Is attendance at the Bens Soft Pretzels annual convention or business meeting mandatory?
Bens_Soft_Pretzels Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Ongoing Training. You must participate in, if we require, up to five days per calendar year of refresher training in the operations and marketing of the Store. The refresher training may or may not take place at an annual convention or business meeting of franchisees which we can require you to attend once per calendar year. The fee for additional training programs or meetings is provided in Item 6 plus you pay all your travel and living expenses.
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS, AND TRAINING (FDD pages 23–30)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Bens Soft Pretzels Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees may be required to attend an annual convention or business meeting. Bens Soft Pretzels can require franchisees to participate in up to five days per calendar year of refresher training related to the store's operations and marketing. This refresher training might occur at an annual convention or business meeting, and Bens Soft Pretzels has the right to mandate attendance at such an event once per calendar year.
Franchisees are responsible for covering their own travel and living expenses associated with attending any required training programs or meetings. Item 6 of the FDD provides information on the fees associated with additional training programs or meetings.
This means that while not every training will be at a convention, Bens Soft Pretzels retains the right to make attendance at a yearly convention mandatory. A prospective franchisee should factor in the potential costs of travel and accommodation when evaluating the financial implications of the franchise.