Is it necessary for the on-premises manager to have an ownership interest in the Circle K franchise?
Circle_K Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
We do not require that you personally manage the Store, Motor Fuel Business or Branded Business, but you must be actively involved in the day-to-day operations of the Store, Motor Fuel Business and/or Branded Business and spend adequate management time required to maintain the standards of the Convenience Store Franchise Agreement, Motor Fuel Agreement and/or Branding Agreement. If you do not personally manage the Store or Motor Fuel Business, the business must be directly supervised "onpremises" by a manager who has successfully completed our training program and this person must be designated as your "Key Person" in the Convenience Store Franchise Agreement and Motor Fuel Agreement. You or your operations manager and your store manager must successfully complete the required training program in order to be authorized and permitted to operate and manage the Circle K Store and Motor Fuel Business. The on-premises manager need not have an ownership interest in the franchise.
Source: Item 15 — OBLIGATION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ACTUAL OPERATION OF THE FRANCHISED BUSINESS (FDD pages 77–78)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Circle K's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees are not required to personally manage the store. However, they must be actively involved in the day-to-day operations and dedicate sufficient management time to uphold Circle K's standards.
If a franchisee chooses not to manage the store themselves, an on-premises manager must be appointed to directly supervise the business. This manager must have successfully completed Circle K's training program and be designated as the franchisee's "Key Person" in the Convenience Store Franchise Agreement and Motor Fuel Agreement.
Importantly, the FDD explicitly states that the on-premises manager is not required to have an ownership interest in the Circle K franchise. The franchisee, their operations manager, and the store manager must complete the required training program to operate and manage the Circle K store and motor fuel business.