?
The Yard Milkshake Bar operates a specialty dessert chain selling over-the-top milkshakes, sundaes, and specialty bowls made with BlueBell ice cream, along with proprietary edible cookie dough products (egg-free, heat-treated flour). The company complements its in-store dessert business with branded merchandise, small-batch craft coffee blends developed with Haven Coffee, and a franchise program that has expanded the brand to 28+ locations across the United States.
Is The Yard Milkshake Bar a public or private company?
The Yard Milkshake Bar is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Yard Milkshake Bar founded?
The Yard Milkshake Bar was founded in 2017. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Yard Milkshake Bar based?
The Yard Milkshake Bar is headquartered in Gulf Shores, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Yard Milkshake Bar make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Franchise Fees and Royalty Revenue is the primary driver. The others are direct Retail Sales, E-commerce and Merchandise and coffee and Specialty Products.
Who are The Yard Milkshake Bar's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Cold Stone Creamery, Marble Slab Creamery, Kilwins, Crumbl Cookies and TCBY. Broad incumbents are Dairy Queen, Häagen-Dazs Shops and Baskin-Robbins. Emerging players are Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams and Insomnia Cookies.
Does The Yard Milkshake Bar have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Yard Milkshake Bar.
What industry is The Yard Milkshake Bar in?
The Yard Milkshake Bar's product category is Specialty Dessert Restaurants. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFAKAB, Smoothie & Protein Shake Bars. Its NAICS code is 311520 and its SIC code is 2024.