What does the Noodles & Company development team do for the first two restaurants a franchisee opens?
Noodles_Company Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
3.06 Opening Assistance. If you (or any of your Affiliates) have not previously owned or managed a Noodles & Company Restaurant, we will provide you with such opening operational assistance as we deem appropriate to assist you in starting your operations, including on-site opening assistance for not more than five days, as scheduled by us, to include up to three persons at your Noodles & Company Restaurant for the first Restaurant you open (or 15 person day equivalents, at our discretion) and up to two persons at your Noodles & Company Restaurant for not more than two days, as scheduled by us, for the second Restaurant you open (or four person day equivalents, at our option). Should you request or Noodles & Company deem additional days of training support is necessary, you agree to pay for such training plus all associated costs, including fully-burdened salaries and expenses for days or hours of such training, travel and lodging costs, meals, etc., or the then current amount set forth in the then-current Operations Manual.
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPT (FDD pages 99–350)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Noodles & Company Franchise Disclosure Document, if a franchisee has not previously owned or managed a Noodles & Company restaurant, Noodles & Company will provide opening operational assistance. For the first restaurant, this includes on-site assistance for up to five days, scheduled by Noodles & Company, with up to three persons at the restaurant (or 15 person day equivalents). For the second restaurant, Noodles & Company provides on-site assistance for up to two days, scheduled by them, with up to two persons at the restaurant (or four person day equivalents).
This assistance is designed to help new franchisees start their operations. The specific scheduling and number of personnel are determined by Noodles & Company. This support aims to ensure the franchisee begins operations smoothly and in accordance with Noodles & Company standards.
Additional training support beyond these initial days is available, but the franchisee must pay for it. This includes fully-burdened salaries and expenses for the trainers, travel and lodging costs, and meals, or the amount set forth in the Operations Manual. This provision ensures that while initial support is provided, extended or additional support comes at the franchisee's expense, incentivizing efficient use of the initial assistance provided by Noodles & Company.