The current initial cost of the required computer hardware and software is $1,095. Monthly software access fees are approximately $72 subject to increase by Square. Square may charge up to 2.9% + $.30 per transaction. Employee scheduling and timekeeping currently cost $5 per month through Square. We also require you to use the QuickBooks Online accounting system to manage the accounting of your Franchise. Currently, QuickBooks Online is provided via a monthly subscription fee of approximately $70 per month. We require that we have independent access to your account. We also reserve the right to require you to follow our accounting procedures and line items, including standardized profit and loss statement templates, balance sheet templates and charts of accounts as we may designate.
From the filings
CW FRANCHISE
Quick service restaurantAt CW Franchise, software purchasing decisions are made by owner Joseph D’Esposito. The franchise currently mandates QuickBooks Online for accounting and uses social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Snapchat, Twitter, and YouTube for marketing. The system comprises 5 locations, including 1 franchised unit, representing a compact but targeted sales opportunity for vendors.
For software vendors selling into US franchise brands.
Live signals
Ordinary royalty terms
7% component; full terms unconfirmed
Complete royalty terms are not confirmed for the selected filing.
Recorded percentage components
These are recorded percentage components. Each has its own base and conditions; the chart does not state the total payment or confirm ad-fund completeness.
1recorded components (FY2024)
15% reference
Mandated & recommended tech
The systems vendors compete with
2 technology requirements are recorded in this filing. A required choice lists alternatives for one obligation. Read each cited clause for its conditions.
You must purchase and use the point-of-sale system (“POS System”) we specify, and have the latest versions of hardware, software and computer platforms to operate the POS System. The current POS System requirement is Square POS, which includes iPads or other mobile device, credit card readers, cash drawers and software. The Square POS software is used for employee scheduling and payroll, payment processing, and report generation.
P a g e |18 Coney Waffle FDD 2023 A We do not provide for placement of local advertising on your behalf, and we have no obligation to spend any amount on advertising in your area or territory. You are responsible for local advertising placement. You must list the Franchised Business in local business directories, including, but not limited to, listings on Internet search engines. If feasible, you may do cooperative advertising with other Coney Waffle franchisees in your area, with our prior written approval. You may not maintain any business profile on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or any other social media and/or networking site without our prior written approval. System-wide Brand Fund (Franchise Agreement, Section 13.3)
Except for the social media presence that we will establish on your behalf, you are not permitted to promote your Franchised Business or use any of the Marks in any manner on any social or networking websites, such as Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok, LinkedIn, Twitter, Snapchat, personal blogs, virtual worlds, audio and video-sharing sites, and other similar social networking or media sites or tools (collectively, “social media”) without our prior written consent. We will control all social media initiatives. You must comply with our System standards regarding the use of social media in your Franchised Business’s operation, including prohibitions on your employees posting or blogging comments about the Franchised Business or the System, other than on a website established or authorized by us. You will not be given access to branded social media pages/handles/assets, as these will be maintained by us. We reserve the right to conduct collective/national campaigns via social media on your behalf.
P a g e |18 Coney Waffle FDD 2023 A We do not provide for placement of local advertising on your behalf, and we have no obligation to spend any amount on advertising in your area or territory. You are responsible for local advertising placement. You must list the Franchised Business in local business directories, including, but not limited to, listings on Internet search engines. If feasible, you may do cooperative advertising with other Coney Waffle franchisees in your area, with our prior written approval. You may not maintain any business profile on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or any other social media and/or networking site without our prior written approval. System-wide Brand Fund (Franchise Agreement, Section 13.3)
Except for the social media presence that we will establish on your behalf, you are not permitted to promote your Franchised Business or use any of the Marks in any manner on any social or networking websites, such as Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok, LinkedIn, Twitter, Snapchat, personal blogs, virtual worlds, audio and video-sharing sites, and other similar social networking or media sites or tools (collectively, “social media”) without our prior written consent. We will control all social media initiatives. You must comply with our System standards regarding the use of social media in your Franchised Business’s operation, including prohibitions on your employees posting or blogging comments about the Franchised Business or the System, other than on a website established or authorized by us. You will not be given access to branded social media pages/handles/assets, as these will be maintained by us. We reserve the right to conduct collective/national campaigns via social media on your behalf.
P a g e |18 Coney Waffle FDD 2023 A We do not provide for placement of local advertising on your behalf, and we have no obligation to spend any amount on advertising in your area or territory. You are responsible for local advertising placement. You must list the Franchised Business in local business directories, including, but not limited to, listings on Internet search engines. If feasible, you may do cooperative advertising with other Coney Waffle franchisees in your area, with our prior written approval. You may not maintain any business profile on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or any other social media and/or networking site without our prior written approval. System-wide Brand Fund (Franchise Agreement, Section 13.3)
P a g e |18 Coney Waffle FDD 2023 A We do not provide for placement of local advertising on your behalf, and we have no obligation to spend any amount on advertising in your area or territory. You are responsible for local advertising placement. You must list the Franchised Business in local business directories, including, but not limited to, listings on Internet search engines. If feasible, you may do cooperative advertising with other Coney Waffle franchisees in your area, with our prior written approval. You may not maintain any business profile on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or any other social media and/or networking site without our prior written approval. System-wide Brand Fund (Franchise Agreement, Section 13.3)
Franchisor behaviours
What the franchisor requires
27 requirements the franchisor states in this filing, each in its own words; 2 explicit no's; 5 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?
YesItem 11
We also require you to use the QuickBooks Online accounting system to manage the accounting of your Franchise.
Does the franchisor have direct or independent electronic access to the franchisee's financial, sales or customer records?
YesItem 11
We will have independent, unlimited electronic access to the information generated by and stored in your computer software and applications.
Must the franchisee submit periodic financial statements (monthly, quarterly or annual) to the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
Within thirty (30) days after the close of each calendar quarter and within ninety (90) days after the close of each fiscal year, Franchisee will furnish Franchisor a full and complete written statement of income and expense and a profit and loss statement for the operation of the Franchised Business during said…
How the franchisor buys
Is the franchisor or an affiliate itself a supplier of required products, services or systems?
YesItem 8
We are the required supplier for gift cards.
Does the franchisor reserve the right to change designated suppliers or systems at any time?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisor reserves the right, at its option, to re-inspect from time to time the facilities and products of any such approved supplier and to revoke its approval upon the supplier’s failure to continue to meet any of Franchisor’s then-current criteria.
How much revenue did the franchisor and its affiliates earn from franchisee purchases in the last fiscal year?
0Item 8
We have received no revenue from required purchases by franchisees for the most recent fiscal year ending on December 31, 2022.
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?
50Item 8
We estimate that your purchase or lease of products, supplies and services from approved suppliers (or those which meet our specifications) will represent approximately 70%-80% of your costs to establish your Franchised Business and approximately 50%-70% of your costs for ongoing operation.
Does the franchisor charge a fee to evaluate a proposed supplier?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisor reserves the right to charge Franchisee a fee equal to the actual cost and expense to Franchisor for inspection and testing.
Can a franchisee propose a new supplier for the franchisor's approval?
YesItem 8
If you would like us to consider another item or supplier, you must make such request in writing to us and have the supplier give us samples of its product or service and such other information that we may require.
Communications
Does the franchisor own or control the business telephone numbers, or take them over when the agreement ends?
YesFranchise agreement
Upon the expiration or termination of this Agreement, Franchisor may exercise its authority, pursuant to such documents, to obtain any and all of Franchisee’s rights to 16 Coney Waffle FA 2023 i the telephone numbers of the Franchised Business and all related telephone directory listings and other business listings…
Franchise management
Does the franchisor conduct periodic inspections, audits or evaluations of the franchised business?
YesItem 11
conduct inspections of your Franchised Business, at the frequency and duration that we deem advisable.
Can the franchisor change the operations manual and brand standards unilaterally?
YesItem 17
Modification of the agreement Sections 9.4, 14.6, No oral modifications generally, but we may 19.1.4 and 22.4 change the Operations Manual and System standards at any time.
Must the franchisor approve the franchisee's site or location before opening?
YesFranchise agreement
No site may be used for the location of the Franchised Business unless it is consented to in writing by Franchisor.
Marketing
Is the franchisee prohibited from operating its own website or social media accounts, or required to use pages the franchisor provides?
YesItem 11
You may not establish your own website or use social media platforms for the promotion of your Franchised Business without our prior written consent.
Is a minimum grand opening advertising spend required?
YesItem 7
During the opening of your Franchised Business, we require you to spend at least $5,000.00 on local advertising and promotional activities in your Territory at the time and in the manner we specify.
Is the franchisee required to spend a minimum amount on local advertising or marketing, as a percentage of sales or a fixed amount?
YesItem 6
You must spend a minimum of one percent (1%) of your Gross Revenue per month on local advertising and marketing activities.
Must the franchisee participate in a regional advertising cooperative when one exists?
YesItem 11
If a cooperative is established during the term of your Franchise Agreement, you must sign all documents we request and become a member of the cooperative according to the terms of the documents.
Operations
Must the franchisee buy products from a designated distributor?
YesItem 8
You must purchase all equipment, fixtures, furnishings, ingredients, supplies and services, including computer systems and certain software, from our designated suppliers and contractors or in accordance with our specifications.
Must equipment be purchased from designated or approved suppliers?
YesItem 8
You must purchase all equipment, fixtures, furnishings, ingredients, supplies and services, including computer systems and certain software, from our designated suppliers and contractors or in accordance with our specifications.
Payments
Must the franchisee use a payment processor or merchant-services provider designated or approved by the franchisor?
YesItem 8
You must purchase all equipment, fixtures, furnishings, ingredients, supplies and services, including computer systems and certain software, from our designated suppliers and contractors or in accordance with our specifications.
Are royalties and other fees collected by automatic bank debit (ACH or electronic funds transfer) from the franchisee's account?
YesItem 6
You are required to set up authorization at your bank to allow us to electronically transfer funds from your bank account to our bank account.
Must the franchisee participate in a gift card program?
YesItem 8
We are the required supplier for gift cards.
People
Does the franchisor require minimum staffing levels or specific roles?
YesItem 15
Your Coney Waffle outlet must be directly supervised by a general manager.
Point of sale
Must the franchisee use a specific point-of-sale system designated or approved by the franchisor?
YesItem 11
You must purchase and use the point-of-sale system (“POS System”) we specify, and have the latest versions of hardware, software and computer platforms to operate the POS System.
Does the franchisor have independent access to the data in the franchisee's POS or computer system?
YesItem 11
The Square POS software allows us to independently and remotely access all of your sales data, including your Gross Revenue, through the Internet.
Training
Can the franchisor charge the franchisee for additional, refresher or remedial training?
YesItem 6
We reserve the right to impose a reasonable fee for all additional training programs, including the national business meeting or annual convention.
Is attendance at an annual convention or conference mandatory for the franchisee?
YesItem 11
If we require it, you must attend mandatory training programs that we offer for up to three (3) days each year, and an annual conference or national business meeting for up to three (3) days each year, at a location we designate.
The filing answers no to 2 questions
- Is there a franchisee advisory council, association or committee?Item 11
- Does the franchisor or an affiliate receive rebates, commissions or other revenue from designated or approved suppliers?Item 8
The vendor opportunity at CW Franchise CW Franchise is a quick-service restaurant concept headquartered in New Jersey, with 5 total locations as disclosed in its 2024 FDD. Of these, 4 are company-owned and 1 is franchised, making the system small but tightly controlled. For software vendors, the addressable market is limited to these 5 units—but the centralized ownership structure means a single buyer can influence the entire tech stack. The franchisor mandates QuickBooks Online for accounting, leaving significant gaps in POS, operations, and marketing technology that a well-targeted pitch could fill.
Who controls software purchasing Decision-making authority at CW Franchise rests with a single individual: owner Joseph D’Esposito. He is the only executive named in the FDD’s Item 1, and he directly oversees the 4 company-owned locations. The franchised unit, while independently operated, is subject to the franchisor’s mandate for QuickBooks Online, which suggests Mr. D’Esposito maintains control over core technology choices. Our operator footprint data shows no multi-unit franchisees in the system, further centralizing purchasing power. Vendors should approach Mr. D’Esposito at the New Jersey headquarters; there is no separate IT or procurement department. The parent company, CW Holdings, is listed but offers no additional public details, so the owner is the de facto buyer.
Mandated and current tech stack The only mandated software in the 2024 FDD is QuickBooks Online for accounting. The franchise also lists several social media platforms—Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Snapchat, Twitter, and YouTube—as part of its marketing toolkit, though these are not formally mandated. This means the tech stack is minimal: accounting is covered, but there is no disclosed POS, inventory management, scheduling, or CRM system. Vendors selling operational or marketing software can position their products as filling a clear void, with the caveat that the owner must be convinced of the value for a small footprint.
Procurement, renewals, and timing Item 8 of the FDD does not provide any procurement signals, meaning there is no designated supplier list or approved vendor program. The franchise appears to operate on an open-market basis, where the owner selects vendors directly. Franchise agreements are for 10 years, with a single optional renewal of 10 years, subject to conditions including a 25% successor agreement fee, good standing, and execution of a new agreement that may have materially different terms. The single franchised unit’s contract expiration date is unknown, but the renewal window would require six months’ notice. For the 4 company-owned units, there is no franchise agreement renewal cycle; software can be adopted or switched at any time at the owner’s discretion. This makes the company-owned units the most accessible targets for software sales.
How to read the CW Franchise FDD The 2024 FDD is embedded below, providing the source for all data points in this analysis. Use it to verify the buying center, mandated technology, and renewal terms before engaging with the franchise. The FDD is filed with state franchise regulators and contains the standard items required by the FTC. For a ranked list of franchise systems that match your software category, speak with FranCloud.
Ordinary royalty terms
Complete royalty terms are not confirmed.
Questions vendors ask
CW FRANCHISE, answered from the filing
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Operator footprint
CW FRANCHISE’s FDD on file does not disclose a franchisee directory.
Ownership
The portfolio behind CW FRANCHISE
Parent company: CW Holdings, LLC.
Related Quick service restaurant brands
Primary franchise filings · updated August 2026. Read the original filing for definitions, conditions, and qualifications.