Does Bens Soft Pretzels require approval of both the site location and the lease for a store?
Bens_Soft_Pretzels Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
You select the site for the Store with site selection guidelines we provide. You must obtain our approval of the site location and the lease. We will use our reasonable best efforts to review a site you have selected in order to evaluate and approve the location of your Store within thirty days after you provide us the information about the site. Additional sites are considered until our approval is reached. The factors which we may (but are not required to) consider for our approval include demographic radius characteristics and growth factors in the area, traffic patterns, ease of access, parking, visibility, allowed signage, competition from other businesses providing similar products and services, the proximity to other businesses, the nature of the businesses in proximity to the proposed site, and other commercial characteristics (including rental obligations and other lease terms for the proposed site) and the size, appearance and other physical characteristics of the proposed site location. We recommend that the size of the location be 600 to 2,100 square feet.
We approve or disapprove locations or leases by a written notice which is delivered to you. You must lease the premises for your location in the form and manner required by us and deliver a copy of the signed lease to us immediately after its signing. You must not sign any lease which has not been approved in writing by us. If your business premises is to be leased, you must submit the lease to us for written approval at least fifteen days before it is scheduled to be executed. If you lease your business premises, the lease must include language contained in the Lease Rider which is attached to your Franchise Agreement as Schedule C. The lease shall give us, our agents or designees the right to enter the premises to conduct inspections at any time during regular business hours, the right to receive notices of default directly from the lessor and the right, but not the duty, to assume the lease for all or any part of the term, if you default under the lease, are evicted or if your Franchise Agreement expires or is terminated.
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS, AND TRAINING (FDD pages 23–30)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Bens Soft Pretzels's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees must obtain approval for both the site location and the lease agreement. Bens Soft Pretzels will evaluate and approve the location of the store within thirty days after the franchisee provides the necessary information. Additional sites may be considered until approval is reached.
The factors that Bens Soft Pretzels may consider include demographic radius characteristics and growth factors, traffic patterns, ease of access, parking, visibility, allowed signage, competition, proximity to other businesses, the nature of nearby businesses, commercial characteristics (including rental obligations and other lease terms), and the physical characteristics of the proposed site. The document recommends that the location size be between 600 to 2,100 square feet.
Bens Soft Pretzels approves or disapproves locations or leases via written notice. Franchisees must lease the premises in the form and manner required by Bens Soft Pretzels and provide a copy of the signed lease immediately after signing. Franchisees must not sign any lease that has not been approved in writing by Bens Soft Pretzels. If the business premises is to be leased, the franchisee must submit the lease for written approval at least fifteen days before it is scheduled to be executed. The lease must include specific language from the Lease Rider attached to the Franchise Agreement, giving Bens Soft Pretzels the right to enter the premises for inspections, receive default notices from the lessor, and assume the lease if the franchisee defaults, is evicted, or if the Franchise Agreement expires or is terminated.