Gordo's Bubble Waffles

The vendor opportunity at Gordo's Bubble Waffles

Gordo's Bubble Waffles is a quick-service restaurant concept headquartered in Wisconsin with just 2 company-owned units. The brand has not disclosed any franchised locations, and year-over-year unit growth is not reported in the 2025 FDD. For software vendors, the addressable market is extremely small — 2 units, both under direct corporate control. There is no operator footprint mapped in our corpus, meaning no multi-unit franchisee groups to pursue independently. Every technology decision runs through the home office.

The royalty rate is 6.0%, and the initial franchise term is 5 years. Average unit volume is not disclosed. While the brand's scale is minimal today, vendors who establish a relationship now could be positioned if the franchisor begins awarding franchises. The renewal structure — three additional 5-year terms — suggests a long-term horizon for any location that does open, but with no growth data, the timeline for expansion is unknown.

Who controls software purchasing

All software purchasing authority sits with the executive team at Gordo's Bubble Waffles HQ. The 2025 FDD Item 1 lists three officers: Omar-Alfarouq H. Daher as Chief Executive Officer, Suhib Badwan as President, and Mohammed Otallah as Chief Operating Officer. There is no separate technology or procurement executive named, so the CEO and COO are the most likely decision-makers for any software evaluation. Because the brand operates only company-owned units, there is no franchisee layer to influence or block a sale. A single conversation with the right executive can cover the entire system.

Mandated and current tech stack

The 2025 FDD mandates two technology components. First, the brand requires a system website, which is standard for franchise systems but worth noting as a potential entry point for vendors offering franchise intranet, online ordering, or marketing platform solutions. Second, and more concretely, the FDD mandates Toast by Toast, Inc. as the point-of-sale system. Toast is a well-known cloud-based restaurant POS, and its presence means any software that integrates with Toast — labor scheduling, inventory management, accounting, loyalty — has a technical path into the brand. No other operational or back-office systems are named in the FDD, leaving the rest of the tech stack open or unspecified.

Procurement, renewals, and timing

The FDD does not include an Item 8 procurement extract, so the brand's supplier model — whether designated, approved, or open — is not publicly disclosed. This lack of transparency means vendors should expect to navigate procurement terms directly with HQ rather than relying on a published supplier list.

On renewals, Item 17 provides a clear structure. Franchisees who meet renewal conditions can extend their agreement for three additional 5-year terms. To renew, a franchisee must give 90 to 180 days' written notice, sign the then-current form of agreement, execute a general release, pay a renewal fee, and have each owner personally guarantee the new agreement. This renewal window — 90 to 180 days before the end of a term — is the most predictable trigger for software evaluation, as franchisees may reassess their tech stack when signing a materially different agreement. However, with only 2 company-owned units and no franchised locations disclosed, the next renewal-driven opportunity may be years away or entirely internal.

How to read the Gordo's Bubble Waffles FDD

The full 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document is available in the embedded viewer below. The FDD is filed with state franchise regulators and contains the legal and operational disclosures that govern the brand's franchise offering. For software vendors, the most relevant sections are Item 1 (executive team), Item 11 (mandated systems and suppliers), Item 8 (procurement restrictions), and Item 17 (renewal and transfer terms). These sections reveal who buys, what they already use, and when contracts are likely to open. If you need a ranked target list of franchise brands matched to your software category, FranCloud can build one from this same research methodology.