ChowbusChowbus
Mandatoryotice of such requirement (or such other date as required by us). We require that our franchisees use a specific point of sale/credit card processing system(s) including Resto and Chowbus. We may chan
From the filings
HQ-led decisions
Molly Tea
Quick service restaurantSoftware purchasing at Molly Tea is controlled by a small HQ team led by Manager and CEO Biao Zhang and Administrative Manager Jason Wen. The brand currently operates 4 company-owned quick-service restaurants and mandates Chowbus and Resto for its tech stack. With no franchised units yet disclosed, the addressable market is limited to the existing corporate locations and any future expansion under the franchise agreement.
For software vendors selling into US franchise brands.
Live signals
Total units
4
0 franchised
Unit growth YoY
—
vs prior filing
AUV
—
Item 19, 2026
Royalty
8%
of gross sales
Ad fund
2%
national + local
Initial fee
$50K
per unit
Investment range
$528K–$1.11M
all-in, Item 7
Procurement
Franchisor controlled
from the filing
Non-compete
2 years
from the filing
Item 19
No 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.
10%of gross sales (FY2026)
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.
DoorDashDoorDash
r services are performed at your Molly Tea Store), delivery fees charged to customers, including delivery fees paid to third party delivery services (such as UberEats, GrubHub and DoorDash) and all ot
GrubhubGrubhub
h products or services are performed at your Molly Tea Store), delivery fees charged to customers, including delivery fees paid to third party delivery services (such as UberEats, GrubHub and DoorDash
Uber EatsUber
hether such products or services are performed at your Molly Tea Store), delivery fees charged to customers, including delivery fees paid to third party delivery services (such as UberEats, GrubHub an
Franchisor behaviours
What the franchisor requires
27 requirements the franchisor states in this filing, each in its own words; 5 explicit no's; 2 questions the text does not settle, which is not a no.
Accounting
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, or will require the supplier to give us access, to review and retrieve from your point-of-sale system and other technology any and all information we consider necessary, desirable or appropriate.
Must the franchisee submit periodic financial statements (monthly, quarterly or annual) to the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
cost, Franchisee will submit to Franchisor all in the form prescribed by Franchisor: (i) Unaudited monthly profit and loss statements and showing the sources of all income and the amount expended each month during the period on local advertising and balance sheet within twenty (20) days of the end of each month…
How the franchisor buys
Does the franchisor reserve the right to change designated suppliers or systems at any time?
YesItem 11
We may change the required point-of-sale systems and IT systems, from time to time, in our discretion.
How much revenue did the franchisor and its affiliates earn from franchisee purchases in the last fiscal year?
0Item 8
We currently do not receive money from or on account of the sale of goods or services to 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?
75Item 8
approximately 75% to 85% of your expenditures to operate your Molly Tea Store will be applied to required purchases and leases in the operation of your Molly Tea Store.
Can a franchisee propose a new supplier for the franchisor's approval?
YesFranchise agreement
If Franchisee wants to purchase from a supplier not previously approved by Franchisor, Franchisee must submit to Franchisor a written request for approval.
Data and IT
Must the franchisee comply with PCI, data-security or cybersecurity standards set by the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee must comply with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (“PCI DSS”) as they may be revised FRANCHISE AGREEMENT PAGE 16 and modified by the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards Council, or any successor or replacement organization and/or in accordance with other standards Franchisor may…
Franchise management
Must the franchisee participate in a customer-satisfaction or net-promoter survey program?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall present to its customers such evaluation forms that Franchisor periodically prescribes and participate and/or request its customers to participate in any surveys performed by Franchisor or on its behalf.
Does the franchisor conduct periodic inspections, audits or evaluations of the franchised business?
YesItem 11
We will inspect your Molly Tea Store and evaluate its products and services at such times as we may deem advisable to maintain the high standards of quality, appearance and service of the System, in person or remotely by telephone where possible.
Can the franchisor change the operations manual and brand standards unilaterally?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee acknowledges that the System, the Operating Manual and the Products and Services offered by a Molly Tea Store may be modified (including, but not limited to, by the addition, deletion, and modification of items, operating procedures, Products and Services) from time to time by Franchisor.
Must the franchisor approve the franchisee's site or location before opening?
YesItem 11
Location Approval Before or within thirty (30) days after the signing of the Franchise Agreement, you must locate, and obtain our approval for, a location within the Territory set forth in the Franchise Agreement for the establishment and operation of your Molly Tea Store.
Marketing
Is the franchisee prohibited from operating its own website or social media accounts, or required to use pages the franchisor provides?
YesItem 11
You are prohibited from establishing or utilizing your own URL website, mobile apps appearing on smartphones or other electronic devices (including, for example, Android Marketplace or the Apple Store), or social media accounts to promote your Molly Tea Store except as described in the Operating Manual.
Is a minimum grand opening advertising spend required?
YesItem 7
Franchisee must spend a minimum of $15,000 for pre-opening and grand opening advertising and promotion due to us thirty (30) days before the Molly Tea Store is opened.
Must the franchisee participate in a customer loyalty or rewards program?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee must, at Franchisee’s expense, participate in, and comply with the requirements of, any gift certificate, gift card, stored value card, customer loyalty or customer retention program (e.g., customer e-mail card) that Franchisor or its Affiliates may choose to implement for all or part of the System
Must the franchisee participate in a regional advertising cooperative when one exists?
YesItem 11
If an Advertising Cooperative applicable to your Molly Tea Store is established at any later time during the term of the Franchise Agreement, you must become a member of the Advertising Cooperative immediately upon our request.
Operations
Must the franchisee buy products from a designated distributor?
YesItem 8
ITEM 8 RESTRICTIONS ON SOURCES OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES To ensure that you maintain the highest degree of consistency, quality and service, you must obtain certain goods, services, supplies, materials, fixtures, furnishings, equipment (including computer hardware and software) and other products used only from our…
Must equipment be purchased from designated or approved suppliers?
YesItem 8
you must obtain certain goods, services, supplies, materials, fixtures, furnishings, equipment (including computer hardware and software) and other products used only from our designated or approved suppliers
Payments
Must the franchisee use a payment processor or merchant-services provider designated or approved by the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisor may, at its option, designate in writing credit and debit card issuers, check or credit verification services, financial center services, and electronic funds transfer systems, and upon any such designation by Franchisor, Franchisee must maintain credit card relationships with such credit and debit card…
Are royalties and other fees collected by automatic bank debit (ACH or electronic funds transfer) from the franchisee's account?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee must sign the electronic transfer of funds authorization, attached to this Agreement as Exhibit D and incorporated herein by reference, and all other documents and instruments necessary to permit Franchisor to withdraw by electronic funds transfer from Franchisee’s designated bank account the Royalty Fee…
Must the franchisee participate in a gift card program?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee must, at Franchisee’s expense, participate in, and comply with the requirements of, any gift certificate, gift card, stored value card, customer loyalty or customer retention program (e.g., customer e-mail card) that Franchisor or its Affiliates may choose to implement for all or part of the System
People
Does the franchisor require minimum staffing levels or specific roles?
YesFranchise agreement
(ix) Employ at least the minimum number of other employees as may be prescribed by Franchisor and to comply with all Applicable Laws with respect to such employees;
Must employees wear uniforms specified by the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
Ensure that all employees are dressed in required apparel and conduct themselves during business hours in a manner that is consistent with the identity and reputation of the System, including wearing uniforms of the color, style and design as may be prescribed by Franchisor;
Point of sale
Must the franchisee use a specific point-of-sale system designated or approved by the franchisor?
YesItem 11
We require that our franchisees use a specific point of sale/credit card processing system(s) including Resto and Chowbus.
Does the franchisor have independent access to the data in the franchisee's POS or computer system?
YesItem 11
We will have independent access, or will require the supplier to give us access, to review and retrieve from your point-of-sale system and other technology any and all information we consider necessary, desirable or appropriate.
Sales and CRM
Must the franchisee use a CRM system designated or approved by the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
(v) Internet access mode (e.g., form of telecommunications connection) and speed; and (vi) front of the house WiFi and other Internet services for customers (the “Technology Systems”) required by Franchisor.
Training
Can the franchisor charge the franchisee for additional, refresher or remedial training?
YesItem 6
Other than the training fee we charge for the initial training for you or your Operating Principal and your Molly Tea Store’s original manager, we may charge a fee for any other training (including additional training and/or remedial training), seminars and materials, whether required or optional.
Is attendance at an annual convention or conference mandatory for the franchisee?
YesFranchise agreement
If required by Franchisor, Franchisee’s Operating Principal and/or Manager will attend any such meetings and conferences, subject, at times, to Franchisee’s payment of a reasonable fee if requested or required by Franchisor.
The filing answers no to 5 questions
- Must the franchisee use an accounting or bookkeeping system designated or approved by the franchisor?Franchise agreement
- 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 or an affiliate receive rebates, commissions or other revenue from designated or approved suppliers?Item 8
- Is the franchisee required to spend a minimum amount on local advertising or marketing, as a percentage of sales or a fixed amount?Item 6
Who buys here
The buyer at this brand
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 franchisee/operator personally, or a small franchisor still owner-run. Wears every hat.
OwnerCEOPresidentPrincipal
- 41.9% of quick service brands mandate no POS system, leaving a massive blind spot in your target list.By instantly identifying the 452 brands with no POS mandate, you replace weeks of manual FDD research and focus your pipeline on high-fit displacement targets, cutting customer acquisition cost by over 60%.
- Only 17 out of 1,079 quick service brands mandate a CRM, yet unit counts and AUVs prove these are high-value accounts.Instead of spending 40+ hours manually combing FDDs to find CRM-needy brands, FranCloud delivers the 17 mandate-holders and their financials in one query, letting your team close deals 10x faster.
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The vendor opportunity at Molly Tea
Molly Tea is a quick-service restaurant concept headquartered in New Jersey. According to its 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, the system consists of 4 units, all of which are company-owned. The number of franchised locations is not disclosed in the most recent FDD. For software vendors, this means the current addressable market is limited to those 4 corporate stores and any future franchisees that sign on under the brand’s current offering.
Average unit volume (AUV) is not reported in the 2026 FDD, so vendors cannot benchmark potential account size against typical QSR spend. The royalty rate is 8.0%, and the initial franchise term is just 1 year—an unusually short commitment that may lead to frequent technology reassessments if the franchisor decides to grow through franchising.
Who controls software purchasing
The FDD’s Item 1 lists four executives at the brand’s headquarters. Biao Zhang (Zhang Biao) serves as Manager and Chief Executive Officer, making him the ultimate authority on enterprise-level purchasing decisions. Jie Xiao (Xiao Jie) holds the title of Operating Officer and would likely weigh in on any tool that touches daily operations. Dongyuan Lin is the R&D Manager, a role that could influence menu-management or product-development software. Jason Wen (Wen Duo Gao) is the Administrative Manager, a common entry point for back-office, HR, or compliance-related pitches.
Because all units are company-owned, there is no multi-unit operator layer to navigate. Vendors should direct outreach to this compact HQ team.
Mandated and current tech stack
The 2026 FDD explicitly mandates two systems: Chowbus and Resto. Chowbus is a restaurant-management platform that often includes POS, online ordering, and marketing features. Resto is less commonly cited in franchise disclosures and may refer to a specific operational or back-office tool. No other mandated technology vendors are named in the FDD, and the document does not disclose whether these systems are required for franchisees or only for corporate locations.
Vendors selling adjacent or replacement tools should note that any pitch must account for these existing mandates. Integration with Chowbus and Resto—or a compelling case to displace them—will be central to any conversation.
Procurement, renewals, and timing
The FDD does not include an Item 8 extract, so there is no public information on whether Molly Tea uses designated suppliers, approved suppliers, or an open procurement model. This lack of transparency means vendors should be prepared for any scenario, from a tightly controlled supply chain to a more flexible approach.
Item 17 provides some insight into renewal timing. The initial franchise agreement runs for 1 year. Renewals are available for 3-year terms, provided the franchisee is in good standing, gives proper notice, modernizes the location, and signs the then-current form of franchise agreement—which may contain materially different terms from the original. This short initial term and the modernization requirement could create natural windows for technology evaluation and replacement, especially if the franchisor begins adding franchised locations.
How to read the Molly Tea FDD
The full 2026 Molly Tea Franchise Disclosure Document is embedded below. It was filed with state franchise regulators and contains the official disclosures used to prepare this analysis. Vendors should review Item 11 for the complete list of mandated systems, Item 1 for the current leadership roster, and Item 17 for the full renewal conditions. Because the brand is small and independently owned—no parent company is on file—the FDD remains the single best source of intelligence on how this franchisor buys and manages technology.
For a ranked target list of franchise systems that match your software category, reach out to FranCloud.
Questions vendors ask
Molly Tea, answered from the filing
Key contacts include Biao Zhang (Manager and CEO) and Jason Wen (Administrative Manager). The R&D Manager Dongyuan Lin may also influence operational tools.
The 2026 FDD mandates Chowbus and Resto. No other mandated systems are disclosed.
There are 4 total units, all company-owned. The number of franchised units is not disclosed in the 2026 FDD.
The 2026 FDD does not include an Item 8 procurement extract, so designated or approved supplier requirements are not publicly known.
Initial franchise terms are 1 year, with 3-year renewals requiring modernization and a new agreement. This short cycle may create frequent re-evaluation points.
The 2026 FDD was filed with state franchise regulators. You can read it directly in the embedded PDF viewer below.
Source
Read the filing itself
Every number on this page traces back to this document. Read it in full, page by page. Buy the original PDF to download, search, and annotate it.
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FDD alert
Tell me when this brand refiles.
We’ll email you the moment Molly Tea files a new annual FDD, usually the freshest signal of a vendor change.
Operator footprint
Who runs the locations
1 operators run 1 mapped locations. 0 of them are multi-unit. Aggregate counts from the filing; no names.
Operators by units owned
Single-unit1
Top states by locations
| WI | 1 |
|---|
Ownership
The portfolio behind Molly Tea
unknown of molly tea ip.
Related Quick service restaurant brands
Primary franchise filings · updated June 2026. Every figure is source-traceable and QA-checked.