What do the Plans provided by Potbelly Sandwich Works for a shop include?
Potbelly_Sandwich_Works Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
You are responsible for constructing and developing the Shop. We will give you Plans for a Potbelly Shop's physical structure, exterior elements, and interior layout. The plans will include mandatory and suggested standards and specifications for, among other things, size, dimensions, design, image, decor, Operating Assets, and color scheme. However, the Plans might not reflect the requirements of any federal, state, or local law, code, or regulation, including those arising under the Americans with Disabilities Act ("ADA") or similar rules governing public accommodations for disabled persons. We do not require you to use our approved architect for creating the Plans. However, our approved architect must review and accept the Plans. If you choose to use an architect other than our approved architect, then we may charge you an architectural review fee of $2,000, which you must pay to us at the time of the review.
You must prepare, using our approved architectural and design services vendor, a site survey and all required construction plans and specifications to suit the site and make sure they comply with our requirements, the ADA and similar rules, other applicable ordinances, building codes, permit requirements, and lease requirements and restrictions. You must send us for review
and acceptance your Plans, site survey and construction plans and specifications before you either submit them for permitting or begin constructing the Shop and all revised or "as built" plans and specifications during construction. Our review is only to ensure your compliance with our design and layout requirements.
Source: Item 8 — RESTRICTIONS ON SOURCES OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES (FDD pages 28–34)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Potbelly Sandwich Works's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the Plans provided by Potbelly Sandwich Works for a shop's physical structure, exterior elements, and interior layout will include mandatory and suggested standards and specifications for size, dimensions, design, image, decor, Operating Assets, and color scheme. However, these Plans might not reflect the requirements of any federal, state, or local law, code, or regulation, including those arising under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or similar rules governing public accommodations for disabled persons.
While Potbelly Sandwich Works does not require franchisees to use their approved architect for creating the Plans, their approved architect must review and accept the Plans. If a franchisee chooses to use an architect other than Potbelly Sandwich Works's approved architect, then Potbelly Sandwich Works may charge an architectural review fee of $2,000, which must be paid at the time of the review.
Before submitting the Plans for permitting or beginning construction, franchisees must send Potbelly Sandwich Works the Plans, site survey, and construction plans and specifications for review and acceptance. This review is to ensure compliance with Potbelly Sandwich Works's design and layout requirements. Franchisees are also responsible for ensuring that the site survey and all required construction plans and specifications comply with Potbelly Sandwich Works's requirements, the ADA and similar rules, other applicable ordinances, building codes, permit requirements, and lease requirements and restrictions.