Under what condition can a Carvel franchisee open the Shoppe?
Carvel Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
- **12.
Approve Opening**.
We will approve the opening of your Shoppe, provided you have met your pre-opening obligations.
We estimate that the typical time between signing the Franchise Agreement and opening your Shoppe is 3 to 12 months.
Factors affecting time include attendance at, and satisfactory completion of, the Management Training Program; obtaining the site; obtaining all necessary permits; completion of construction; and delivery and installation of equipment and supplies.
You must (i) identify the Accepted Location, (ii) obtain our acceptance of the Accepted Location, (iii) sign any documentation we require to document the Accepted Location, (iv) obtain our acceptance of a Lease for the Accepted Location, and (v) sign the accepted Lease for the Accepted Location or otherwise acquire the ownership rights to the Accepted Location within 150 days after you sign the Franchise Agreement (the "Site Approval Deadline").
You must submit to us a complete set of final Architectural Plans at least 30 days before the Construction Start Deadline.
You must begin construction at the Accepted Location within 270 days after we sign the Franchise Agreement (the "Construction Start Deadline").
You must open the Shoppe within 360 days after we sign the Franchise Agreement (the "Opening Deadline").
We may, in our sole discretion and upon your request, grant you an extension to any of these deadlines for a fee.
We may terminate your Franchise Agreement (without refunding the Initial Franchise Fee) if you fail to meet the Site Approval Deadline or the Construction Start Deadline and fail to cure such failure within 30 days or if you do not meet the Opening Deadline. (Franchise Agreement, Section 6.5)
Source: Item 11 — Franchisor's Assistance, Advertising, Computer Systems, and Training (FDD pages 59–74)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Carvel FDD, Carvel will approve the opening of a franchisee's Shoppe if the franchisee has met all pre-opening obligations. The FDD estimates the typical time between signing the Franchise Agreement and opening the Shoppe to be 3 to 12 months.
Several factors can affect the time it takes to open a Carvel Shoppe. These include attending and successfully completing the Management Training Program, obtaining the site, securing all necessary permits, completing construction, and ensuring the delivery and installation of equipment and supplies.
The franchisee must identify and obtain Carvel's acceptance of the location, sign required documentation, obtain acceptance of the lease, and sign the lease or acquire ownership rights within 150 days of signing the Franchise Agreement. The franchisee must submit final architectural plans at least 30 days before the construction start deadline and begin construction within 270 days of signing the Franchise Agreement. The Shoppe must be opened within 360 days after signing the Franchise Agreement. Carvel may grant extensions to these deadlines for a fee, at its discretion. Failure to meet these deadlines may result in the termination of the Franchise Agreement without a refund of the initial franchise fee.