Must a Bonchon franchisee wait for written approval of final plans and specifications before commencing construction of the Restaurant?
Bonchon Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
- (3) Review, and/or cause our designees to review, your final plans and specifications for the Restaurant promptly and approve or provide comments on the plans and specifications to you. Although the Franchise Agreement does not require us to do so, we may have an interior designer/construction manager make visit(s) to your Restaurant Location, and you agree to allow those visits, in order to assist us in determining whether to approve your final plans and specifications. You may not commence construction of the Restaurant until we approve the final plans and specifications in writing.
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND TRAINING (FDD pages 45–60)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Bonchon's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, a franchisee must receive written approval of the final plans and specifications from Bonchon before starting construction of the restaurant. Bonchon will review the franchisee's final plans and specifications for the Restaurant and either approve them or provide comments.
Bonchon may also have an interior designer or construction manager visit the Restaurant location to assist in determining whether to approve the final plans and specifications. The franchise agreement does not obligate Bonchon to send an interior designer/construction manager to the franchisee's Restaurant Location.
Bonchon offers a Bonchon Accelerated Architectural Services Program (BAASP) to qualified franchisees to help streamline the development of their Restaurants. If a franchisee is eligible and chooses to participate in BAASP, the Bonchon authorized architect (AOR) will start the construction document generation. Upon final approval from Bonchon, the AOR will submit the construction documents to the corresponding municipality for a building permit. Once the franchisee and the landlord have signed the lease for the Restaurant Location and secured the requisite building and/or construction permit, then the franchisee may (upon Bonchon's approval) commence constructing the Restaurant Location.