What is a Chick Fil A franchisee required to do regarding their cash handling system?
Chick_Fil_A Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
At the same time, you remain responsible for assisting Chickfil-A in its administration of the program for collecting and accounting for the receipts of your franchised Chick-fil-A Restaurant business.
For example, you must establish a cash handling system (including a bank account with allowance for banking-related fees to be paid and funds to be transferred therefrom by Chick-fil-A pursuant to the Franchise Agreement).
You must deposit your Daily Deposit into your cash handling system each day prior to exiting the Restaurant and/or follow other procedures as designated from time to time by Chick-fil-A.
If approved cash handling system services are not provided in your geographic area or you otherwise are approved for an exemption from our then current cash handling system service requirements, you will be required to deposit the funds directly into a local bank account or a prescribed Chick-fil-A group bank account, or otherwise follow other procedures as designated from time to time by Chick-fil-A.
You must transmit a report to Chick-fil-A at the end of each business day regarding the amount of the Daily Deposit for your franchised Chick-fil-A Restaurant business, and Chick-fil-A will transfer that amount from your cash handling system bank account into Chick-fil-A's general account.
If you operate a captive venue or delivery kitchen unit and the premises owner, licensor or manager collects customer payments, certain of the above cash handling procedures (and fees) will not apply to you or may be reduced.
Under the Franchise Agreement, you are responsible for paying your expenses and Chick-fil-A is authorized as your agent under the program to perform certain accounting functions and to facilitate other payments and disbursements of funds pursuant to the Franchise Agreement.
Source: Item 6 — OTHER FEES (FDD pages 27–40)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Chick Fil A's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees are responsible for assisting Chick-fil-A in managing the collection and accounting of their restaurant's receipts. This includes establishing a cash handling system, which involves setting up a bank account that allows for banking-related fees and fund transfers by Chick-fil-A, as specified in the Franchise Agreement.
The franchisee must deposit the Daily Deposit into their cash handling system each day before leaving the restaurant, or follow other procedures designated by Chick-fil-A. The Daily Deposit is defined as the daily Gross Receipts, adjusted for minor cash expenditures, cash overages/shortages, and other cash received. Additionally, the franchisee must send a daily report to Chick-fil-A detailing the amount of the Daily Deposit, which Chick-fil-A will then transfer from the franchisee's bank account to Chick-fil-A's general account.
However, there are exceptions to these requirements. If approved cash handling system services are not available in the franchisee's area, or if an exemption is approved, the franchisee may be required to deposit funds directly into a local bank account or a prescribed Chick-fil-A group bank account, or follow other designated procedures. For captive venue or delivery kitchen units where the premises owner collects customer payments, some of these cash handling procedures and fees may not apply or may be reduced.
Chick-fil-A is authorized to perform certain accounting functions and facilitate payments and disbursements as the franchisee's agent. Chick-fil-A may maintain funds in various types of bank accounts, including segregated, group, or general accounts, and may use these funds, paying interest on the used funds at a rate determined by Chick-fil-A, but not less than the Prime Rate published in the Wall Street Journal. The franchisee is not entitled to any earnings credits, interest, or banking benefits from these accounts.