tcby – the country’s best yogurt

TCBY – The Country's Best Yogurt is a frozen yogurt franchise system with locations across the United States. Founded in 1981 by Frank Hickingbotham in Little Rock, Arkansas, the brand emerged during the early wave of frozen yogurt expansion and became one of the category's most recognizable names. The company originally stood for "This Can't Be Yogurt" before rebranding to "The Country's Best Yogurt," a shift that reflected its market positioning and consumer appeal.

The chain operates as a franchise-driven model where individual franchise operators manage store-level operations. As of November 2025, TCBY maintains a multi-state presence across the country, though the system has experienced periods of contraction and expansion over the years. Recent activity demonstrates active revitalization efforts. The Oswego, Illinois location reopened in November 2025 under new franchise operators Samad Khan and Ankita Patel, signaling ongoing franchise recruitment and system rebuilding. The brand is actively recruiting new franchise operators and reopening previously closed locations, showing particular openness to multi-unit operators and entrepreneurs with existing business experience.

The product offering extends beyond frozen yogurt to include smoothies, shakes, sundaes, cakes, and pies. TCBY emphasizes health-conscious positioning, highlighting that its yogurt is low in fat and contains seven types of live and active cultures. The brand also offers dairy-free, vegan, and gluten-free options to accommodate dietary preferences. Store locations feature over 35 toppings ranging from fresh fruits and nuts to candies and sauces, enabling customers to customize their frozen yogurt experience. Many locations offer delivery through third-party platforms.

From a commercial real estate standpoint, TCBY represents a franchise system with relatively modest footprint requirements compared to full-service restaurants. Individual locations typically operate in strip centers, shopping malls, and street-front retail spaces. The Oswego location, for example, is situated at 2840 U.S. Route 34, a major retail corridor. Operating hours typically span 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on peak days, with reduced hours on weekdays.

The franchise system continues to recruit new operators and reactivate dormant locations. The brand appeals to entrepreneurs seeking quick-service frozen dessert retail opportunities, with moderate capital requirements relative to full-service concepts and established brand recognition positioning it as an accessible entry point for franchise ownership.