Who evaluates the potential franchisee during Hardees Discovery Day?
Hardees Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
If you are not currently a franchisee, HR also may require you to sign a Preliminary Agreement (the current form is attached as Exhibit E) under which you must agree to keep confidential the information provided by HR to you during Discovery Day. During Discovery Day, you must attend a 2-day meeting at HR's offices and at a Hardee's Restaurant during which you will meet with, and be evaluated by, various HR personnel. In addition, we may require that your 10% Owners (as defined in Item 15) complete, as we deem necessary and to our satisfaction, an operations overview, which lasts approximately 10 business days ("10-Day Operations Overview").
Source: Item 1 — The Franchisor and any Parents, Predecessors, and Affiliates (FDD pages 9–22)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Hardees' 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, during Discovery Day, potential franchisees attend a two-day meeting at Hardees' offices and a Hardees restaurant. During this time, various Hardees Restaurants LLC (HR) personnel evaluate the potential franchisee.
This evaluation is a critical step in the franchise approval process. Hardees uses Discovery Day to assess whether the potential franchisee is a good fit for the Hardees system. This includes evaluating the candidate's business acumen, personality, and commitment to the Hardees brand. The evaluation by HR personnel is a key factor in determining whether the candidate will be approved to move forward in the franchise process.
In addition to the Discovery Day evaluation, Hardees may also require 10% owners to complete an operations overview that lasts approximately 10 business days. This overview provides further insight into the potential franchisee's operational capabilities and their ability to manage a Hardees restaurant effectively. This comprehensive evaluation process ensures that Hardees selects qualified franchisees who are likely to succeed in operating a Hardees restaurant.