Leading Fast-Casual Brand to Serve Military Community in Texas Following Concessions Contract Award

FORT HOOD, TEXAS – Jun. 22, 2026 – Tropical Smoothie Cafe® announced the expansion of its non-traditional footprint with a new location at U.S. Army Fort Hood in Fort Hood, Texas, expected to open later this year. After securing a competitive concessions contract, the brand will operate on base and serve military service members, families, and civilian personnel with quick, convenient, better-for-you smoothies and food options designed to fuel busy, on-the-go lifestyles.

“Opening another cafe on a U.S. military installation reflects the strength of our brand and the momentum behind our non-traditional growth strategy,” said Max Wetzel, CEO of Tropical Smoothie Cafe, LLC. “We are proud to serve the Fort Hood community. Expanding on military bases allows us to meet guests where they are while honoring our service members.”

The Fort Hood cafe will be owned and operated by existing Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchisee Howard Raphael. Raphael joined the brand in 2008, opening his first cafe and introducing Tropical Smoothie Cafe to the Raleigh, North Carolina market. Since then, he has expanded his portfolio to include a total of seven cafes in North Carolina, two in Florida, and one at Fort Lee in Virginia. Raphael is excited to serve the Fort Hood community in Texas at the largest military base in the domestic U.S.

“Our journey with Tropical Smoothie Cafe across the military community has been remarkable,” said Raphael. “Starting with Fort Lee in Virginia in 2021, we are thrilled to now grow our partnership with AAFES at Fort Hood – the largest military installation in the country. This expansion represents not just business growth for us, but a deeper commitment to serving those who serve our nation with food options that truly embody our “Eat Some Good!” philosophy. I’ve built my career with this brand because of its culture, proven model, and unwavering focus on community impact. We look forward to becoming a trusted dining destination that the Fort Hood community can count on.”

The addition of the Fort Hood location will mark the brand’s 13^th operational cafe on a U.S. military installation, including its 12^th in partnership with AAFES, with several additional locations currently in the pipeline for development.

Additional details, including an official opening date and grand opening celebration, will be announced at a later time. For more information about Tropical Smoothie Cafe and its menu offerings, visit www.TropicalSmoothieCafe.com.

About Tropical Smoothie Cafe®

Tropical Smoothie Cafe is a national fast-casual restaurant brand built on a mission to Inspire Better^®, a commitment that starts with better-for-you food and smoothies and extends to inspiring better in the communities it serves. Born on a beach in 1997, Tropical Smoothie Cafe has grown to more than 1,700 locations across 44 states. The brand has been recognized for its continued excellence, earning the No. 1 ranking in the Smoothie/Juice Category on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 for six consecutive years, being named one of USA TODAY’s 10 Best Top 10 Best Restaurants for Quick, Healthy Food, and appearing on Technomic’s Top 500 list of leading restaurant chains.