Under what circumstances will Cinnabon send representatives to a franchisee's business for on-site training at Cinnabon's expense?
Cinnabon Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
If this is your first or second Franchised Business (including Franchised Businesses owned by your affiliates), we will send one or more of our representatives to the Franchised Business, at our expense, for a minimum of two days of On-Site Training concurrent with beginning operations.
If this is one of your first two Franchised Businesses (including Franchised Businesses owned by your affiliates), we will send one or more of our representatives to the Franchised Business, at our expense, for a maximum of 3.5 days concurrent with beginning operations to assist in the opening of the Bakery. If you offer Carvel® Products, you must pay us the then-current Carvel® Product Platform Training Fee and our representatives will provide two days of related On-Site Training.
Source: Item 23 — Receipts (FDD pages 114–399)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Cinnabon Franchise Disclosure Document, if a franchisee is opening their first or second Cinnabon location (including those owned by affiliates), Cinnabon will send representatives for on-site training at no cost to the franchisee. This on-site training will last for a minimum of two days and will occur concurrently with the beginning of operations. This benefit applies to the franchisee's first two Cinnabon businesses, encompassing any Carvel, Cinnabon, or Cinnabon Swirl franchises.
However, if the franchisee intends to offer Carvel products at their Cinnabon location, they must pay the then-current Carvel Product Platform Training Fee. In this case, Cinnabon representatives will provide two days of on-site training related to the Carvel product platform. This indicates that while the initial on-site training is covered for new franchisees, additional training for specific product lines may incur a separate fee.
It's important to note that Cinnabon may also require franchisees to obtain on-site training at any time, particularly if they fail to comply with the Cinnabon system and standards. In these instances, Cinnabon is not obligated to cover the costs and may charge a fee of $500 per trainer per day, along with reimbursement for travel and living expenses. This fee is subject to annual adjustments, highlighting the potential for increased costs. Franchisees should maintain compliance with Cinnabon's standards to avoid incurring these additional training expenses.