What must a Crave franchisee do before deviating from the franchisor's standards and specifications?

According to Crave's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, a franchisee must obtain prior written consent from Crave before deviating from the franchisor's standards and specifications. This requirement applies to all food and beverage items, ingredients, other products, materials, merchandise, supplies, and paper goods used and sold at the Crave franchise. It also extends to the preparation of menu items, which must adhere to Crave's recipes and procedures as outlined in the manual or other written directives, including prescribed measurements of ingredients.

This provision ensures uniformity and quality control across all Crave franchise locations. By requiring prior written consent, Crave maintains the ability to monitor and approve any changes to its established standards, protecting the brand's reputation and customer expectations. This is a common practice in franchising, as consistency is a key element of the franchise model.

For a prospective Crave franchisee, this means that any desire to introduce new menu items, alter existing recipes, or source different supplies must first be approved by Crave. Failure to obtain this approval could result in a breach of the franchise agreement and potential penalties. While Crave may grant variances to certain businesses to accommodate regional tastes or ingredients, there is no guarantee that a similar variance will be granted to all franchisees. Therefore, franchisees should be prepared to adhere strictly to Crave's established standards unless they receive explicit written permission to deviate.