Who is responsible for covering the travel, meals, and lodging expenses for the Operating Owner and managers attending the initial training program for a new Buona franchise?
Buona Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Franchisor may charge a tuition fee for any such training, seminars, meetings or webinars and Franchisee will be responsible for all expenses incurred by Franchisee's owners and/or managers in attending these programs.
- 8.5 Conferences and Conventions. Franchisor reserves the right to hold and require all franchisees to attend national, regional or local conferences for franchisees of both or either Franchisor 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.
- 8.6 Additional Training. Franchisee may request and Franchisor may, in its sole discretion, provide additional initial or ongoing training beyond the amount normally provided to franchisees ("Additional Training"). If Franchisor provides such Additional Training, Franchisee shall pay Franchisor its then-current training fees for such Additional Training, plus any travel and living expenses incurred by Franchisor's representative if travel to Franchisee's location is necessary to conduct such Additional Training.
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD page 78)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Buona's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the franchisee is responsible for covering expenses related to supplemental training, conferences, and additional training programs. Specifically, for supplemental training, seminars, regional franchise meetings, or webinars, Buona may charge a tuition fee, and the franchisee will be responsible for all expenses incurred by the franchisee's owners and/or managers in attending these programs.
For national, regional, or local conferences, any costs or expenses associated with the franchisee's owner(s)'s attendance will be borne solely by the franchisee. This includes conferences where attendance is mandatory, and failure to attend does not waive the obligation to pay the Conference Registration Fee.
In cases where the franchisee requests additional initial or ongoing training beyond what is normally provided, the franchisee shall pay Buona its then-current training fees for such additional training, plus any travel and living expenses incurred by Buona's representative if travel to the franchisee's location is necessary to conduct such additional training. These stipulations clarify that outside of the initial training program, the franchisee is expected to cover costs associated with further educational and collaborative events.