History of Cinnabon: Founders, Origins, Growth & Menu

Few brands are as easy to find with your nose as Cinnabon. Walk into almost any mall or airport and the warm smell of cinnamon and fresh dough finds you first. Behind that smell is a story that began with a single bakery in 1985 and grew into a bakery brand with more than 2,000 locations worldwide. This guide covers where Cinnabon came from, who built it, how it grew, who owns it today, and what it serves now.

About Cinnabon

Cinnabon is a bakery brand famous for its oversized, gooey cinnamon rolls topped with cream cheese frosting. It started as a mall snack stand and became one of the most recognized cinnamon roll brands in the world. Today you’ll find it in shopping malls, airports, travel hubs, standalone shops, delivery apps, and grocery stores.

The Origin of Cinnabon

The idea began in 1985 with Rich Komen, the majority owner of Seattle-based Restaurants Unlimited. Komen noticed how well cinnamon rolls were selling from small shops in shopping malls and wanted to bring the concept to the West Coast. His first plan was to franchise an existing cinnamon roll business, but those talks fell through. By then he had already leased space in a mall, so he and Restaurants Unlimited CEO Ray Lindstrom decided to build their own brand from scratch.

The Recipe: Jerilyn Brusseau and the Perfect Roll

To create the signature roll, Komen turned to Jerilyn Brusseau, a well-known Seattle baker. She started from a cinnamon roll recipe she grew up with and spent months refining it, reportedly testing well over 200 variations. Komen’s son, Greg, worked beside her in the test kitchen. The goal was a roll that was soft, rich, generously sized, and quick enough to bake fresh in a busy mall. Brusseau has since been nicknamed the “CinnaMom” for her role in creating the original recipe.

The First Cinnabon Bakery

The first Cinnabon opened on December 4, 1985, at SeaTac Mall in Federal Way, Washington. The mall is now called The Commons at Federal Way. The early menu was simple. The shop sold its cinnamon rolls under the slogan “World Famous Cinnamon Rolls,” and the fresh-baked smell drew customers in. The brand was meant to become a national chain from the start.

Early Expansion and Franchising

Growth came quickly. In August 1986, less than a year after the first bakery opened, the first franchise-operated Cinnabon opened at the King of Prussia Mall near Philadelphia. Franchising let the brand spread to malls across the United States, and later to airports, casinos, universities, and travel centers. International expansion followed, and Cinnabon is now sold in dozens of countries.

Who Owns Cinnabon Today?

Cinnabon changed hands several times after its early years. In 2004, the private equity firm Roark Capital bought Cinnabon and Seattle’s Best Coffee and created a company called Focus Brands. In February 2024, Focus Brands rebranded as GoTo Foods, which is still owned by Roark Capital. GoTo Foods is based in Atlanta and also owns Auntie Anne’s, Carvel, Jamba, McAlister’s Deli, Moe’s Southwest Grill, and Schlotzsky’s. Cinnabon itself is headquartered in Atlanta, and almost all of its bakeries are run by franchise partners.

A notable name from its leadership history is Kat Cole, who became president of Cinnabon at age 32.

How Big Is Cinnabon Now?

Recent industry reporting puts Cinnabon at more than 2,400 locations across 48 US states and 65 countries and territories, as of early 2026. The brand opened hundreds of new locations in 2025 and has a large pipeline of signed franchise agreements. It has also tried new formats. One example is Cinnabon Swirl, a standalone concept that pairs Cinnabon with ice cream brand Carvel.

What Makes a Cinnabon Roll Different

• Makara® cinnamon: The signature spice is a trademarked cassia cinnamon sourced from Indonesia, which gives the rolls their strong aroma and flavor.
• Fresh-baked dough: The soft, lightly sweet dough is baked throughout the day, so bakeries always smell freshly baked.
• Cream cheese frosting: Each warm roll is topped with a thick layer of cream cheese frosting, which fans say is the hardest part to copy at home.
• Consistency: The same core recipe is used across its bakeries, so a roll tastes familiar wherever you buy it.

What Cinnabon Offers Now

The menu has grown well beyond the original roll. Common items include:

• Classic Roll: The original, full-size cinnamon roll.
• MiniBon: A smaller roll for lighter appetites.
• Caramel Pecanbon: A roll with caramel and pecans.
• Center of the Roll: Just the soft, gooey middle of the roll.
• Bites and treats: Bite-size options, plus items such as churros in some markets.
• Drinks: Coffee and iced coffee drinks, the Mochalatta Chill, frozen drinks, and in some markets boba soda refreshers.
• Grocery products: Cinnabon-branded items sold in stores so fans can enjoy the flavor at home.

Menus, prices, and calorie counts differ by country and location. A Classic Roll is a large treat that many sources put above 800 calories, so check the official nutrition information if you’re counting. You can browse items and pricing on our Cinnabon Menu pages.

Cinnabon in Pop Culture

Cinnabon has also become a familiar name in entertainment. In Better Call Saul, the main character is seen working as a Cinnabon manager in a mall in the show’s flash-forward scenes. The company also has a busy holiday season, which it has nicknamed “Jollybon.”

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Cinnabon founded?
The first Cinnabon opened on December 4, 1985.

Where was the first Cinnabon located?
At SeaTac Mall in Federal Way, Washington, now known as The Commons at Federal Way.

Who founded Cinnabon?
Rich Komen, working with Restaurants Unlimited CEO Ray Lindstrom, founded it. Baker Jerilyn Brusseau developed the original recipe.

Who owns Cinnabon now?
Cinnabon is part of GoTo Foods (formerly Focus Brands), which is owned by Roark Capital Group.

How many locations does Cinnabon have?
Recent reports put the total at more than 2,400 worldwide, in over 60 countries and territories.

What cinnamon does Cinnabon use?
A trademarked Indonesian cassia cinnamon called Makara.

Final Thoughts

Cinnabon’s story is proof that a simple idea, done consistently, can scale. From one mall bakery in Washington in 1985 to thousands of locations worldwide, the brand has stayed centered on one product: a warm, gooey cinnamon roll. Whether you stick with the Classic Roll or try something new, that idea is why it remains a favorite.

CinnabonMenu.com is an independent informational website and is not affiliated with Cinnabon or GoTo Foods. Menu details and prices vary by location.