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B59/100FDD 2025

Friendly’s — Litigation & Risk

Food & Beverage - Full Service · FDD Items 3, 4 & 5

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Moderate — Review

2 cases disclosed in FDD Items 3 and 4.

Source: FDD Items 3–5

FDD Items 3 & 4

Litigation Metrics

Cases disclosed
2
Total from FDD Items 3 and 4
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
—
Franchisor or officer bankruptcy
Overall risk score
59 / 100
FranchiseVerdict composite
Rating
MODERATE
STRONG / MODERATE / CAUTION / AVOID

7(a) FOIA data · FY2020–present

SBA Loan Performance

Aggregated from public SBA 7(a) loan disclosures. Default rate is the share of loans that were charged off or settled for less than the full balance.

Total 7(a) loans
7
Government-backed loans issued
Default rate
0.0%
vs <3% typical · system-wide
5-yr default rate
—
Defaults
0 loans
Loans charged off or defaulted

FDD Items 5, 6 & 17 — what you give up

Contract Risk Indicators

Mandatory arbitration
Not required
You retain the right to sue in court
Jury trial waiver
Waived
You give up the right to a jury trial
Non-compete
2 yrs
Post-termination restriction on similar businesses
Franchisor can compete
Yes
Franchisor can open competing locations in or near your territory
Right of first refusal
Yes
Franchisor can match any purchase offer when you try to sell
Governing law
Texas
State whose law governs disputes — relevant if you're not based there

What drove the 59/100 rating

Risk Score Breakdown

  1. 01MEDSignificant unit contraction: 95 units represents declining system with only 9.3% YoY growth, suggesting maturity or decline phase
  2. 02MINORNo financial disclosure: Franchisor does not disclose Item 19 (average unit volumes or net income), making ROI analysis impossible
  3. 03MEDHigh initial investment ($1.1M–$2.7M) paired with undisclosed profitability creates asymmetric risk
  4. 04HIGHLitigation history including asset/lease disputes with franchisees and SEC judgment against CEO raises governance concerns
  5. 05HIGHGoing concern status is False, indicating potential balance sheet or operational sustainability issues
  6. 06MINOR6% royalty on net sales with high capex requirements typical of casual dining creates margin pressure in low-AUV environments

Severity inferred from FDD text — not a regulatory or legal classification

Litigation data from FDD Items 3, 4, and 5. SBA data from public 7(a) FOIA records (FY2020–present). Not legal advice — consult a franchise attorney before signing any franchise agreement.