How do you open an Arby’s franchise in the United States?
Arby’s estimates this period from payment of the Development Fee to opening. The verified path requires a Development Agreement, an accepted site and real-estate arrangement, trained managers, an executed unit Franchise Agreement, approved plans and construction, permits, approved systems and suppliers, insurance proof, and Arby’s written notice that the Restaurant meets brand standards.
What must an Arby’s applicant qualify for before an agreement is issued?
The 2026 FDD does not publish a universal minimum net worth, liquid-capital threshold, credit score, education level, citizenship rule, restaurant-experience minimum, or background-check standard. Arby’s may nevertheless decline to issue a Franchise Agreement when the developer does not meet its then-current franchising policies, procedures, or expansion criteria.
That makes the screening record deal-specific. Before treating an inquiry as an approval, the applicant should obtain the current written criteria, identify whether they apply to each owner or the ownership group, and confirm the proposed entity, ownership percentages, operating principal, guarantors, unit count, and development schedule. Meeting a stated threshold does not itself create an award or a right to a site.
Evidence: Arby’s 2026 FDD, Item 1 pp. 1–3; Item 15 pp. 55–56; Development Agreement Sections 10–11 and Exhibit A.
What is the chronological process from inquiry to opening?
The sequence below separates inquiry, qualification, FDD receipt, agreement execution, site acceptance, lease approval, construction approval, training completion, and opening authorization. These are distinct decisions; none should be treated as automatic approval of the next.
Complete inquiry and screening
- Action
- Submit ownership, experience, financial-capacity, and development information Arby’s requests.
- Actor
- Applicant; Arby’s decides whether to continue discussions.
- Timing
- No complete application-review period is disclosed.
- Blocker
- Unmet current policies, expansion criteria, or incomplete ownership information.
Receive and review the FDD
- Action
- Review the FDD, Development Agreement, Franchise Agreement, state addenda, and applicable format amendments.
- Actor
- Applicant, with qualified legal, accounting, lending, and real-estate advisers.
- Timing
- At least 14 calendar days before signing a binding agreement or paying the franchisor or affiliate.
- Next
- Resolve state addenda, entity structure, guarantees, Territory, and Development Schedule.
Execute the Development Agreement
- Action
- Sign the Development Agreement even for one Restaurant and pay the Development Fee.
- Actor
- Approved developer and Arby’s Franchisor, LLC.
- Timing
- The agreement sets the Term, Territory, site-package dates, and opening dates.
- Blocker
- The Development Fee is fully earned and non-refundable on execution; schedule failure can terminate rights.
Find and submit a proposed site
- Action
- Submit the required map, income analysis, traffic counts, plot plan, photographs, competition data, and building and sign plans.
- Actor
- Developer finds the site; Arby’s accepts or rejects it in writing.
- Timing
- Arby’s generally responds within 30 calendar days.
- Blocker
- Money spent or a site acquired before written acceptance remains the developer’s risk.
Obtain approved site control
- Action
- After site acceptance, negotiate a lease, purchase, or financing arrangement and provide the complete document to Arby’s.
- Actor
- Developer and landlord or lender; Arby’s reviews the arrangement.
- Timing
- No universal lease-negotiation or approval duration is disclosed.
- Blocker
- Site acceptance does not equal lease approval, a Protected Area, or permission to build.
Complete NFO and manager training
- Action
- Complete any required one- or two-day NFO and the seven-week Arby’s Training Program.
- Actor
- Required owner or principal and the designated representatives or managers.
- Timing
- Training runs on a rolling basis; knowledge and observation checks require 90% or better.
- Blocker
- The Development Agreement makes required training a condition to Franchise Agreement issuance.
Execute the unit Franchise Agreement
- Action
- Sign a separate Franchise Agreement for the accepted Restaurant and pay the unit fee when triggered.
- Actor
- Developer or franchisee and Arby’s; guarantors may also sign.
- Timing
- Fee due at the earlier of construction start or 90 calendar days before scheduled opening.
- Blocker
- No right to operate or use Arby’s trademarks exists until Arby’s executes the agreement.
Approve plans, build, and equip
- Action
- Hire the architect and general contractor, obtain final-plan approval, permits, utilities, equipment, signs, POS, inventory, and approved suppliers.
- Actor
- Franchisee and third parties; Arby’s approves final plans and specifications.
- Timing
- No construction duration is guaranteed; actual costs are reported within 120 days after completion.
- Blocker
- Construction or remodeling cannot begin before written approval of final working plans.
Prove readiness and obtain opening notice
- Action
- Finish hiring and training, obtain licenses and inspections, prove insurance, stock approved inventory, and pass Arby’s standards review.
- Actor
- Franchisee, authorities, insurer, suppliers, contractors, and Arby’s.
- Timing
- Open by the later Development Schedule date or 30 days after both parties sign the Franchise Agreement.
- Blocker
- The Restaurant cannot open until Arby’s issues written brand-standards notice; that notice is not legal-compliance certification.
Evidence: Arby’s 2026 FDD, Item 11 pp. 41–50; Development Agreement Sections 3–13; Franchise Agreement Section 4:1:2. The 14-day rule is also stated in 16 C.F.R. Part 436 and FTC guidance.
Which disclosed periods can affect the Arby’s opening schedule?
These periods share the same unit—calendar days—but start from different events. They are shown for scale and planning, not added together. Site negotiation, financing, permits, construction, delivery, staffing, and inspections remain unresolved third-party or project durations inside the 90–540-day FDD estimate.
Interpretation: the widest uncertainty sits in site control, approvals, construction, delivery, and staffing—not in the federal disclosure period. The 70-day value converts the FDD’s “approximately 10 weeks” to calendar days; it is not a separate deadline.
Source: Arby’s 2026 FDD cover and Item 11 pp. 41–43; Development Agreement Sections 9 and 11. Values are not additive because their triggers differ.
What must happen between territory discussion and construction?
A Development Agreement Territory defines where the developer may pursue scheduled Restaurants during the agreement term. A proposed site must then be accepted in writing. After acceptance, the lease, purchase, or financing arrangement still requires review, and construction cannot start until Arby’s approves final working plans in writing.
Local zoning, building permits, health or food-service approvals, signage approvals, fire inspections, utilities, and certificates vary by jurisdiction and site. The FDD assigns legal compliance and permit responsibility to the franchisee but does not create one national municipal checklist. The project team must verify the actual requirements with the property owner, architect, contractor, insurer, and relevant authorities.
Evidence: Arby’s 2026 FDD, Item 11 pp. 41–43; Item 12 pp. 51–52; Development Agreement Sections 5–9; Franchise Agreement Section 4:1:3.
Who must train, pass, and remain employed before opening?
For each first and second Restaurant, the franchisee must employ two managers who completed an approved program to Arby’s satisfaction; for the third and later Restaurants, one trained manager per Restaurant is required. The seven-week program contains 336 on-the-job hours: two weeks of team-member skills, three weeks of shift management, and two weeks of critical thinking and leadership.
Knowledge checks require at least 90%, and the management observation checklist also requires at least 90%. A new franchisee may additionally be required to attend one- or two-day New Franchisee Orientation; for an entity, a partner or approved owner must attend. Travel, lodging, meals, wages, and certain additional-trainee costs remain the franchisee’s responsibility even when disclosed tuition is covered.
Applicant / franchisee
Arby’s
Third parties
Does the process change for Non-Traditional or Multi-Brand locations?
Traditional Restaurant
May be free-standing or non-free-standing. The same Development Agreement and unit Franchise Agreement sequence applies. A Protected Area may be granted, but it is discretionary and contains exclusions.
Non-Traditional Restaurant
Usually uses a smaller, limited-menu or captive-audience location. The FDD states that no Protected Area is granted. Site, landlord, institutional, and operating restrictions can create additional dependencies.
Multi-Brand Location
Requires the Arby’s Franchise Agreement, Multi-Brand Addendum, and the other franchisor’s agreements and approval. Arby’s cannot open until the Other Restaurant is also open and operating.
Evidence: Arby’s 2026 FDD, Item 1 pp. 1–3; Item 11 p. 43 and p. 50; Item 12 pp. 51–52; Non-Traditional Restaurant Amendment and Multi-Brand Addendum.
Which deadlines and failure consequences require written verification?
Evidence: Arby’s 2026 FDD, Items 8, 11, 17 and 20; Development Agreement Sections 4, 9, 11 and 13; Franchise Agreement Sections 4:1:2 and 12:4.
Which public sources help verify the disclosure and opening rules?
Evidence used for public verification
The current Arby’s FDD controls the contractual requirements summarized here. Public federal sources explain the disclosure framework; the official brand site verifies the U.S. brand domain but does not replace the agreements.