When is the initial franchise fee due for a Burneys Sweets More franchise?
Burneys_Sweets_More Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
The initial franchise fee to open a BURNEY'S SWEETS & MORE Shop is $20,000. This initial franchise fee includes training for you (or, if you are a corporate entity, for one of your principals) and your manager at our training facility. The initial franchise fee also includes one terminal for the approved point-of-sale system. The initial franchise fee is payable in lump sum and is due and fully earned at the time you sign the franchise agreement and is not refundable
under any circumstances. During our last fiscal year, our initial franchise fee was uniformly applied.
Source: Item 5 — INITIAL FEES (FDD pages 10–11)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Burneys Sweets More's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the initial franchise fee of $20,000 is due when you sign the franchise agreement. The FDD specifies that this fee is payable in a lump sum at the time of signing. This fee covers training for the franchisee (or a principal if the franchisee is a corporation) and their manager at the Burneys Sweets More training facility, as well as one terminal for the approved point-of-sale system.
It is important to note that the initial franchise fee is considered fully earned by Burneys Sweets More upon signing the franchise agreement. The FDD explicitly states that the initial franchise fee is not refundable under any circumstances. This means that if a prospective franchisee signs the agreement but later decides not to proceed with opening a Burneys Sweets More shop, they will not receive a refund of the $20,000 fee.
Franchisors typically charge an initial franchise fee to cover their costs associated with granting the franchise, including training, site selection assistance, and providing the franchisee with the brand's operating system. The non-refundable nature of the fee is a common practice in franchising, as it compensates the franchisor for the resources they expend in evaluating and onboarding the franchisee. Prospective franchisees should carefully consider their decision before signing the franchise agreement and paying the initial fee, as they will not be able to recover this investment if they change their mind.