What operational systems, procedures, policies, methods, and requirements must a Southern Steer franchisee comply with?
Southern_Steer Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
You will operate Your Southern Steer Business in compliance with those operational systems, procedures, policies, methods and requirements found in the Brand Manual and in any supplemental bulletins and notices, revisions, modifications or amendments which are all a part of the Brand Manual. The Brand Manual and all other manuals or written materials relating to Your Southern Steer Business must be returned to Us upon termination or expiration of Your Franchise Agreement. We may modify the Brand Manual, but the modifications will not substantially and materially alter Your status and rights under the Franchise Agreement. The Brand Manual is confidential and remains Our property. The Brand Manual is currently approximately 130 pages. The Brand Manual Table of Contents is attached as Exhibit H to the Franchise Disclosure Document.
We may notify You of changes to the Brand Manual by any method, including but not limited to, email, posting the modified Brand Manual on an intranet or on Our website. But, You are responsible for checking the intranet and/or Our website for changes to the Brand Manual. You must ensure that Your copy of the Brand Manual is kept current at all times. You will be required to abide by any such modifications, changes, additions, deletions and alterations to the Brand Manual and You will be responsible for all costs and expenses that You may incur to comply. In addition, You may need to purchase updated equipment, products and supplies at Your own cost. If there is any dispute as to the contents of the Brand Manual, the terms of the master copy maintained by Us, at Our principal office, will control.
The POS System, Computers and Software used in Your Southern Steer Business must meet Our standards, specifications, and requirements. We will require, recommend or approve the office, telecommunications and other equipment, and the computer hardware, computer software, peripheral devices and POS System and operating systems You use in Your Southern Steer Business. The POS System, Computers and Software for Your Southern Steer Business must perform the functions We require (see Section 13 of the Franchise Agreement). These functions include serving as Your point-of-sale cash register and POS scale system and maintaining certain sales, financial, marketing, management, safety/recipe storage and other business information for Your Southern Steer Business. Your computer equipment must be approved by Us, and You must use the required or approved computer software. The estimated initial cost to purchase the POS System is $35,000. These amounts include costs for computer hardware and software, wireless network equipment and point-of-sale, POS scales, back of the house computer hardware, and all necessary guest check printers, credit card "swipe/read" terminals, printers, and modems.
You will need to maintain, repair, upgrade or update Your POS System, Computers and Software during the term of the Franchise Agreement. As technology improves, You will be required to upgrade Your POS System, Computers and Software. We estimate the cost to upgrade Your POS System, Computers and Software to be $1,000 to $5,000. You will also pay a monthly Technology Fee in the amount of $507 that will cover the cost of IFX, Google Workspace and Google Business, an annual Direct Ad TV Fee in the amount of $180 (for two Direct AD TVs) from Yodek Media Players, and a monthly POS System Fee in the amount of $800 that will cover the cost of cloud-based support. We also require that You have QuickBooks, which is estimated to be $80 per month. On a quarterly basis, You will pay the Recipe/Safety Fee in the amount of $105 that will cover the cost of technology for recipe storage and safety measures. There is no contractual limitation on the frequency and the cost of this obligation.
In addition to the other advertising requirements, You must spend a minimum of $15,000 for grand opening advertising and sales promotions within the first 90 days of Your Southern Steer Business opening.
We may require that You provide to Us proof of Your advertising and sales promotion expenditures in the form, and with the detail, including copies of all grand opening advertising materials and receipts, as We request.
In addition to all other advertising requirements, We may from time to time, in Our sole discretion, establish local advertising cooperatives within certain areas (each a "Local Advertising Cooperative"). If We designate an area for the establishment of a Local Advertising Cooperative, the Southern Steer Businesses located within that area will form the Local Advertising Cooperative for the purpose of administering advertising programs and developing, subject to Our approval, promotional materials for use by the members of the Local Advertising Cooperative. The Local Advertising Cooperative will operate according to written by-laws approved by Us and by the majority of the franchisees making up the Local Advertising Cooperative members, on the basis of one vote for each Southern Steer Business within the Local Advertising Cooperative. In the event of a tie vote, We will cast the deciding vote.
We have the right to consent to any proposed change to the by-laws or other organizational structure of the Local Advertising Cooperative. All advertising and promotion materials used by the Local Advertising Cooperative or provided to its members must conform with Our standards. If Your Southern Steer Business is within the area We establish for a Local Advertising Cooperative, You must become a member of that Local Advertising Cooperative and contribute to the Local Advertising Cooperative the amounts designated by the governing body of that Local Advertising Cooperative, up to 1% of Gross Revenue from Your Southern Steer Business from the prior month. Any Local Advertising Cooperative fees will be applied against the amounts required for local advertising but will be in addition to the Brand Fund Contribution. At Our request, You must furnish Us with copies of the documentation evidencing Your Local Advertising Cooperative contributions as We may request.
You must obtain our approval prior to training any assistant store managers and other certain key employees for Your Southern Steer Business. In the event You are not meeting operational standards or otherwise do not have the program to train assistant store managers and other certain key employees We may require that such assistant store managers and other key employees attend training at our headquarters or other designated location at Your cost and expense, including travel expenses and any then-current training fees.
Source: Item 11 — ITEM. 11 FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND TRAINING (FDD pages 26–35)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Southern Steer Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees must operate their business in compliance with the operational systems, procedures, policies, methods, and requirements detailed in the Brand Manual, including any supplemental bulletins, notices, revisions, modifications, or amendments. The Brand Manual, approximately 130 pages in length, is confidential and remains the property of Southern Steer. The table of contents for the Brand Manual is included as Exhibit H in the Franchise Disclosure Document. Southern Steer may modify the Brand Manual, and franchisees are responsible for staying updated on these changes via email, intranet, or the company website. Franchisees are obligated to comply with any modifications, changes, additions, deletions, and alterations to the Brand Manual, including purchasing updated equipment, products, and supplies at their own cost. In case of disputes, the master copy of the Brand Manual maintained by Southern Steer at its principal office will control.
Southern Steer franchisees are also required to use a POS system, computers, and software that meet the franchisor's standards, specifications, and requirements. This includes approved office, telecommunications, and other equipment, as well as computer hardware, software, peripheral devices, and operating systems. The POS system must perform required functions such as serving as a point-of-sale cash register and POS scale system, and maintaining sales, financial, marketing, management, and safety information. The initial cost for the POS system is estimated at $35,000, with potential upgrade costs ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 as technology improves. Franchisees also incur ongoing technology fees, including a monthly Technology Fee of $507, an annual Direct Ad TV Fee of $180, a monthly POS System Fee of $800, and a monthly QuickBooks fee of $80. Additionally, a quarterly Recipe/Safety Fee of $105 is required.
In terms of advertising, Southern Steer requires franchisees to spend a minimum of $15,000 on grand opening advertising and sales promotions within the first 90 days of opening their business. Franchisees may need to provide proof of these expenditures, including copies of advertising materials and receipts. Southern Steer may also establish local advertising cooperatives, requiring franchisees within designated areas to become members and contribute up to 1% of their gross revenue from the prior month. These cooperative fees are in addition to the Brand Fund Contribution.
Southern Steer may also require assistant store managers and other key employees to attend training at their headquarters or another designated location at the franchisee's cost and expense, including travel expenses and any then-current training fees, if the franchisee is not meeting operational standards or does not have a sufficient training program. The franchisee must obtain Southern Steer's approval prior to training any assistant store managers and other certain key employees.