Where does the initial training for the Aw franchise take place?
Aw Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
. (Franchise Agreement, Section 4.7.)
Training
Before your Papa Ray's Pizza Restaurant opens, you and any operating manager must attend and complete to our satisfaction, an initial training program on the operation of a Papa Ray's Pizza Restaurant, which currently lasts 24 days (6 days a week for 4 weeks). The initial training program will be at a restaurant owned by our affiliate in Chicago or other location determined by us. Certain portions of the initial training program may be adjusted or eliminated by us in our discretion based on your skills and experience. We expect to conduct initial training classes as needed. Although we do not charge a fee for the initial training program for up to 2 people, you will be responsible for all compensation, travel, lodging and other living expenses incurred by you and any manager attending training.
If, we determine during a training program that you (or your approved Owner) are not qualified to manage a Papa Ray's Pizza Restaurant, we can require you to attend and successfully
complete additional training or we can terminate your franchise, effective upon delivery of written notice to you. If we determine during a training program that any proposed operating manager is not qualified to manage your Papa Ray's Pizza Restaurant, you may select and enroll a substitute manager in the training program for additional fees.
As of the date of this Disclosure Document, we provide the following initial training:
TRAINING PROGRAM
| OBLIGATION | SECTION IN FRANCHISE AGREEMENT | DISCLOSURE DOCUMENT ITEM |
|---|---|---|
| w. Non-competition covenants | Sections 9.3. and 17 | 17 |
| x. Dispute resolution | Section 18 | 17 |
| y. |
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND TRAINING (FDD pages 22–29)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Aw's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the initial training program for franchisees and their operating managers takes place at a restaurant owned by an Aw affiliate in Chicago, Illinois, or at another location that Aw may determine. The training lasts for 24 days, which is 6 days a week for 4 weeks.
The FDD provides a table that shows the breakdown of the training hours. The classroom portion of the "History of Franchise, Introduction to System" totals 8 hours and takes place in Chicago, IL. The on-the-job training includes various topics such as dough preparation (5 hours), cheese cutting (2 hours), rotation (3 hours), answering phones and taking orders (10 hours), salads (1 hour), scheduling (5 hours), mac'n'cheese (2 hours), pizza cutting (2 hours), pizza topping (5 hours), cheesy bread (1 hour), traditional wings (3 hours), boneless chicken (2 hours), handling complaints (10 hours), local store marketing (10 hours), sauce making (2 hours), vegetable cutting (2 hours), topping preparation (5 hours), order taking (10 hours), prep list inventory (5 hours), food ordering (5 hours), and slice reheating (5 hours). All on-the-job training also takes place in Chicago, IL.
Aw may adjust or eliminate certain portions of the initial training program based on the franchisee's skills and experience. While Aw does not charge a fee for the initial training program for up to 2 people, franchisees are responsible for all compensation, travel, lodging, and other living expenses incurred by themselves and any managers attending the training. If Aw determines that a franchisee or operating manager is not qualified to manage a Papa Ray's Pizza Restaurant during the training program, Aw can require them to attend and successfully complete additional training or terminate the franchise agreement.