What must I submit to Corner Bakery Cafe for approval before construction?
Corner_Bakery_Cafe Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Once the site has been designated as an approved Site and you have completed due diligence as required in the Manual, we will engage, at your expense, the services of an architect or planner to prepare a Design Development Plan. Upon completion of the Design Development Plan, you shall be responsible for engaging an Approved Architect to develop Plans and Specifications for building permit submittal based on the Design Development Plan and an Approved Branding Vendor to develop a Branding Plan for the exterior of the Franchised Cafe. You shall submit to us your final Plans and Specifications and Branding Plan for our approval (which may be granted or withheld at our discretion) before commencing construction of the Franchised Cafe. All prototype and modified Plans and Specifications and Branding Plans for the Franchised Cafe remain our sole and exclusive property, and you may claim no interest in those modified plans and specifications. You will be responsible for obtaining all necessary design approvals for the Plans and Specifications and Branding Plan, including but not limited to, required approvals from your landlord, the municipality and any third party approving parties.
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS, AND TRAINING (FDD pages 26–37)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Corner Bakery Cafe's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, before starting construction on your franchise, you must submit your final Plans and Specifications and Branding Plan for Corner Bakery Cafe's approval. Corner Bakery Cafe has the discretion to either grant or withhold approval of these plans.
The FDD also states that once a site has been approved and due diligence is complete, Corner Bakery Cafe will engage an architect or planner to prepare a Design Development Plan at the franchisee's expense. The franchisee is then responsible for hiring an Approved Architect to develop the Plans and Specifications for building permit submission, based on the Design Development Plan. Additionally, the franchisee must engage an Approved Branding Vendor to create a Branding Plan for the exterior of the Corner Bakery Cafe.
Corner Bakery Cafe also requires that franchisees obtain all necessary design approvals for the Plans and Specifications and Branding Plan from landlords, municipalities, and any other relevant third parties. All prototype and modified Plans and Specifications and Branding Plans for the Franchised Cafe remain Corner Bakery Cafe's sole and exclusive property, and the franchisee cannot claim any interest in them.