From the filings
Software purchasing decisions at Lapels Dry Cleaning are driven by the executive team at the franchisor's headquarters in Florida. The brand mandates specific operational technology, including Cents for laundromat operations and SPOT for plant, satellite, and delivery management. The total number of franchised and company-owned units is not disclosed in the most recent FDD.
For software vendors selling into US franchise brands.
Live signals
Ongoing fee load
The recurring percentage of gross sales named in this filing, before rent, labour or any technology fee.
4%of gross sales (FY2026)
15% reference
Franchisor behaviours
22 requirements the franchisor states in this filing, each in its own words; 5 explicit no's; 7 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 8
We reserve the right to require you to use a designated or approved accounting and financial reporting system or service provider capable of capturing and reporting your business’s financial performance, including profit and loss statements and other financial data.
Does the franchisor have direct or independent electronic access to the franchisee's financial, sales or customer records?
YesItem 11
We will have independent access to all POS System data (except credit card related data and/or other data as prohibited by law) including transaction and customer contact related data recorded or otherwise stored in your POS System.
Must the franchisee submit periodic financial statements (monthly, quarterly or annual) to the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
within fifteen (15) days after the end of each calendar month, a profit and loss statement Lapels FA 2026 B for the FRANCHISE for the immediately preceding calendar month and a year-to-date balance sheet as of the end of such month in our approved format;
How the franchisor buys
Is the franchisor or an affiliate itself a supplier of required products, services or systems?
YesItem 8
We are the only approved supplier of this package.
Does the franchisor reserve the right to change designated suppliers or systems at any time?
YesItem 11
We reserve the right to change the Computer System at any time.
How much revenue did the franchisor and its affiliates earn from franchisee purchases in the last fiscal year?
809176Item 8
For the year ending December 31, 2025, our revenue from the sale of equipment and products to franchisees was $809,176, or twenty-five percent (25%) of our total revenue.
Does the franchisor or an affiliate receive rebates, commissions or other revenue from designated or approved suppliers?
YesItem 8
From time to time, we may receive revenue, rebates, discounts or other material consideration from suppliers based on your required purchases of products, supplies or equipment.
Does the franchisor charge a fee to evaluate a proposed supplier?
YesItem 8
If you would like us to evaluate a new supplier, you will pay us $200 plus actual expenses for testing such product or supplier.
Can a franchisee propose a new supplier for the franchisor's approval?
YesItem 8
You may ask us to review and approve new suppliers or products.
Communications
Does the franchisor own or control the business telephone numbers, or take them over when the agreement ends?
YesFranchise agreement
You hereby appoint us as your attorney-in-fact to do any act necessary in your name to effect the intent of this paragraph;
Franchise management
Must the franchisee participate in a customer-satisfaction or net-promoter survey program?
YesFranchise agreement
You agree to present to your customers such evaluation forms that we periodically prescribe and to participate and/or request your customers to participate in any surveys performed by us or on our behalf.
Does the franchisor conduct periodic inspections, audits or evaluations of the franchised business?
YesFranchise agreement
Agreement and System Standards, we and our designated agents have the right at any time during regular business hours, and without prior notice to you, to:
Can the franchisor change the operations manual and brand standards unilaterally?
YesFranchise agreement
The Operations Manual may be modified from time to time to reflect changes in System Standards, and you agree to comply with all such modifications.
Must the franchisor approve the franchisee's site or location before opening?
YesItem 12
You may operate your Plant, Satellite Store or Laundromat only at the fixed location that we have approved, and you may not relocate the Store without our approval.
Marketing
Is the franchisee prohibited from operating its own website or social media accounts, or required to use pages the franchisor provides?
YesItem 11
In order to protect the integrity of our trademarks and avoid confusion, we require that the only website you use in connection with your Lapels Business is the one we have created for and provided to you to use.
Is the franchisee required to spend a minimum amount on local advertising or marketing, as a percentage of sales or a fixed amount?
YesItem 11
You will be required to spend at least one percent (1%) of your Lapels Business’s Gross Revenue for local advertising and marketing.
Operations
Must the franchisee buy products from a designated distributor?
YesItem 8
You must purchase all equipment, supplies and services 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, supplies and services from our designated suppliers and contractors or in accordance with our specifications.
Payments
Are royalties and other fees collected by automatic bank debit (ACH or electronic funds transfer) from the franchisee's account?
YesFranchise agreement
We will directly debit your designated bank account for the weekly Royalty Fee, which we will calculate based on information we obtain, or estimate if such information is not made available to us.
Point of sale
Must the franchisee use a specific point-of-sale system designated or approved by the franchisor?
YesItem 11
You must use the computer hardware, software and POS system provided, and you must continue to comply with computer specifications that we periodically establish, including hardware components, point of sale software, dedicated phone/cable/modem/power lines, printers and other computer-related accessories and…
Does the franchisor have independent access to the data in the franchisee's POS or computer system?
YesItem 11
We will have independent access to all POS System data (except credit card related data and/or other data as prohibited by law) including transaction and customer contact related data recorded or otherwise stored in your POS System.
Training
Can the franchisor charge the franchisee for additional, refresher or remedial training?
YesItem 11
We may conduct mandatory or optional additional refresher training programs from time to time (FA 3.2).
Who buys here
The decision-maker a vendor sells to at this scale, and the gaps they’re paid to close, derived from our data by segment and unit count, not a guess.
The franchisor's owner/CEO decides; an ops or franchise-development lead may evaluate.
Lapels Dry Cleaning operates in the home services segment with its headquarters in Florida. The brand's franchise system size is not disclosed in the 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, meaning the total addressable unit count for software vendors is unconfirmed. The royalty rate is set at 2.0% of gross sales, and the initial franchise term runs for 10 years. Average unit volume is not reported in the FDD.
The franchisor mandates specific technology platforms, which signals a centralized approach to operations. For software vendors, this means the path to adoption runs through the corporate office rather than individual franchisees. The executive team controls the technology stack, and any new solution must align with the existing mandated systems or demonstrate a clear operational advantage that justifies a change in standards.
The buying center at Lapels Dry Cleaning is concentrated at the headquarters level. Kevin A. DuBois serves as Chief Executive Officer, with David Grippi as Chief Operating Officer and Jennifer Fields as Vice President of Franchise Operations. These three roles form the core decision-making unit for operational technology. Michael Eisner, Vice President of Franchise Development, and Jack V. Brand, Director of Legal Operations, may also influence purchasing decisions related to franchise compliance and legal review of vendor agreements.
Because the franchisor mandates specific systems, the evaluation process likely involves operational leadership assessing how a proposed tool integrates with existing platforms like Cents and SPOT. Vendors should prepare to demonstrate compatibility with these mandated systems and articulate value in terms of operational efficiency or franchisee compliance.
The 2026 FDD explicitly mandates two technology platforms. Cents is required for laundromat operations, covering point-of-sale and business management functions specific to that environment. SPOT is mandated for plant, satellite, and delivery operations, suggesting a multi-location workflow that includes centralized production and distributed customer touchpoints.
These mandates mean the existing tech stack is not optional for franchisees. Any software vendor pitching a complementary or replacement solution must address integration with Cents and SPOT. The franchisor has already invested in standardizing these platforms, so the bar for switching or adding new mandated systems is high. Vendors offering tools that layer on top of these systems—such as marketing automation, customer engagement, or advanced analytics—may find a more receptive audience than those proposing rip-and-replace scenarios.
The FDD does not include an Item 8 extract detailing the procurement model. Without this information, it is unclear whether Lapels Dry Cleaning uses a designated supplier model, an approved supplier list, or an open procurement process. Vendors should inquire directly about supplier qualification requirements during initial outreach.
Franchise agreements carry a 10-year initial term. Item 17 outlines renewal conditions: franchisees must bring their operations up to current standards, model, and décor, sign the then-current form of franchise agreement, and pay a successor franchise fee equal to 25% of the then-current initial franchise fee. The renewal agreement may contain terms materially different from the original. This renewal cycle creates natural inflection points where the franchisor may update technology mandates or introduce new systems. Vendors should monitor renewal cohorts and align outreach with periods when the franchisor is likely evaluating operational standards.
The 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document is the primary source for understanding Lapels Dry Cleaning's operational requirements, executive structure, and franchise terms. Key sections for software vendors include Item 11, which details the franchisor's obligations and mandated systems, and Item 17, which covers renewal and transfer conditions that affect technology adoption cycles. Item 8, if available, would clarify procurement restrictions and approved supplier processes.
The embedded PDF viewer below provides full access to the FDD. Reviewing the document directly is essential for validating the information summarized here and identifying additional details relevant to your product category. For a ranked target list of franchise brands matched to your software category, FranCloud can help prioritize your outreach based on technology mandates, unit counts, and decision-maker profiles.
Questions vendors ask
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FDD alert
We’ll email you the moment Lapels Dry Cleaning files a new annual FDD, usually the freshest signal of a vendor change.
Operator footprint
52 operators run 81 mapped locations. 17 of them are multi-unit. Aggregate counts from the filing; no names.
Operators by units owned
Top states by locations
| MA | 26 |
|---|---|
| TX | 8 |
| NC | 7 |
| TN | 7 |
| AZ | 6 |
Ownership
unknown of clean franchise brands.
Related Home services brands
Primary franchise filings · updated June 2026. Every figure is source-traceable and QA-checked.