Before you buy a franchise, it is important to understand what costs will be associated with starting and maintaining the franchise. The franchise disclosure document (FDD) contains information about what fees you must pay to the franchisor and other third-parties. These should be carefully reviewed so you are prepared with the appropriate financing to keep […]

Over the last 2 years, a growing list of U.S. cities have worked to pass laws to ban the use of plastic utensils, straws, and Styrofoam containers. On May 1st, Maine became the first state to ban single-use food and drink containers made of polystyrene foam (aka Styrofoam). Other states are considering similar legislation. These […]

Territory protections are a core feature of Area Development Agreements (aka Multi-Unit Operator Agreements). These agreements grant a franchisee a protected territory in which to open a stated number of franchises over a specified time period. Since it takes time to develop multiple locations, these agreements often preclude other franchisees from opening units within the […]