Does Afuri Ramen Dumpling or its affiliates retain the right to own or operate additional Afuri outlets?

According to the 2024 Afuri Ramen Dumpling Franchise Disclosure Document, Afuri Ramen Dumpling and its affiliates retain the right to own or operate additional Afuri outlets. This means that while franchisees are operating their own Afuri Ramen Dumpling restaurants, the company can also open and run its own locations.

For a prospective franchisee, this dual approach has several implications. On one hand, corporate-owned stores can serve as models of best practices, test new menu items or operational strategies, and reinforce brand recognition. Afuri Ramen Dumpling's existing affiliated restaurants like AFURI PDX LLC, AFURI OLDTOWN LLC, and AFURI SLABTOWN LLC, which have been operating since 2017, 2022, and 2021 respectively, demonstrate the company's direct involvement in restaurant operations. These locations may also provide training opportunities for franchisees.

However, it also means that Afuri Ramen Dumpling could potentially open a corporate-owned store in the same market as a franchise location. While this isn't necessarily negative, as increased brand presence can benefit all locations, it does introduce a level of competition or market saturation that wouldn't exist if all stores were franchisee-owned. Prospective franchisees should consider asking Afuri Ramen Dumpling about their strategy for corporate store locations and how they avoid potential conflicts of interest or market overlap with franchise locations.