Who is responsible for the costs associated with a Buona franchisee owner's attendance at national, regional, or local conferences?
Buona Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Franchisor reserves the right to hold and require all franchisees to attend national, regional or local conferences for Buona franchisees to discuss updates to products, services, methods, operational standards, policies and procedures, and marketing and advertising.
If Franchisor holds such conferences, Franchisee's owner(s) may be required to attend any conference for which Franchisor determines attendance is mandatory.
Franchisor may charge Franchisee a fee to attend the conference ("Conference Registration Fee").
If Franchisor's owner(s) fail to attend any conference held during the term of this Agreement for which attendance is mandatory, Franchisee remains obligated to pay the Conference Registration Fee.
Any costs or expenses associated with Franchisee's owner(s)'s attendance of such conferences will be borne solely by Franchisee.
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPTS (FDD pages 78–356)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Buona's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the franchisee is responsible for covering the costs associated with attending national, regional, or local conferences. Buona reserves the right to hold these conferences, requiring franchisees to attend to discuss updates regarding products, services, operational standards, policies, procedures, marketing, and advertising.
Buona may charge franchisees a Conference Registration Fee to attend these conferences. Even if a franchisee's owner fails to attend a mandatory conference, they are still obligated to pay this fee. Furthermore, any costs or expenses related to the franchisee owner's attendance at these conferences are the sole responsibility of the franchisee.
This means that in addition to the registration fee, franchisees must also budget for travel, accommodation, meals, and any other expenses incurred while attending these required events. This can represent a significant additional cost for franchisees, especially if conferences are held frequently or in locations that require extensive travel. Prospective franchisees should inquire about the frequency, location, and estimated costs of these conferences to accurately assess the financial implications.