What are the two components of the Golden Corral initial training program?
Golden_Corral Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Our initial training program consists of two components: Tier 1 and Tier 2. Tiers 1 and 2 are conducted in a certified training restaurant. For new entities, additional Practice Management is required. I Managers are assigned to a restaurant where they can complete the six-week Practice Management component. If required by Golden Corral, the manager will attend a one week of classroom training held in Raleigh, North Carolina. Instructional materials include computer-based training (CBT), manuals (Operations, Administrative Guide, a Tier 1 and 2 Training Guide, and Applied Food Service Sanitation course), recipes, laptop computers, and miscellaneous training videos on Golden Corral management tools and reports.
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND TRAINING (FDD pages 32–48)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Golden Corral's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the initial training program consists of two components: Tier 1 and Tier 2. Both Tier 1 and Tier 2 are conducted in a certified training restaurant.
Tier 1 training involves 250 hours of on-the-job training, covering topics such as food safety, meat cutting, hot bar operations, baking, serving, and utility tasks. Tier 2 includes 13.5 hours of classroom training and 239 hours of on-the-job training. This tier focuses on management routines, food and labor management, inventory, hiring, guest service, and audit procedures.
In addition to Tier 1 and Tier 2 training, new Golden Corral entities are required to complete Practice Management training. This six-week Practice Management component involves I Managers being assigned to a restaurant. If required by Golden Corral, the manager will attend a one week of classroom training held in Raleigh, North Carolina. The General Manager Workshop, a four-day workshop held in Raleigh, North Carolina, is currently not required but may be in the future.