The vendor opportunity at Arby's
Arby's operates 3,265 total US locations, with 2,344 franchised and 921 company-owned units as disclosed in its 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document. The brand's average unit volume sits at $1,274,787, and year-over-year unit growth is 2.537%. For a software vendor, this represents a large, stable quick-service restaurant network with a mix of corporate and franchisee-operated locations. The absence of a publicly mandated tech stack means the opportunity is wide open—but also that you will need to do your own discovery on what tools are already in place across the system.
Who controls software purchasing
The 2026 FDD does not name any HQ executives or a centralized technology decision-maker. This lack of disclosure is common in franchise systems where purchasing authority is either tightly held at the franchisor level or delegated to multi-unit franchisees. In practice, vendors selling into Arby's should prepare to engage both corporate operations leadership and the largest franchisee groups. Without a published org chart, your first step is to identify who manages operations technology and vendor relationships at the franchisor headquarters in Georgia.
Mandated and current tech stack
Arby's does not mandate or recommend any specific technology in the most recent FDD. This means there is no publicly documented POS standard, no required back-office platform, and no listed digital ordering or loyalty system that franchisees must adopt. For a vendor, this is a double-edged signal: it suggests the system may be fragmented, with individual franchisees or the corporate entity making independent choices, but it also means there is no entrenched incumbent you must displace by default. Direct inquiry with the franchisor is the only way to confirm what is actually in use at the store level.
Procurement, renewals, and timing
The FDD does not include an Item 8 extract, so the procurement model—whether designated supplier, approved supplier, or open—is not disclosed. On the renewal side, Item 17 provides a clear signal: franchisees who meet approval criteria, including a full remodel and execution of a General Release, may receive a Successor Franchise Agreement. The successor term is generally up to 20 years for a Traditional Franchise. These remodel-triggered renewal events are natural windows when franchisees evaluate new technology investments, making them critical timing signals for software vendors.
How to read the Arby's FDD
The 2026 FDD is the foundational document for understanding the franchisor-franchisee relationship at Arby's. Focus on Item 11 for any future technology obligations, Item 8 for procurement restrictions, and Item 17 for renewal and transfer conditions that create sales opportunities. Because the current FDD lacks detailed tech disclosures, you will need to supplement your reading with direct outreach to the franchisor and conversations with existing franchisees to map the actual software landscape. For a ranked target list of franchise systems based on real FDD data, FranCloud can help you prioritize your outreach.