Regarding the Cinnabon franchise renewal, what is the deadline for a franchisee to submit a written request for a renewal term?
Cinnabon Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
2.1 Initial Term. The initial term of this Agreement (the "Initial Term") will begin on the Effective Date and will end 20 years from the date that your Franchised Business opens for business (the "Opening Date"), unless this Agreement is terminated sooner as provided in other sections of this Agreement.
2.2 Renewal Term.
A. Grant of Renewal Term. We may, in our reasonable discretion, grant you one additional 20-year term (the "Renewal Term," and collectively, with the Initial Term, the "Term"). To obtain the Renewal Term, (i) at all times during the Term, you must have substantially and timely complied with each provision of this Agreement and any other agreements between you and us, our affiliates, or your landlord and you must not have any defaults in existence as of the expiration of the Initial Term, and (ii) you must request, in writing, no earlier than 12 months, but no later than six months before the expiration of the Initial Term, that we grant you a Renewal Term. We will then provide you with an Application for a Renewal Term (an "Application"), which you must complete and return to us within 10 days after we deliver it to you. We will evaluate your Application under substantially the same standards as we evaluate an application for a franchise submitted by a then-new franchisee.
B. Conditions for Renewal Term. If we approve your Application, you must:
Source: Item 23 — Receipts (FDD pages 114–399)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Cinnabon Franchise Disclosure Document, a franchisee must request a renewal term in writing no earlier than 12 months, but no later than six months before the expiration of the initial term. The initial term for a Cinnabon franchise is 20 years from the date the franchised business opens, unless the agreement is terminated sooner. If the franchisee meets this deadline and other conditions, Cinnabon may grant one additional 20-year renewal term.
To obtain a renewal term, the franchisee must have substantially and timely complied with all provisions of the Franchise Agreement and other agreements with Cinnabon, its affiliates, or the landlord. There must be no existing defaults as of the initial term's expiration. After the franchisee submits the written request within the specified timeframe, Cinnabon will provide an Application for Renewal Term, which the franchisee must complete and return within 10 days.
Cinnabon will evaluate the renewal application using substantially the same standards as a new franchise application. If Cinnabon approves the application, the franchisee must agree in writing that the franchised business will reflect Cinnabon's then-current standards before the renewal term begins. For Express Bakeries, Section 2.2.B(ii) is revised to replace "then-current Initial Franchise Fee" with "then-current Initial Franchise Fee for Express Bakeries."
For Concession Bakeries, the standard renewal terms do not apply. Section 2.2 (Renewal Term) is deleted in its entirety, meaning that the franchisee will not be able to renew their franchise agreement. This is an important distinction for prospective franchisees to consider when deciding which type of Cinnabon franchise to pursue.