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A53/100FDD 2024

Just A Buck — Litigation & Risk

Retail · FDD Items 3, 4 & 5

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Lower Risk

No litigation cases disclosed in FDD Items 3 and 4.

Source: FDD Items 3–5

FDD Items 3 & 4

Litigation Metrics

Cases disclosed
0
Total from FDD Items 3 and 4
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
Franchisor or officer bankruptcy
Overall risk score
53 / 100
FranchiseVerdict composite
Rating
STRONG
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
27
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
Required
Disputes resolved outside court — limits your legal options
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
New York
State whose law governs disputes — relevant if you're not based there

What drove the 53/100 rating

Risk Score Breakdown

  1. 01MEDUnit count declined 12.5% year-over-year (10 units remaining) suggests system contraction and potential franchisee dissatisfaction
  2. 02MEDNet income not disclosed in FDD Item 19 makes ROI impossible to validate; only gross revenue ($484K avg) provided without profitability metrics
  3. 03MINOR4% royalty on $484K average revenue yields only ~$19,360 annual royalty per unit, creating sustainability concerns for franchisor support
  4. 04MEDInvestment range of $176-298K against undisclosed net income creates high uncertainty on payback period and break-even timeline
  5. 05MINOR10-unit system is extremely small, raising questions about franchisor viability, marketing leverage, and supply chain economies of scale

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.