From the filings
Software purchasing decisions at Bento Sushi are controlled at the corporate level, with key executives including President and CEO David S. Jones and VP of Foodservice Adam J. Friedman shaping operational and technology strategy. The chain currently mandates a proprietary Bento Operating Tablet across its 64 franchised locations, signaling a centralized approach to tech deployment. With 65 total units and 8.5% year-over-year unit growth, the addressable market for software vendors is modest but expanding.
For software vendors selling into US franchise brands.
Live signals
Ongoing fee load
The recurring percentage of gross sales named in this filing, before rent, labour or any technology fee.
12%of gross sales (FY2026)
15% reference
Franchisor behaviours
18 requirements the franchisor states in this filing, each in its own words; 5 explicit no's; 11 questions the text does not settle, which is not a no.
Accounting
Must the franchisee use an accounting or bookkeeping system designated or approved by the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall conform these records to any accounting system that Franchisor may prescribe in the Manuals or otherwise in writing.
Does the franchisor have direct or independent electronic access to the franchisee's financial, sales or customer records?
YesItem 11
We have independent access to information and data pertaining to your Sushi Counter produced by and/or stored on your computer system.
How the franchisor buys
Is the franchisor or an affiliate itself a supplier of required products, services or systems?
YesItem 8
Our affiliate, Wonderfield Distribution, is currently the only designated supplier of (1) all food ingredients (excluding fresh produce), including but not limited to seafood protein ingredients, rice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and nori, (2) all packaging items, (3) labels, and (4) uniforms.
Does the franchisor reserve the right to change designated suppliers or systems at any time?
YesItem 8
We may revise the list at any time.
How much revenue did the franchisor and its affiliates earn from franchisee purchases in the last fiscal year?
68578Item 8
In fiscal year 2025 ended March 31, 2025, our affiliates derived $68,578 in revenue from the purchase of goods or services by our franchisees.
Does the franchisor or an affiliate receive rebates, commissions or other revenue from designated or approved suppliers?
YesItem 8
We or our affiliates may derive revenue or other material consideration from your purchases from us or our designated source in the future.
Item 8 gives this proportion in one of two shapes: separate percentages for establishing the business and for operating it, or one figure covering "establishing and operating" together. Where they are separate, answer with the operating percentage; where the passage gives only the combined figure, answer with that. What percentage of the franchisee's purchases must come from designated or approved suppliers?
5Item 8
These purchases which must be made in accordance with our specifications or from suppliers approved by us represents approximately 5% to 15% of your total purchases in establishing your Sushi Counter and approximately 5% to 15% of your total expenses in operating the Sushi Counter.
Does the franchisor charge a fee to evaluate a proposed supplier?
YesItem 8
You shall pay us a reasonable charge for the cost of inspection and evaluation, including a reasonable amount for our costs of personnel to conduct the inspection and evaluation.
Can a franchisee propose a new supplier for the franchisor's approval?
YesItem 8
If you propose to offer at your Sushi Counter(s) any brand of product, or to use any item or ingredient not then approved by us or to purchase from a supplier not then designated by us as an approved supplier, you shall first submit your request in writing to us before making any purchase.
Communications
Does the franchisor own or control the business telephone numbers, or take them over when the agreement ends?
YesItem 17
Assign to BSFI telephone number
Franchise management
Does the franchisor conduct periodic inspections, audits or evaluations of the franchised business?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisor or its designated agents shall have the right at reasonable times to examine and copy books, records and tax returns, including sales tax returns, of Franchisee.
Can the franchisor change the operations manual and brand standards unilaterally?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisor shall have the right to make reasonable modifications to the Manuals from time to time.
Marketing
Is the franchisee prohibited from operating its own website or social media accounts, or required to use pages the franchisor provides?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee is strictly prohibited from creating or maintaining a website for Franchisee’s Sushi Counter, or a website that uses Franchisor’s Marks, and (ii) Franchisor will have the sole right to create, establish, own, and control the website for Franchisee’s Sushi Counter.
Operations
Must the franchisee buy products from a designated distributor?
YesItem 8
Our affiliate, Wonderfield Distribution, is currently the only designated supplier of (1) all food ingredients (excluding fresh produce), including but not limited to seafood protein ingredients, rice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and nori, (2) all packaging items, (3) labels, and (4) uniforms.
Must equipment be purchased from designated or approved suppliers?
YesItem 8
you must use in the development and operation of the Sushi Counter only those brands and models of equipment, fixtures, display items, merchandise, materials and supplies for use in operation of the Sushi Counter which meet our specifications and quality standards and/or are purchased from suppliers we approve.
People
Does the franchisor require minimum staffing levels or specific roles?
YesItem 15
For an On-Site Location, you or your principal owner must either directly or through a manager, devote your full time to managing the Sushi Counter and your employees.
Must employees wear uniforms specified by the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee's employees shall at all times wear uniforms imprinted with the Marks and conforming to other specifications prescribed by Franchisor.
Point of sale
Does the franchisor have independent access to the data in the franchisee's POS or computer system?
YesItem 11
We have independent access to information and data pertaining to your Sushi Counter produced by and/or stored on your computer system.
Who buys here
The decision-maker a vendor sells to at this scale, and the gaps they’re paid to close, derived from our data by segment and unit count, not a guess.
The franchisor's owner/CEO decides; an ops or franchise-development lead may evaluate.
Bento Sushi is a quick-service restaurant chain headquartered in Illinois with 65 total units, 64 of which are franchised and 1 company-owned. The brand grew unit count by 8.475% year-over-year, adding a handful of new locations. For software vendors, the immediate addressable market is those 64 franchised locations, all operating under a centralized technology mandate. The chain charges a 10% royalty on gross sales, and initial franchise terms run just 3 years—a relatively short cycle that may create recurring touchpoints for technology evaluation and adoption.
Software purchasing authority sits at the corporate level. The FDD lists David S. Jones as President and CEO, Erica Gale as Senior Vice President – Brand Development, and Adam J. Friedman as Vice President – Foodservice. Alexander J. Gale serves as Franchising Program Manager, and Jim Kawamoto is an Area Manager. For a vendor pitching operational or foodservice technology, Adam J. Friedman is the most directly relevant executive given his foodservice oversight. David S. Jones, as CEO, likely holds final approval on enterprise-wide software commitments. No multi-unit operators are mapped in our corpus, reinforcing that franchisees are not the primary software buyers here.
The only technology system explicitly mandated in the FDD is the Bento Operating Tablet. This proprietary device appears to be the operational backbone for franchisees, likely handling order management, kitchen display, or compliance tracking. No third-party POS, payroll, or inventory systems are named in the available FDD extracts. This suggests either a closed, internally managed stack or a gap where vendors can introduce complementary solutions that integrate with the mandated tablet.
Procurement rules are not detailed in the Item 8 extract we hold, so the designated-supplier versus open-market posture remains unclear. However, the renewal terms in Item 17 offer a timing signal: franchisees in good standing can renew on then-current terms by paying a renewal fee equal to the greater of their original franchise fee or the current new-location fee. The renewal agreement may contain materially different terms, though the royalty rate will not exceed what similarly situated renewing franchisees pay. With a 3-year initial term, vendors should anticipate potential software evaluation windows tied to these renewal events, when franchisees may be required to adopt updated systems or sign new agreements.
The 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document is the authoritative source for understanding Bento Sushi’s obligations, fees, and operational mandates. It details the 10% royalty, the 3-year term, and the mandated Bento Operating Tablet. The document also identifies the executive team and outlines renewal conditions. For software vendors, the FDD reveals where purchasing power resides and what technology is already locked in. Review the embedded PDF below to assess fit and identify gaps where your solution could add value. When you're ready to prioritize franchise brands by tech need and buyer access, FranCloud can help you build a ranked target list.
Questions vendors ask
Every number on this page traces back to this document. Read it in full, page by page. Buy the original PDF to download, search, and annotate it.
View only A one-time purchase: the original filing, yours to keep.
FDD alert
We’ll email you the moment Bento Sushi files a new annual FDD, usually the freshest signal of a vendor change.
Operator footprint
102 operators run 102 mapped locations. 0 of them are multi-unit. Aggregate counts from the filing; no names.
Operators by units owned
Top states by locations
| ME | 25 |
|---|---|
| NY | 17 |
| MD | 12 |
| NH | 11 |
| VA | 7 |
Ownership
unknown of bento nouveau.
Related Quick service restaurant brands
Primary franchise filings · updated June 2026. Every figure is source-traceable and QA-checked.