What costs are the responsibility of the Potbelly Sandwich Works franchisee for additional or repeat training?
Potbelly_Sandwich_Works Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
replacement General Manager within thirty (30) days.
- (b) The Managing Owner may request additional or repeat training at the end of the initial training program if he or she does not feel sufficiently trained to operate a Potbelly Shop. We and you will jointly determine the duration of any additional training, which is subject to our personnel's availability. You must pay our then-current charges for additional or repeat training. However, if the Managing Owner satisfactorily completes our initial training program, and does not expressly inform us at the end of the program that he or she does not feel sufficiently trained to operate a Potbelly Shop, he or she will be deemed to have been trained sufficiently to operate a Potbelly Shop.
- (c) When the Shop is ready to open for business, we will send an "opening team" to the Shop for at least five (5) days but potentially up to twelve (12) days, as we deem best under the circumstances, to assist with the grand opening process (typically starting before and continuing after opening) and to help train your supervisory employees on our philosophy and System Standards and not matters relating to labor relations and employment practices. We will pay for the opening team's wages and travel, hotel, and living expenses during this grand opening period. If you request, and we agree to provide, additional or special guidance, assistance, or training during this opening phase in order to protect our brand quality, excluding training relating to labor relations and employment practices, you must pay our personnel's daily charges (including wages) and travel, hotel, and living expenses. (If this is your second or subsequent Potbelly Shop, we need not provide our full opening team on-site assistance because you already will have experience operating a Potbelly Shop.)
- (d) All Shop employees in customer contact positions must be able to speak, read, write, and understand the English language fluently so they can pass the portions of our training program (which is conducted in English) related to their positions and communicate clearly with customers and other third parties.
(2) Ongoing Training. We may require the Managing Owner, to attend and satisfactorily complete up to eight (8) days of supplemental training during each year of the Term at the times and locations we designate. We may charge reasonable registration or similar fees for these courses.
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD page 79)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Potbelly Sandwich Works's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees may incur costs for additional or repeat training. If the Managing Owner requests additional training at the end of the initial program because they don't feel adequately prepared, the franchisee must pay Potbelly Sandwich Works's then-current charges for this extra training. The duration of this additional training will be jointly determined by Potbelly Sandwich Works and the franchisee, depending on the availability of Potbelly Sandwich Works's personnel.
Additionally, if a franchisee requests special guidance, assistance, or training during the shop's opening phase to maintain brand quality (excluding labor relations and employment practices), they must cover Potbelly Sandwich Works's personnel's daily charges, including wages, travel, hotel, and living expenses. This applies if the franchisee requires more support than the standard opening team provides. However, if it is the franchisee's second or subsequent Potbelly Sandwich Works location, the full opening team might not be necessary.
Furthermore, if a franchisee designates a new Managing Owner during the term of the agreement, that new Managing Owner must complete the then-current training program satisfactorily within a specified timeframe. While the franchisee's trained personnel may provide this training if certified by Potbelly Sandwich Works, otherwise, the training must occur at a designated training shop, and Potbelly Sandwich Works may charge reasonable fees for this training. The franchisee is also responsible for all travel and living expenses incurred during all training courses and programs.