How many votes does each Aw restaurant have in a local advertising cooperative?

According to Aw's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, each Aw restaurant, whether franchised, company-owned, or affiliate-owned, is granted one vote within a local advertising cooperative. This cooperative may be formed either by Aw itself or by Aw franchisees, but it requires Aw's approval to be valid.

This structure ensures that each Aw restaurant has an equal say in the cooperative's decisions, regardless of its ownership type. The cooperative's activities are funded by contributions from its members, and these contributions can be credited towards the franchisee's local advertising expenditure requirements, as detailed in Section 12.2 of the franchise agreement.

Aw assumes no liability or obligation regarding the administration of the cooperative, including instances where franchisees fail to make the required contributions. This arrangement allows for localized advertising strategies while maintaining a degree of franchisor oversight and standardization, giving each Aw restaurant a voice in local advertising efforts.