Can a Crave franchisee deviate from the standards and specifications for food and beverage items?
Crave Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
To make sure that the highest degree of quality and service is maintained, you must operate the Franchised Business in strict conformity with the methods, standards, and specifications that we prescribe in the Manual or otherwise in writing. You must maintain in sufficient supply and use and sell at all times only those food and beverage items, ingredients, products, materials, supplies and paper goods that meet our standards and specifications. All menu items must be prepared in accordance with the recipes and procedures specified in the Manual or other written materials. You must not deviate from these standards and specifications by the use or offer of non-conforming items, or differing amounts of any items, without obtaining our written consent first. We can, and expect to, modify our standards and specifications as we deem necessary. We will provide you notice in the Manual or otherwise in writing (such as via email) of any changes in our standards and/or specifications.
You must permit us or our agents, during normal business hours, to remove a reasonable number of samples of food or non-food items from your inventory or from the Franchised Business free of charge for testing by us or by an independent laboratory to determine whether the samples meet our then-current standards and specifications. In addition to any other remedies we may have, we may require you to reimburse our costs for the testing if we have not previously approved the supplier of the item or if the sample fails to conform to our specifications.
Source: Item 8 — RESTRICTIONS ON SOURCES OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES (FDD pages 26–30)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Crave's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees must strictly adhere to the standards and specifications for food and beverage items. Crave requires franchisees to maintain sufficient supply and exclusively use and sell food and beverage items, ingredients, products, materials, supplies, and paper goods that meet their standards. All menu items must be prepared following the recipes and procedures detailed in the manual or other written materials.
Deviation from these standards is not permitted without prior written consent from Crave. This includes using non-conforming items or differing amounts of any items. Crave retains the right to modify these standards and specifications as deemed necessary, providing notice of any changes in the manual or in writing, such as via email.
Crave, or its agents, may also collect samples of food or non-food items from the franchisee’s inventory for testing to ensure compliance with current standards. If the supplier of the item has not been previously approved or if the sample fails to meet specifications, Crave may require the franchisee to reimburse the costs of testing. This ensures that all Crave locations maintain a consistent level of quality and service, protecting the brand's reputation and customer experience.