Dash In Food Centers

The vendor opportunity at Dash In Food Centers

Dash In Food Centers operates 56 locations, 42 of which are franchised and 14 company-owned, according to its 2023 Franchise Disclosure Document. The brand is headquartered in Maryland and shows a year-over-year unit decline of roughly 2.3%, indicating a consolidating rather than expanding footprint. For software vendors, this means a concentrated, single-HQ sales target rather than a sprawling operator network. The FDD names no parent company, suggesting independent ownership, and our corpus contains no mapped operator contacts, reinforcing that the corporate office is the sole buying center.

Who controls software purchasing

The 2023 FDD Item 1 lists the executive team: Julian B. Wills, III serves as Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer; Mark Samuels is Vice President; J.B. “Lock” Wills, Jr. is Treasurer; Kenneth J. Halperin is Assistant Secretary; and Brian Chase holds the title Director of Operations. In a chain of this size, the CEO and Director of Operations are the most likely decision-makers for technology selection and vendor approvals. There is no separate CIO or CTO named, so any software pitch should be directed at operations leadership and the executive suite.

Mandated and current tech stack

Dash In mandates three technology vendors in its FDD: Gilbarco, NCR, and Verifone. These systems are required for franchisees, meaning any new software must either integrate with or replace components of this existing stack. Gilbarco typically covers fuel dispensers and forecourt controllers, NCR provides point-of-sale and back-office solutions, and Verifone handles payment terminals. Vendors offering complementary tools—such as loyalty, inventory, labor scheduling, or advanced reporting—will need to demonstrate compatibility with this mandated core.

Procurement, renewals, and timing

The FDD does not include an Item 8 procurement extract, so the formal purchasing model—whether designated supplier, approved supplier, or open—is not publicly disclosed. However, the renewal terms in Item 17 offer a window into timing. Franchise agreements run for an initial 10-year term. To renew, a franchisee must notify the franchisor 15 to 18 months before expiration. The franchisor then has six months to inspect the location and issue a remediation report, which the franchisee must satisfy within another six months. This process creates a natural evaluation period where technology upgrades or new vendor adoption could occur, particularly if operational deficiencies are identified. The renewal fee is 50% of the then-current initial franchise fee, and franchisees must sign the then-current form of agreement, which may include updated technology requirements.

How to read the Dash In FDD

The full 2023 Dash In Food Centers Franchise Disclosure Document is embedded below. It contains the complete Item 1 executive roster, Item 11 mandated supplier list, and Item 17 renewal conditions referenced throughout this page. Reviewing the FDD directly is the best way to verify the decision-maker names, mandated vendors, and contractual triggers that shape the software sales opportunity at this brand.

For a ranked list of franchise systems that match your software category, FranCloud can map the entire market by tech stack, decision-maker level, and unit count.