Which pretzel franchise was founded by Anne Beiler in Pennsylvania in 1988?

Auntie Anne’s is the pretzel franchise founded by Anne Beiler in Pennsylvania in 1988.

Beiler and her husband, Jonas, opened their first pretzel stand at a farmers market in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. The business initially sold pretzels as part of a larger market operation, but the hand-rolled products became its main attraction.

The company expanded through franchising and developed a recognizable menu built around soft pretzels, dips, lemonade, and other snack items. Its name is styled with an apostrophe because it refers to “Auntie Anne,” the brand’s founder-inspired identity.

A common mix-up is confusing Auntie Anne’s with Wetzel’s Pretzels. Both are major soft-pretzel franchises, but Wetzel’s was founded later, in 1994, in California. Auntie Anne’s headquarters are in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and the brand has become especially common in shopping malls and transport hubs.