Where will the place of arbitration be for disputes involving Buns On Fire?
Buns_On_Fire Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
The place of arbitration shall be in the state in which the Restaurant is located.
In any arbitration involving a franchise purchased in Washington, the arbitration site shall be either in the state of Washington, or in a place mutually agreed upon at the time of the arbitration, or as determined by the arbitrator.
Any litigation arising out of or related to this Guaranty will be instituted exclusively in a court of competent jurisdiction in Cook County, Illinois. The undersigned agree that any dispute as to the venue for this litigation will be submitted to and resolved exclusively by a court of competent jurisdiction situated in Cook County, Illinois. The undersigned hereby waive and covenant never to assert or claim that said venue is for any reason improper, inconvenient, prejudicial or otherwise inappropriate (including, without limitation, any claim under the judicial doctrine of forum non conveniens).
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPTS (FDD pages 49–200)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Buns On Fire Franchise Disclosure Document, the location for arbitration will generally be in the state where the restaurant is located. However, this is subject to certain conditions and exceptions.
For franchisees in Washington, the FDD stipulates that the arbitration site must be either in Washington state, a location mutually agreed upon at the time of arbitration, or as determined by the arbitrator. This clause provides some flexibility, but franchisees should be aware that they might have to arbitrate within Washington, regardless of Buns On Fire's preferred location.
For disputes related to the Guaranty, any litigation will be instituted in a court of competent jurisdiction in Cook County, Illinois. The franchisee also agrees to waive any claim that the venue is improper. It is important to note that the Federal Arbitration Act governs, excluding all state arbitration law, while Massachusetts law governs all other issues.