The agreement requires mandatory arbitration. Ask: have you ever had a dispute with the franchisor — how was it handled? Did you feel you had recourse?

Franchisees who've been through disputes. Understand if the arbitration process felt fair or heavily stacked toward the franchisor.

The agreement includes a 2-year, 10-mile post-termination non-compete. Ask franchisees: did you fully understand this when you signed — and do you feel it's fair?

Whether franchisees feel trapped. High non-compete terms reduce exit flexibility.

How responsive is your franchisor rep — do they actually help when you have a problem, or are they just checking boxes?

Specific stories (not just vague positives). Ask about a time they needed help urgently — response time matters.

The FDD does not include audited financial statements. Ask: do you have any visibility into the franchisor's financial health? Have you ever been concerned about the company's stability?

Even anecdotal signals — changes in leadership, delays in royalty statement processing, reduced marketing fund activity.

If you decided to sell your franchise tomorrow, how easy would that be? Has the franchisor ever blocked or delayed a transfer you wanted?

Transfer fee surprises, right-of-first-refusal complications, or franchisor demanding upgrades before approving a sale.

What did your revenue look like in year 1 vs. year 2 vs. now? When did you reach breakeven?

Year 1 revenue is typically well below Item 19 averages (which often exclude ramp-up units). Expect 12-24 months to reach average.