Kids United

The vendor opportunity at Kids United

Kids United operates 21 total units—19 franchised and 2 company-owned—according to its 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document. The brand does not report an average unit volume, and year-over-year unit growth is not disclosed. For software vendors, this is a small, concentrated target: a single headquarters buyer and a modest franchisee base, all running on a mandated tech stack.

The royalty rate is 6.5%, and the initial franchise term runs 10 years. While the lack of AUV data makes it harder to model a franchisee’s willingness to spend on software, the mandated systems signal that HQ is willing to enforce technology standards across the network. Vendors selling complementary or replacement tools should frame their pitch around compliance with HQ mandates and operational efficiency for a youth-services business.

Who controls software purchasing

The 2026 FDD lists five executives in Item 1: President Alex Berkovsky, Board Member Alexey Vitashkevich, Chief Operating Officer Michael Marceante, Chief Brand Officer Brian Locascio, and Chief Financial Officer Nathan Sensenig. No chief information officer or technology-specific role is named. In a 21-unit system, software purchasing authority almost certainly sits with the President and COO. Vendors should direct outreach to Berkovsky and Marceante, as they are the most likely decision-makers for operational and financial technology.

Because the system is small and HQ-driven, a single “yes” from the right executive can unlock the entire network. The absence of a named CIO means vendors should be prepared to explain technical value in business terms—labor savings, parent communication, class scheduling efficiency—rather than relying on an IT champion inside the organization.

Mandated and current tech stack

Kids United mandates ZenPlanner for both point-of-sale and register functions. ZenPlanner is a fitness and youth-activity management platform, which aligns with the brand’s youth-services segment. No other mandated or recommended systems are disclosed in the FDD.

For vendors, this creates two immediate angles. First, any software that integrates with ZenPlanner—such as payment processing, marketing automation, or staff scheduling—can position itself as a natural extension of the existing stack. Second, vendors that compete with ZenPlanner modules face a high barrier: the system is mandated, not merely recommended, so displacement requires convincing HQ to change a franchise-wide standard.

Procurement, renewals, and timing

The FDD does not include an Item 8 procurement extract, so the franchisor’s purchasing model—whether designated supplier, approved supplier, or open—is not publicly known. Vendors should assume a controlled procurement environment given the small unit count and the existence of mandated technology.

Renewal terms are spelled out in Item 17. Franchisees must be in good standing, provide written notice of election to renew between six and twelve months before the current term ends, pay any renewal fee, sign a new Franchise Agreement that may contain materially different terms, be current on payments, sign a release, and modernize the business to meet then-current standards. The renewal term is 10 years. Because unit growth data is absent, the most predictable software evaluation windows will cluster around these renewal cycles, when franchisees are already required to update their operations.

How to read the Kids United FDD

The Kids United 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document is embedded below. It was filed with state franchise regulators and contains the full legal and operational disclosures that govern the franchise system. For software vendors, the most relevant sections are Item 1 (executives), Item 11 (mandated systems), Item 8 (procurement restrictions, if present), and Item 17 (renewal and modernization requirements). Reviewing these sections will give you a clear picture of who buys, what they must use, and when they are most likely to consider new tools.

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