Are the criteria for supplier approval available to Buns On Fire franchisees?
Buns_On_Fire Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
You must purchase or lease certain foods, beverages, equipment, supplies and products required for Buns on Fire Restaurant franchise from suppliers approved by us. We will provide a written list of approved suppliers and the foods, beverages and products subject to approved supplier requirements and will notify you of any additions or deletions from this list. We reserve the absolute right to update or otherwise modify this list from time to time, in our sole discretion, upon written notice to you. If you want to purchase products subject to our approved supplier requirements from a supplier who has not been previously approved by us, then you must, at your expense, send to us representative samples or specifications of that supplier's products or services, and certain other information about the supplier's products and business that we may request. We will also have the right to inspect the supplier's facilities and otherwise evaluate the proposed supplier and its products or services, and you must reimburse us for the expenses we incur to inspect and evaluate the supplier. Within thirty (30) days after receiving the necessary samples and information, we will notify you in writing as to whether the supplier's products or services comply with the uniformity requirements, quality standards and specifications established by us, and whether the supplier's business reputation, delivery performance, credit rating and other relevant information are satisfactory. If we do not respond in this time period, the supplier shall be deemed disapproved. The criteria for supplier approval are available to franchisees upon request. We reserve the right to approve or disapprove any requested supplier for any reason or no reason in our sole discretion.
Source: Item 8 — RESTRICTIONS ON SOURCES OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES (FDD pages 19–22)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Buns On Fire Franchise Disclosure Document, the criteria for supplier approval are available to franchisees upon request. If a franchisee wants to purchase products from a supplier not already approved by Buns On Fire, the franchisee must send representative samples or specifications of the supplier's products or services, along with other requested information about the supplier's products and business, all at the franchisee's expense.
Buns On Fire also has the right to inspect the supplier's facilities and evaluate the proposed supplier, with the franchisee responsible for reimbursing Buns On Fire for the inspection expenses. Within 30 days of receiving the necessary samples and information, Buns On Fire will notify the franchisee in writing whether the supplier's products or services comply with the uniformity requirements, quality standards, and specifications established by Buns On Fire, and whether the supplier's business reputation, delivery performance, credit rating, and other relevant information are satisfactory. If Buns On Fire does not respond within this 30-day period, the supplier is deemed disapproved.
It is important to note that Buns On Fire reserves the right to approve or disapprove any requested supplier for any reason or no reason, in its sole discretion. This means that even if a supplier meets all the stated criteria, Buns On Fire can still reject the supplier. This clause gives Buns On Fire significant control over the supply chain and ensures uniformity across all franchise locations. Prospective franchisees should consider the potential costs and time involved in seeking supplier approval and the risk that a preferred supplier may be rejected.