Whip AroundWhip Around
Mandatoryinventory, reporting, and other financial information. We estimate that accounting software will cost between $250 and $1,000 to purchase. You must also maintain a subscription to Whiparound. As of th
From the filings
+48% units YoYHQ-led decisions
Fireside
LodgingFireside operates 37 franchised units (2025 FDD) with 48% year-over-year unit growth. The FDD names Garr Russell as Agent for Service of Process; no additional headquarters executives are disclosed, indicating a small, owner-led decision-making structure. The brand mandates QuickBooks and Whiparound, creating an immediate integration opportunity for vendors that complement or connect with those systems.
For software vendors selling into US franchise brands.
Live signals
Total units
37
37 franchised
Unit growth YoY
+48%
vs prior filing
AUV
—
Item 19, 2025
Royalty
10%
of gross sales
Ad fund
1%
national + local
Initial fee
—
per unit
Investment range
$38K–$80K
all-in, Item 7
Procurement
Standards based
from the filing
Non-compete
2 years
from the filing
Item 19
Claims
from the filing
Ongoing fee load
What the operator pays every month
The recurring percentage of gross sales named in this filing, before rent, labour or any technology fee.
11%of gross sales (FY2025)
15% reference
Mandated & recommended tech
The systems vendors compete with
1 of these are mandated in the franchise agreement. Each is named in Item 11 of the filing, the incumbents a challenger must displace or integrate with.
FacebookMeta
quired to spend any amount of advertising in the area or territory where any particular franchisee is located. We will maintain the brand website and social media accounts such as Facebook and Instagr
InstagramMeta
nd any amount of advertising in the area or territory where any particular franchisee is located. We will maintain the brand website and social media accounts such as Facebook and Instagram. We have n
QuickBooksIntuit
pays a fee for pickup and delivery. The high estimate assumes you purchase a tow vehicle for use in the business. 3. We recommend that you purchase an accounting platform such as QuickBooks. You must
Franchisor behaviours
What the franchisor requires
19 requirements the franchisor states in this filing, each in its own words; 7 explicit no's; 8 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 use such customer data management, sales data management, administrative, bookkeeping, accounting, and inventory control procedures and systems as Fireside RV Franchising may specify in the Manual or otherwise in writing.
Does the franchisor have direct or independent electronic access to the franchisee's financial, sales or customer records?
YesItem 11
You must give us independent access to the information that will be generated or stored in these systems.
Must the franchisee submit periodic financial statements (monthly, quarterly or annual) to the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall provide such periodic financial reports as Fireside RV Franchising may require in the Manual or otherwise in writing, including: (i) a monthly profit and loss statement and balance sheet for the Business within 30 days after the end of each calendar month; (ii) an annual financial statement…
How the franchisor buys
Does the franchisor reserve the right to change designated suppliers or systems at any time?
YesItem 11
We reserve the right to require you to change or modify any hardware and software used in the business.
Does the franchisor or an affiliate receive rebates, commissions or other revenue from designated or approved suppliers?
YesFranchise agreement
Fireside RV Franchising may receive rebates, payments or other consideration from vendors in connection with purchases by franchisees.
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?
60Item 8
We estimate that the required purchases and leases of goods and services to operate your business are 60% to 70% of your total purchases and leases of goods and services to operate your business.
Can a franchisee propose a new supplier for the franchisor's approval?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee must submit a written request for approval and any information, specifications and/or samples requested by Fireside RV Franchising.
Communications
Does the franchisor own or control the business telephone numbers, or take them over when the agreement ends?
YesFranchise agreement
notify the telephone, internet, email, electronic network, directory, and listing entities of the termination or expiration of Franchisee’s right to use any numbers, addresses, domain names, locators, directories and listings associated with any of the Marks, and authorize their transfer to Fireside RV Franchising or…
Data and IT
Must the franchisee comply with PCI, data-security or cybersecurity standards set by the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee must at all times comply with payment card industry data security standards (PCI-DSS).
Franchise management
Must the franchisee participate in a customer-satisfaction or net-promoter survey program?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall participate at its own expense in programs required from time to time by Fireside RV Franchising for obtaining customer evaluations, reviewing Franchisee’s compliance with the System, and/or managing customer complaints, which may include (but are not limited to) a customer feedback system, customer…
Does the franchisor conduct periodic inspections, audits or evaluations of the franchised business?
YesFranchise agreement
Fireside RV Franchising may enter the premises of the Business from time to time during normal business hours and conduct an inspection.
Can the franchisor change the operations manual and brand standards unilaterally?
YesItem 8
We may issue new specifications and standards for any aspect of our brand system, or modify existing specifications and standards, at any time by revising our Manual and/or issuing new written directives (which may be communicated to you by any method we choose).
Must the franchisor approve the franchisee's site or location before opening?
YesItem 11
Your site is subject to our approval.
Marketing
Must the franchisee participate in a customer loyalty or rewards program?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall sell or otherwise issue gift cards, certificates, or other pre-paid systems, and participate in any customer loyalty programs, membership/subscription programs, or customer incentive programs, designated by Fireside RV Franchising, in the manner specified by Fireside RV Franchising in the Manual or…
Payments
Must the franchisee use a payment processor or merchant-services provider designated or approved by the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall purchase or lease all equipment and enter into all business relationships necessary to accept payments as required by Fireside RV Franchising.
Must the franchisee participate in a gift card program?
YesFranchise agreement
At its own expense, Franchisee shall sell or otherwise issue gift cards, certificates, or other pre-paid systems, and participate in any customer loyalty programs, membership/subscription programs, or customer incentive programs, designated by Fireside RV Franchising, in the manner specified by Fireside RV…
Point of sale
Does the franchisor have independent access to the data in the franchisee's POS or computer system?
YesItem 11
You must give us independent access to the information that will be generated or stored in these systems.
Training
Can the franchisor charge the franchisee for additional, refresher or remedial training?
YesItem 11
We do not currently require additional training programs or refresher courses, but we have the right to do so.
Is attendance at an annual convention or conference mandatory for the franchisee?
YesFranchise agreement
The Principal Executive shall use reasonable efforts to attend all in-person meetings and remote meetings (such as telephone conference calls) that Fireside RV Franchising requires, including any national or regional brand conventions.
The filing answers no to 7 questions
- Is the franchisor or an affiliate itself a supplier of required products, services or systems?Item 8
- Is there a franchisee advisory council, association or committee?Item 11
- Does the franchisor charge a fee to evaluate a proposed supplier?Item 8
- Is the franchisee prohibited from operating its own website or social media accounts, or required to use pages the franchisor provides?Franchise agreement
- Is the franchisee required to spend a minimum amount on local advertising or marketing, as a percentage of sales or a fixed amount?Item 11
- Must the franchisee participate in a regional advertising cooperative when one exists?Item 11
- Must equipment be purchased from designated or approved suppliers?Item 8
The vendor opportunity at Fireside
Fireside is a lodging franchise system headquartered in Florida, with 37 franchised units per its 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document. The brand grew at 48% year-over-year, adding roughly 12 units in the latest period. For a lodging concept, each unit is a distinct property, often requiring its own set of operational software — a multilying factor for vendors. While the FDD does not disclose average unit volume, typical lodging franchisees can generate significant revenue, making each location a meaningful account. The franchisees pay a 10% royalty on gross revenue, leaving likely health margins for technology investment. With no company-owned units, the entire network is addressable to third-party software sellers.
Who controls software purchasing
The FDD names a single individual: Garr Russell, Agent for Service of Process. No additional executive, IT, or operations personnel are listed, pointing to an owner-operator management style where Garr Russell likely makes all strategic purchasing decisions. There is no parent company to introduce a corporate procurement layer, so the path to a software sale is direct: build a relationship with Garr Russell. Vendors should approach this as they would a founder-led startup — emphasizing ROI, ease of use, and a hands-on pilot, because the buyer is also the operator.
Tech named in the FDD, and what is actually required
The FDD mandates two software systems: QuickBooks (accounting) and Whiparound (fleet management, commonly used for vehicle inspections and maintenance). Every franchisee must use these, making them the default financial and fleet backbone. For vendors, that creates integration opportunities: an API connection to QuickBooks or data syncing with Whiparound can position your tool as a natural add-on. The FDD also mentions Facebook and Instagram, but these are not required — they appear simply as named platforms, not operational mandates. Beyond these four, no other third-party software is referenced in the 2025 filing. This means the POS, property management system (PMS), CRM, and marketing stack are entirely open — a green field for software vendors who can solve lodging-specific challenges.
Procurement, renewals, and timing
Item 8 and Item 17 summaries are not available in this extract, so the formal procurement model and renewal terms are unknown. However, the absence of a designated supplier requirement often indicates that franchisees are free to choose their own vendors, subject to headquarters’ approval. The 10-year initial term means renewals are infrequent, but the rapid unit growth — 48% — creates a continual stream of new locations that need to be set up from scratch. Each new franchisee entering the system presents a captive sales moment for onboarding software. Because there is no parent company bureaucracy, establishing a preferred-vendor recommendation from Garr Russell could quickly convert into multiple unit sales.
How to read the Fireside FDD
The full 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document is embedded below. It was filed with state franchise regulators in 2025, making this the most current public disclosure. FranCloud’s viewer pulls out the technology and procurement clauses so you can skip the legal boilerplate and focus on what matters for your sales pipeline. Use this page for the tech stack snapshot, decision-maker insight, and market timing; use the viewer for the full contractual text. For a prioritized list of franchise systems that fit your software category, contact FranCloud.
Questions vendors ask
Fireside, answered from the filing
Garr Russell is the Agent for Service of Process; no additional executives are listed in the FDD. Vendors should approach Garr Russell as the likely sole decision-maker.
The FDD mandates QuickBooks (accounting) and Whiparound (fleet management). Facebook and Instagram are named but not required.
The 2025 FDD reports 37 franchised units, all company-owned unknown. This represents a rapidly growing footprint with 48% year-over-year growth.
Item8 is not extracted in the FDD summary, so the procurement model is not disclosed. Vendors should inquire directly with headquarters.
Item17 renewal signal is not available. With an initial term of 10 years and 48% growth, new units opening may create regular vendor opportunities.
The 2025 FDD is available in the embedded viewer below. It was filed with state franchise regulators in 2025. Do not contact the depository; use FranCloud's FDD reader for full text.
Source
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FDD alert
Tell me when this brand refiles.
We’ll email you the moment Fireside files a new annual FDD, usually the freshest signal of a vendor change.
Operator footprint
Fireside’s FDD on file does not disclose a franchisee directory.
Related Lodging brands
Primary franchise filings · updated September 2026. Every figure is source-traceable and QA-checked.