For a new Circle K franchisee, what training must be completed before opening their store?
Circle_K Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
- (1) After you sign your Convenience Store Franchise Agreement, you or your operations manager and your store manager must successfully complete our training program before opening your Store. You will receive up to 2 weeks of classroom training and up to 2 weeks of in-store training, which may overlap with the 2 weeks of classroom training. The training program consists of several different stages, and you must successfully complete all of the stages to our complete satisfaction. If you fail to successfully complete any stage of the training program, this will constitute not successfully completing the training program. You must complete the Training Program no earlier than one hundred eighty (180) days prior to the opening of your Store.
- (2) If you hire a new manager or an additional store manager, you are responsible to ensure that your new manager is adequately trained to manage the Circle K Store, which does include a complete review of the Business Systems Manuals and which may include, at your cost, successfully completing our training program. Regardless of the method you select to conduct training, your new store manager is required to successfully complete training and be certified by us within the first 90 days of employment. Should you receive a default notice and the default relates, in whole or in part, to your failure to meet any operational standards, we may require as a condition of curing the default that you and/or your manager(s) re-attend and successfully complete our training program at your expense.
- (3) If you are an existing convenience store franchisee operating under the Circle K Marks, On the Run trademarks, Kangaroo Express trademarks, or any other marks designated by us in the future, we may offer you the opportunity to attend a modified training program (the "Modified Training Program") which is shorter in duration than the Training Program identified above. The Modified Training Program will last approximately three to five days and will cover items specific to the Circle K Program. Regardless of whether a franchisee attends the Training Program or Modified Training Program, all franchisees must complete the same pre-classroom assignments and pass the same final exam.
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND TRAINING (FDD pages 60–72)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Circle K's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, before opening a Circle K store, the franchisee (or their operations manager) and the store manager must successfully complete Circle K's training program. This training consists of up to two weeks of classroom instruction and up to two weeks of in-store training, which may occur simultaneously. The training program is divided into stages, and all stages must be completed to Circle K's satisfaction. Failure to complete any stage means the entire program is considered incomplete. The training program must be completed no more than 180 days before the store opens.
If a franchisee hires a new manager or an additional store manager, they are responsible for ensuring the new manager is adequately trained to manage the Circle K store. This includes a complete review of the Business Systems Manuals and may include successfully completing Circle K's training program at the franchisee's expense. Regardless of the training method, the new store manager must successfully complete training and be certified by Circle K within the first 90 days of employment.
Existing convenience store franchisees operating under the Circle K Marks, On the Run trademarks, Kangaroo Express trademarks, or any other marks designated by Circle K in the future, may be offered a Modified Training Program. This modified program is shorter, lasting approximately three to five days, and covers items specific to the Circle K Program. However, regardless of whether a franchisee attends the standard Training Program or the Modified Training Program, all franchisees must complete the same pre-classroom assignments and pass the same final exam.