Black Rock Bar & Grill

The vendor opportunity at Black Rock Bar & Grill

Black Rock Bar & Grill operates 12 locations—11 franchised and 1 company-owned—making it a compact but concentrated target for software vendors. The brand’s average unit volume sits at $3,424,595, which signals healthy per-location revenue and the budget capacity to invest in operational technology. However, year-over-year unit growth declined by 21.4%, so the near-term expansion pipeline appears limited. For vendors, the play is less about new-unit rollouts and more about displacing or integrating with the existing mandated stack at current locations.

The chain is headquartered in Michigan and files its FDD with state franchise regulators. The 2025 disclosure provides a clear view of who controls purchasing, what technology is already locked in, and how renewal cycles work. Because the system is small, a single HQ decision can cover nearly the entire footprint.

Who controls software purchasing

The 2025 FDD names five executives in Item 1. Lonny Morganroth serves as Chief Executive Officer, and Branden Morganroth is Chief Financial Officer. Bradley Gasser holds the title of Vice President of Franchise Operations, with Jeff Cox as Director of Operations and Madelyn Coponen as Director of Marketing. No chief information officer or chief technology officer is listed, which is common for a system of this size. In practice, technology purchasing decisions likely route through the CEO and CFO, with operational input from the VP of Franchise Operations and the Director of Operations. Marketing technology may fall under the Director of Marketing’s purview.

For a vendor making outbound contact, the CFO and VP of Franchise Operations are the most probable entry points for operational software. The CEO is the ultimate approver but may delegate evaluation to the operations team.

Mandated and current tech stack

The only technology mandate disclosed in the 2025 FDD is the point-of-sale system: Aloha by NCR Voyix. This is a widely deployed platform in full-service and polished casual dining, and it carries a substantial ecosystem of integrated partners for payments, loyalty, kitchen display, and labor scheduling. Vendors offering complementary or replacement solutions should be prepared to address integration with Aloha.

No other operational, back-office, or marketing technology mandates or recommendations appear in the FDD. That absence creates an opening for vendors in areas like inventory management, scheduling, accounting, and guest engagement—provided they can demonstrate compatibility with the existing POS environment.

Procurement, renewals, and timing

The 2025 FDD does not include an Item 8 extract, so the brand’s procurement model—whether it uses designated suppliers, approved suppliers, or an open purchasing framework—is not publicly disclosed. Vendors should clarify this directly during the sales process, as it affects whether a product can be sold at the franchisee level or must be approved and adopted by the franchisor.

Item 17 outlines a 20-year initial term with automatic renewals for franchisees in substantial compliance. The renewal process begins in the final six months of the term, when the franchisor sends a renewal fee bill and required documents. Franchisees must execute those documents and complete any required updates within six months of notice. This structure means that major technology changes are most likely to align with renewal windows, when franchisees are already required to bring locations into compliance. With recent unit contraction, however, the number of upcoming renewals may be smaller than the total unit count suggests.

How to read the Black Rock Bar & Grill FDD

The full 2025 FDD is embedded below. Key sections for software vendors include Item 1 (executive officers), Item 11 (franchisor’s obligations and mandated technology), Item 8 (procurement restrictions, though absent here), and Item 17 (renewal and transfer conditions). Reading these sections directly will help you understand exactly what the franchisor requires, what franchisees are allowed to purchase independently, and when contract windows are most likely to open. For a ranked list of franchise targets matched to your software category, FranCloud can help.