For a Crave Restaurant, does the franchisor have the right to require the franchisee to use a designated architect/designer?
Crave Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
ay not open your Restaurant for business until we have approved you to do so.
Your Restaurant must be constructed according to plans that we have approved. We will provide you with sample plans and/or our specifications for a Crave Restaurant. We have the right to designate or approve the architect/designer that you use, and you must use our designated contractor for the build-out of your Restaurant. You must arrange for construction plans to be created that incorporate our requirements into the size and shape of the approved site for your Restaurant. You may not use the plans or begin building out your Restaurant until we have approved the construction plans, and any changes to the construction plans must also be approved by us before the change may be implemented. Our review is not meant to assess compliance with any applicable laws, regulations or building codes, including compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Our review is only to verify that the construction plans accurately present our trade dress, the Marks and meet our specifications. We have the right to inspect your Restaurant while it is being constructed. You may not open your Restaurant for business without our approval.
We estimate that the time from the signing of the Franchise Agreement to the opening of the Food Truck business will be three to six months. It will take 12 weeks to equip, including vehicle wrap, and deliver the Food Truck and upon delivery it will be fully ready to begin operations.
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, Crave does have the right to designate or approve the architect/designer that a franchisee uses for their restaurant. The franchisee must also use Crave's designated contractor for the build-out of their restaurant. Franchisees are responsible for arranging construction plans that incorporate Crave's requirements into the size and shape of the approved site.
Crave must approve the construction plans before the franchisee can begin building out the restaurant, and any changes to the construction plans must also be approved by Crave before implementation. However, Crave's review of the plans is only to verify that the construction plans accurately present their trade dress, the Marks and meet their specifications, and is not meant to assess compliance with any applicable laws, regulations or building codes, including compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Crave also has the right to inspect the restaurant while it is being constructed, and the franchisee may not open the restaurant for business without Crave's approval. Crave will provide the franchisee with standard specifications and layouts for building and furnishing the Restaurant, which the franchisee will use to have site plans and build-out plans prepared, at their expense.