Does anyone know what you can and cannot negotiate with a Franchisor? I know some things have been filed with the government but I am not sure what flexibility you have as a prospective Franchisee.

My understanding is that the UFOC is not negotiable that is the document that is filed with the FTC. It is also the document that contains most of the information that you would like to negotiate i.e. royalty fees & start up costs

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That is my understanding as well anything outside of the UFOC is negotiable

Although it is rare some Franchisors will negotiate their Franchise Agreements but beware. Most reputable Franchisors have a strong brand name and operating system and have a steady stream of prospective Franchisees. They do not have to negotiate the agreement because there are plenty of other people who would be happy to take the agreement as is. So if they are freely willing to negotiate a contract you have to ask yourself why - it may not be the right franchise for you.

I agree with Time23 just imagine if everyone had their own UFOC it would be a nightmare to administor and if someone was willing to do it I would be suspect of the Franchise. It is better to negotiate on things outside of the contract perhaps onsite assistance for your grand opening for example.