What is the Crave franchisee's responsibility regarding the equipping of the Crave Restaurant at the approved site?
Crave Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
other Franchised Business personnel. (Franchise Agreement, Section 6.5.)
Site Selection: You must assume all costs, liabilities, expenses, and responsibility for locating, obtaining, and developing a site for the Restaurant and for constructing and equipping the Restaurant at the approved site. You will select the site for the Restaurant subject to our approval and using our site selection criteria. Before you lease or purchase the site for the Restaurant, you must locate a site that satisfies our site selection guidelines. If we deem it necessary, we will conduct one on-site evaluation, but before we conduct the evaluation you must submit to us in the form we specify a description of the site, including evidence that the site satisfies our site selection guidelines, together with other information and materials that we may reasonably require, including a letter of intent or other evidence that confirms your favorable prospects for obtaining the site. We have the right to approve deviations from our site selection standards based on the individual factors and components of a particular site.
You must have located and submitted to us, for our review, all information we require regarding the site you propose for your Restaurant no later than 90 days after you have signed the Franchise Agreement. We will have 30 days after we receive all the required information and materials from you to approve or decline the proposed site as the location for your Crave Restaurant. If we do not provide our specific approval of a proposed site, the site is deemed not approved.
We will provide you with our current written site selection guidelines and any other site selection counseling and assistance we think is advisable. Our criteria for site selection include: location of the site and its setting (free-standing building, shopping center, shopping mall, downtown location, etc.); availability of parking; visibility from main roads; availability, size and placement of signage; co-tenants in the shopping center or immediate area; other businesses in the immediate area; accessibility to the site; condition of the premises and how much build-out or construction it will need; proximity to competitive businesses; availability of utilities; and base population and median income in the immediate area.
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND TRAINING (FDD pages 32–42)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Crave's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the franchisee is responsible for all costs associated with equipping the Restaurant at the approved site. This includes the financial burden and overall responsibility for equipping the restaurant. The franchisee must also select a site that meets Crave's criteria, subject to the franchisor's approval.
Crave will provide sample plans and/or specifications for a Crave Restaurant. The franchisee must use Crave's designated contractor for the build-out. The franchisee is responsible for arranging construction plans that incorporate Crave's requirements into the approved site's size and shape. These plans must be approved by Crave before construction begins, and any changes must also be approved.
Crave has the right to inspect the Restaurant during construction to verify that the construction plans accurately present Crave's trade dress, marks, and specifications. However, Crave's review does not assess compliance with applicable laws, regulations, or building codes, including the Americans with Disabilities Act. The franchisee cannot open the Restaurant for business without Crave's approval.
This arrangement is typical in the franchise industry, where franchisees usually bear the costs of site development and construction while adhering to the franchisor's standards and receiving guidance. Franchisees should carefully review Crave's site selection criteria and construction specifications to understand the full scope of their responsibilities and potential costs.