How long does it take to open a BIGGBY® COFFEE franchise?
Official supplemental sources: BIGGBY® COFFEE franchise next steps and the FTC Consumer’s Guide to Buying a Franchise. FDD timing basis: 2026 FDD, Item 11, pp. 27–28; Franchise Agreement §7.
What must a prospective BIGGBY® COFFEE franchisee qualify for?
The opening path begins with inquiry, preliminary qualification, the current FDD, and then a full application and final approval. BIGGBY® COFFEE's public application requests identity, work-authorization, financial, ownership and proposed-market information and authorizes credit, criminal-record, character and background investigation. All partners are instructed to complete individual applications.
The 2026 FDD does not publish a fixed credit-score, education, restaurant-experience, net-worth or liquid-capital minimum. The public inquiry form asks prospects to select financial ranges, but those ranges should not be converted into guaranteed approval thresholds. Meeting any financial band does not equal franchise award.
Sources: 2026 FDD, Item 15, pp. 42–43 and Franchise Agreement Appendices B and D; official BIGGBY® COFFEE franchise application.
What happens from initial inquiry to opening day?
The evidence supports a 10-step dependency sequence for a first new Store. Approval, signing, site approval, lease approval, construction approval, training completion and opening readiness are separate decisions; none should be treated as interchangeable.
Sources: 2026 FDD, Items 5, 9 and 11; Franchise Agreement §§4(A), 7, 9(A), 10 and 14. Federal disclosure rule: FTC Amended Franchise Rule FAQs.
How do site approval, lease approval and buildout fit together?
The franchisee is responsible for finding and commercially evaluating the site, while Global Orange approves whether the site, lease terms, plans and construction comply with its system requirements. A site approval is not a lease approval, and neither creates an exclusive territory.
A proposed new-store site must be drive-thru-capable under the standard 2026 FDD process. Global Orange considers traffic, visibility, access, dimensions, parking, signage and use restrictions, demographics, economic terms, guest convenience and operating considerations. Its assistance or approval is not a guarantee of commercial suitability.
The franchisee also remains responsible for zoning, permits, legal compliance, architecture, engineering and construction adequacy. The Franchise Agreement gives Global Orange approval rights over plans and the right to inspect completed construction for system compliance, but expressly leaves governmental and engineering compliance with the franchisee and its professionals.
Sources: 2026 FDD, Items 11–12; Franchise Agreement §7 and Appendix G. Public context: BIGGBY® COFFEE support overview.
What training must be completed before BIGGBY® COFFEE will allow opening?
The franchisee, or for an entity a Principal and the Designated Manager, must complete the initial training program to Global Orange's satisfaction before operations begin. The Franchise Agreement also requires written acknowledgment that training was successfully completed before the Store opens.
Interpretation: the disclosed pre-opening modules total 246 hours; the separate 18-hour Post-Opening Training occurs no sooner than four months and no later than 12 months after opening. Source: 2026 FDD, Item 11, training table, pp. 35–36. The 144-hour OJT bar is the sum of the five disclosed OJT shift blocks; the 16-hour bar combines the two eight-hour online management modules.
Hands-On training is recommended 10–12 weeks before opening. If the Store will begin operating more than 45 days after completion of the initial training program, Global Orange may require the trainee to repeat initial training or attend refresher training before it will authorize operations. Up to two owners or management employees are trained without an additional training charge, while travel and living expenses remain the franchisee's responsibility.
The Designated Manager must successfully complete required training and be approved by an authorized franchisor representative. A later replacement must also meet those standards; loss of an approved Designated Manager can become a material default if the Store is not put back under qualified supervision.
Global Orange also discloses up to five days of representative assistance for Store setup and initial training, plus up to five days of assistance in initial operations, with the specific number of days determined by the franchisor. That assistance is separate from construction approval, training completion and the franchisee’s obligation to satisfy every opening condition.
Sources: 2026 FDD, Items 11 and 15; Franchise Agreement §§7(D) and 10. See also the official BIGGBY® COFFEE franchise FAQs for non-contractual support context.
Do additional units, resales and non-traditional locations follow the same opening process?
No. The 2026 FDD uses different addenda for existing franchisees adding units, buyers acquiring an operating Store, and approved non-traditional locations. A buyer should identify the exact path before assuming that first-store training, site development or opening assistance applies.
| Path | Governing document | Opening-process difference |
|---|---|---|
| First new Store | Standard Franchise Agreement | Full site, development, initial training and first-store opening process applies. |
| Additional unit | Franchise Agreement + Additional Unit Addendum | Initial training and certain initial opening-support obligations are deleted for the additional unit. |
| Existing Store transfer | Franchise Agreement + Transfer Addendum | Effectiveness is contingent on training and transaction closing; buyer begins operation on transfer effective date and may have required upgrades. |
| Co-brand, satellite or complementary location | Franchise Agreement + applicable Non-Traditional Location Addendum | Requires separate franchisor authorization; co-branding also requires authority from the other brand owner. |
The public real-estate page also markets lobby, drive-thru-only and kiosk concepts. Because the 2026 FDD requires drive-thru capability for the standard path and treats satellite, co-brand and complementary locations separately, verify the exact format and addendum being offered.
The FDD does not disclose an area-development agreement or protected multi-unit development territory. Existing franchisees may obtain additional Stores if they meet then-current qualifications, and each additional Store uses a new Franchise Agreement with an Additional Unit Addendum.
Sources: 2026 FDD, Item 1 and Exhibits D-1, E-1 through E-4; official BIGGBY® COFFEE business-model page.
Which deadlines can stop or materially delay the opening?
The two central contractual clocks are site acquisition and opening. The franchisee must acquire an approved location within 12 months of the Franchise Agreement and open within 12 months after obtaining that location. Failure can support termination under the pre-opening default provisions, subject to applicable law.
| Trigger | Period | Consequence or extension basis |
|---|---|---|
| Franchise Agreement signed | 12 months | Acquire approved Franchise Location or Global Orange may terminate. |
| Before site deadline expires | At least 30 days' notice | One six-month extension is available with written notice and a nonrefundable $5,000 fee. |
| Franchise Location obtained | 12 months | Open to the public or Global Orange may terminate. |
| Initial training completed | More than 45 days before opening | Franchisor may require retraining or refresher training before authorizing operations. |
Before opening, the Franchise Agreement also treats failure to secure required permits without extraordinary proceedings, failure to obtain adequate financing, failure to complete required training, and failure to pay amounts due as potential pre-opening defaults. If Global Orange terminates for failure to acquire the site on time or failure to complete training and open on time, Section 15(D) states stipulated loss-of-bargain damages of $27,000 in addition to other surviving obligations; state-specific law or addenda may affect enforceability.
Sources: 2026 FDD, Item 11; Franchise Agreement §§7(A), 7(H), 14(C) and 15(D).
Who controls the critical dependencies before opening?
The franchisee controls the application, financing effort, site hunt, lease negotiation, permits, buildout, staffing and readiness work. Global Orange controls franchise approval and system approvals. Landlords, lenders, contractors, suppliers and government authorities control separate dependencies that the franchisor does not guarantee.
Item 10 states that Global Orange does not offer direct or indirect financing and does not guarantee notes, leases or other obligations. Its public franchise site describes relationships with third-party lenders, so financing remains a third-party approval dependency rather than a franchisor commitment.
Interpretation: the FDD's six-to-16-month estimate can be extended by dependencies outside either party's direct control, including zoning, permitting, financing, construction and equipment installation. Source: 2026 FDD, Item 11, pp. 27–28.
What should a buyer verify before signing and again before opening?
Before signing, verify the legalentity, format, state-specific addenda, ownership group, guaranties and current FDD. Before opening, verify that each required approval and third-party dependency is actually complete.
What is the verified BIGGBY® COFFEE opening path?
For a first new Store, the verified path is inquiry and qualification, FDD review, full application and final approval, Franchise Agreement signing, approved-site acquisition, approved lease or purchase, system-compliant design and buildout, required training, staffing and grand-opening readiness, final construction and operating-condition clearance, and opening to the public.
The total timeline is an official six-to-16-month estimate, not a contractual promise. The main applicant-controlled dependency is securing and developing an approved site. The main external dependency is franchisor approvals combined with landlord, lender, permitting, construction and supplier timing. Track the 12-month site-acquisition deadline: its single six-month extension requires written notice at least 30 days before expiry and a nonrefundable extension fee.