Are meal expenses associated with Alternative Supplier Approval reimbursed to Bft?

According to Bft's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, if a franchisee requests approval for an alternative supplier, they must reimburse Bft for certain expenses. Specifically, in addition to paying $500 per day for personnel, the franchisee is also responsible for reimbursing Bft for any travel, accommodations, and meal expenses incurred during the review and evaluation process. This means that a Bft franchisee will need to factor in these potential costs when seeking approval for alternative suppliers.

This policy ensures that Bft is compensated for the time and resources it spends evaluating a franchisee's proposed alternative suppliers. The $500 per day fee for personnel, along with the reimbursement for travel, accommodations, and meals, covers Bft's direct costs associated with the approval process.

For a prospective Bft franchisee, this means that seeking alternative supplier approval can be an expensive undertaking. Before submitting a request, franchisees should carefully consider the potential benefits of using an alternative supplier against the costs of the approval process, including the daily personnel fee and the reimbursement of travel, accommodation, and meal expenses. It would be prudent to discuss potential alternative suppliers with Bft prior to submitting a formal request to get an estimate of the likely costs involved.