For Carvel franchisees, on which holidays is telephone support not answered live?
Carvel Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
| Method of Contact | Types of Issues or Requests | Hours of Availability1 | Response Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Service Portal Log in and submit request electronically. Or submit an email to support (poshelp@carvel.com) | Low/Medium Severity | 24 hours per day, 7 days per week | Within 8 hours | |
| Telephone | High Severity; Critical | 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, excluding | Calls Answered | |
| Phone: 844-577-7423 | Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day | live |
Source: Item 23 — Receipts (FDD pages 100–353)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Carvel's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, telephone support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for high severity and critical issues, with the exception of Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. On these holidays, live telephone support is not provided.
For a Carvel franchisee, this means that while they can expect round-the-clock telephone assistance for urgent operational problems most of the year, they will need to rely on alternative support methods on Thanksgiving and Christmas. The FDD indicates that the Customer Service Portal and email support remain available 24/7, with a response time of within 8 hours for low to medium severity issues. Franchisees should plan accordingly and ensure they have access to and are familiar with these alternative support channels.
This policy highlights the importance of planning for potential technical or operational issues, especially around peak holiday periods. While critical issues should be rare, a Carvel franchisee needs to be prepared to troubleshoot independently or utilize the available asynchronous support options during these two holidays. Understanding the severity levels and corresponding response times is also crucial for managing expectations and prioritizing support requests effectively.