What are Gold Star franchisees prohibited from selling or offering for sale?
Gold_Star Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
counts for franchisees and its company-owned restaurants.
To ensure that the Restaurant maintains the highest degree of quality and service, you must operate your Restaurant in strict conformity with the methods, standards and specifications that we prescribe in the Manual (as defined in Item 11 hereof) or otherwise in writing:
- offer for sale only those products and services for which Gold Star has given its written approval;
- sell or offer for sale all of the products and services Gold Star requires;
- purchase equipment, fixtures, software, ingredients, paper products and other items in accordance with Gold Star's specifications;
- employ only the preparation standards and techniques that Gold Star specifies;
- not deviate from Gold Star's standards and specifications, including our requirements concerning product preparation; and
- refrain from selling and offering for sale any products and services that Gold Star has later disapproved.
Depending on the item, Gold Star's purchasing specifications may include particular brands or models, particular characteristics of the products and services to be purchased, or one or more particular sources for the product or service. Gold Star may change the specifications during the term of the Franchise Agreement in its sole discretion.
Required Purchases of Goods and Services from Designated and Approved Suppliers.
You must purchase the following goods and services from designated suppliers pursuant to our specifications: chili products in all forms, food products, branded food products, branded and non-branded paper products, cleaning supplies, soda/beverages, bakery items, uniforms, signage and logo items, credit card services, equipment, furniture, architectural services, real estate brokerage services, civil engineering services, menus, marketing services, guest feedback systems. We require you to purchase these items from approved suppliers consistent with our specifications so that the products and services offered by all franchisees are uniform and consistent. We provide a list of these approved suppliers in our Manual. We have established specifications for Restaurant
construction and design, signs, promotional materials, operational procedures, equipment and other items bearing our trademarks, trade name and logos. All specifications are contained in the Manual. We will provide you with a list of required and suggested inventory, equipment and supplies after you purchase the Franchise.
Gold Star requires you to obtain and use a point-of-sale cash register system that meets Gold Star's standards and specifications (collectively, the "POS System") and reserves the right to require you to enter into a maintenance contract for the POS System with our designee.
Source: Item 8 — Restrictions on Sources of Products and Services (FDD pages 21–25)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Gold Star's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees are restricted in what they can sell. To maintain quality and service standards, Gold Star franchisees must only offer products and services that have Gold Star's written approval. They are required to sell all products and services that Gold Star mandates. Conversely, franchisees must not sell or offer any products and services that Gold Star has later disapproved.
This means a prospective franchisee cannot deviate from the standards and specifications set by Gold Star, including those related to product preparation. Gold Star has the discretion to change these specifications during the term of the Franchise Agreement.
If a franchisee wishes to sell a product or service not currently approved by Gold Star, they must submit a written request for approval. Gold Star may inspect the source's facilities and require samples for testing and evaluation, with the franchisee bearing the costs of inspection and testing. Gold Star will then notify the franchisee of its decision within 60 days. However, Gold Star reserves the right to re-inspect facilities and items and may revoke approval if they no longer meet current criteria.