Does Carbones Pizzeria encourage franchisees to advertise their businesses?
Carbones_Pizzeria Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Although we do not require our franchisees to spend any minimum amounts on local advertising we encourage our franchisees to advertise their businesses in the trade area in which their Restaurant is located. We must approve all advertising for your Restaurant before it is published. (Franchise Agreement, Section 6). You must also work with our approved design firm in creating and publishing any advertising. (Franchise Agreement, Section 6). You must also obtain our approval before establishing, or having established, any websites, hashtags, profiles or accounts relating to us, your Restaurant, your business or to the franchise system. (Franchise Agreement, Section 6). We may also impose prohibitions on you posting or blogging comments about your Restaurant, business or the franchise system on social media. "Social media" includes personal blogs, common social networks like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, Snapchat and Pinterest; professional networks, business profiles or online review or opinion sites like LinkedIn, Google Business Profile or Yelp; live-blogging tools like X and Snapchat; virtual worlds, metaverses, file, audio and video-sharing sites, and other similar social networking or media sites or tools.
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS, AND TRAINING (FDD pages 15–19)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Carbones Pizzeria Franchise Disclosure Document, while not mandatory, Carbones Pizzeria does encourage its franchisees to engage in local advertising within their restaurant's trade area. However, all advertising materials must receive approval from Carbones Pizzeria before publication. Franchisees are required to collaborate with Carbones Pizzeria's approved design firm for creating and publishing any advertising content.
Furthermore, franchisees must obtain approval from Carbones Pizzeria before establishing any websites, hashtags, profiles, or accounts related to the brand, their restaurant, their business, or the franchise system. Carbones Pizzeria also reserves the right to impose restrictions on franchisees posting or blogging about their restaurant, business, or the franchise system on social media platforms.
Carbones Pizzeria also collects an advertising fee of 1% of monthly Gross Sales up to $2,000,000, with no advertising fee on Gross Sales exceeding $2,000,000 annually. These funds are used to develop marketing and advertising programs that benefit the Carbone's Pizza brand. The FDD specifies that these funds may be used for various purposes, including consumer advertising, marketing technology platforms, media placements, public relations, and market research. While Carbones Pizzeria does solicit input from franchisees regarding advertising methods and expenditures, the franchisor does not guarantee that advertising expenditures from the fund will directly benefit each franchisee.