FDD Item 17 covers the franchise term, renewal, termination, and transfer. What to check in each row, what is negotiable, and what Item 17 leaves out.
A missing FDD Item 19 isn't automatically a dealbreaker. Here's what a blank earnings claim means and a decision framework for what to do next.
How franchise territory encroachment slips through Item 12 via online ordering, delivery apps, and ghost kitchens - and what to look for before you sign.
A franchise brand's SBA loan default rate is the external signal Item 19 won't give you. How to read it, where to find it, and two traps to avoid.
How to interpret FDD Item 3 litigation history: telling routine large-system lawsuits from real warnings like earnings-claim and franchisee group suits.
How to read FDD Item 21, the franchisor's audited financial statements. Four checks for profitability, cash flow, leverage, and going-concern red flags.
How to analyze FDD Item 20 turnover: the four ratios experienced buyers compute before calling a single franchisee.
Six Item 19 red flags to look for and how practitioners interpret average vs median in the FDD earnings claim.