What is the Evaluation Fee required when submitting an Application for Membership to Best Western?
Best_Western Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
the "Evaluation Fee") and an affiliation fee (the "Affiliation Fee").
As explained above, all new prospective Members must complete an Application for Membership. When you submit the Application for Membership to us for processing, you must pay an Evaluation Fee of $4,000. The Evaluation Fee is applied uniformly to all new prospective Members, is not
Source: Item 5 — Initial Fees (FDD pages 21–24)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Best Western's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, all new prospective members must complete an Application for Membership. When submitting the application for processing, the applicant must pay an Evaluation Fee of $4,000. This fee is applied uniformly to all new prospective members.
Unlike some other fees associated with becoming a Best Western franchisee, the Evaluation Fee is not credited toward any other payment and is non-refundable. This means that regardless of whether the application is approved or not, the $4,000 Evaluation Fee will not be returned to the applicant.
Prospective franchisees should factor this non-refundable fee into their initial investment calculations and understand that it is a cost associated with the application process itself. It is important to carefully consider the terms and conditions of the application process before submitting the application and paying the Evaluation Fee, as the fee will not be refunded under any circumstances.