What is the scope of the training programs that Crave provides to franchisees concerning the operation of the Crave Franchised Business?
Crave Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
r participation, such as travel and living expenses to attend council meetings.
Training: No later than 30 days before the date the Restaurant or Food Trucks is scheduled to begin operation, two trainees must have completed, to our satisfaction, our mandatory initial training program. We will conduct this training at our corporate headquarters, at an affiliate's Crave business, or at another location we designate. Your trainees must include you or your general manager. Our initial training program lasts for approximately one week. Initial training programs will be offered at various times during the year depending on the number of new franchisees entering the System, replacement general managers and other personnel needing training, the number of new Restaurants and Food Trucks being opened and the timing of the scheduled openings of Restaurants and Food Trucks.
We will provide instructors and training materials for two trainees (the cost of which is included in the initial franchise fee). You may also have additional personnel trained by us for the Franchised Business, at your expense. We will determine whether your trainees have satisfactorily completed initial training. If you or your general manager do not satisfactorily complete the initial training program or if we determine that these persons cannot satisfactorily complete the training program, you must designate a replacement to satisfactorily complete the training before you will be permitted to open your Franchised Business. If the replacement general manager cannot complete the initial training program to our satisfaction, we have the right to terminate your Franchise Agreement.
Any manager subsequently designated by you must also receive and complete the initial training program to our satisfaction, even if this requires sending that manager to our headquarters training program, at your expense. We have the right to charge a reasonable fee for the initial training we provide to a replacement or successor employee if we have not approved you to provide the training. You must also pay for all expenses your trainees incur for any training program, including costs of travel, lodging, meals, and applicable wages. We may approve you to train replacement managers under our training program before permitting you to train your entire staff for a third or later Franchised Business opening. You may not train any personnel until we have approved you as a trainer.
For the opening of the Franchised Business, we will provide you with one of our representatives. The trained representative will provide on-site pre-opening and opening training, supervision, and assistance to you for up to two days around your Franchised Business' opening. If you request that our representative provide additional days of on-site assistance, you must reimburse the expenses our representative incurs while providing the additional assistance, including travel, lodging and meals and you
must pay our then-current per diem fee. If you are opening your second (or later) Franchised Business, we have the right to reduce the duration of our representative's visit or to not provide opening assistance.
If, during the term of your Franchise Agreement, you request that we provide additional training or assistance on-site at your Franchised Business or if we determine that additional training or assistance is necessary, you must pay our then-current per diem fee for each trainer we provide, and you must reimburse us for any expenses our trainers incur, such as costs of travel, lodging, and meals.
The instructional materials used in the initial training include our Manual, marketing and promotion materials, materials related to the operation of the point-of-sale system, and any other materials that we believe will be beneficial to our franchisees in the training process.
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, franchisees and their general managers are required to complete an initial training program to the franchisor's satisfaction. This initial training lasts approximately one week and is conducted at Crave's corporate headquarters, an affiliate's Crave business, or another designated location. The cost of instructors and training materials for two trainees is included in the initial franchise fee.
Crave may also require refresher training courses for franchisees, their general managers, and/or other personnel, with the franchisee responsible for covering all expenses like travel, lodging, meals, and wages. Additionally, Crave may hold annual meetings for additional training, to introduce new products or changes to the system. Attendance at these meetings may be mandatory, with the franchisee again bearing all associated costs.
Besides the initial training program, franchisees, managers, and designated personnel must obtain ServSafe/TIPS (alcohol awareness) or similar certifications, at their own expense. Crave does not provide these certifications, and periodic additional training or certification may be necessary. The FDD also mentions that the primary instructors conducting the initial training program are Nick Stone and Kevin Mandarini, each with at least 8 years of relevant experience. The training program is subject to change without notice due to updates. The subjects and time periods allocated to the subjects actually taught to a specific franchisee and its personnel may vary based on the individual needs and/or experience of those people being trained.