CareerPlugCareerPlug
Mandatoryam designated by the Franchisor. Franchisee must pay fees associated with the financial management program. Career Plug Employment Application Program. Franchisee must utilize the career plug employme
From the filings
HQ-led decisions
PJ's Coffee of New Orleans
Quick service restaurantSoftware purchasing decisions at PJ's Coffee of New Orleans are controlled at the franchisor headquarters by the executive team, including President David Mesa, Jr., CFE, and the Ballard family principals. The franchise mandates several core operational systems, including a mobile application, loyalty and gift card platform, and financial management software. With 180 total units—167 of which are franchised—the addressable market for a vendor is concentrated at the HQ level.
For software vendors selling into US franchise brands.
Live signals
Total units
180
167 franchised
Unit growth YoY
—
vs prior filing
AUV
$967K
Item 19, 2025
Royalty
5%
of gross sales
Ad fund
2%
national + local
Initial fee
$15K
per unit
Investment range
$281K–$1.68M
all-in, Item 7
Procurement
Approved supplier
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.
7%of gross sales (FY2026)
15% reference
Mandated & recommended tech
The systems vendors compete with
2 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.
QuickBooksIntuit
Mandatorye in Franchisor’s mobile application, loyalty and gift card platform designated by the Franchisor and must pay fees associated with the mobile application. Franchisee must utilize QuickBooks Essential
Franchisor behaviours
What the franchisor requires
31 requirements the franchisor states in this filing, each in its own words; 3 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 utilize the QuickBooks Essentials designated by the Franchisor.
Does the franchisor have direct or independent electronic access to the franchisee's financial, sales or customer records?
YesItem 11
Franchisor will have unlimited independent access to Franchisee’s POS system data, including receipts, reports, and sales information.
Must the franchisee submit periodic financial statements (monthly, quarterly or annual) to the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall submit to Franchisor a monthly Profit and Loss Statement no later than fifteen (15) calendar days following the end of each month, signed and certified by Franchisee with respect to Franchisee’s Unit.
How the franchisor buys
Is the franchisor or an affiliate itself a supplier of required products, services or systems?
YesItem 8
Roast is an affiliate of Franchisor.
Is there a franchisee advisory council, association or committee?
YesItem 20
The following independent franchisee organization has asked to be included in this disclosure document: IAPCF, an Independent Association of PJ’s Coffee Franchisees American Association of Franchisees & Dealers 276 Hazard Ave., Suite 11 Enfield, CT 06082 (619) 209-3775
Does the franchisor reserve the right to change designated suppliers or systems at any time?
YesItem 1
Franchisor may from time to time add or delete products and/or services and change specifications, standards, procedures, and methods of operation and Franchisee will be expected to follow suit.
How much revenue did the franchisor and its affiliates earn from franchisee purchases in the last fiscal year?
421603Item 8
During Franchisor’s last fiscal year that ended on December 28, 2025, Franchisor’s total revenue from suppliers based on purchases of Rebate Products by PJ’s Units was approximately $421,603 or 6.7% of Franchisor’s total revenue of approximately $6,329,916, based on Franchisor’s most recent audited financial…
Does the franchisor or an affiliate receive rebates, commissions or other revenue from designated or approved suppliers?
YesItem 8
Franchisor expects to receive either directly or indirectly, revenue from suppliers based on purchases by Franchisees to cover Franchisor’s expenses, overhead and profit.
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?
30Item 8
Franchisor estimates that Franchisee’s purchases from approved suppliers will range from 25% to 45%, of Franchisee’s total investment depending on the model and from 30% to 35% of Franchisee’s ongoing expenses in the operation of Franchisee’s PJ’s Unit.
Can a franchisee propose a new supplier for the franchisor's approval?
YesItem 8
If Franchisee desires to purchase any items from an unapproved supplier that Franchisee believes meets the specifications of Franchisor, Franchisee and the supplier must submit to Franchisor a written request for approval.
Communications
Does the franchisor own or control the business telephone numbers, or take them over when the agreement ends?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall transfer, disconnect, forward, or assign all telephone/facsimile numbers and domain names used in connection with the former PJ’s Unit, as well as any white and yellow page telephone references, advertisements, and all trade and similar name registrations and business licenses to Franchisor or its…
Data and IT
Must the franchisee comply with PCI, data-security or cybersecurity standards set by the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
The POS System and network must be secure and PCI compliant to protect customer credit card information.
Franchise management
Does the franchisor conduct periodic inspections, audits or evaluations of the franchised business?
YesItem 11
Franchisor will periodically, as it considers necessary, inspect Franchisee’s supplies, merchandise, methods of service and merchandising and speak with Franchisee and Franchisee’s employees to ensure Franchisee is complying with Franchisee’s agreements, Manuals and the standards established for the System.
Can the franchisor change the operations manual and brand standards unilaterally?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee further agrees that changes in the menu, or the standards, specifications and procedures may become necessary from time to time and agrees to accept as reasonable all modifications, revisions and additions to the Manuals as authorized by Franchisor.
Must the franchisor approve the franchisee's site or location before opening?
YesItem 11
The franchise is granted for a location to be approved by Franchisor.
Marketing
Is the franchisee prohibited from operating its own website or social media accounts, or required to use pages the franchisor provides?
YesFranchise agreement
network mediums) or world wide web home page, sign, or form of publicity, including form, color, number, location, and size, shall be used by Franchisee, or any third party engaged by or representing the interest of Franchisee, unless first submitted to Franchisor and approved in writing (except with respect to…
Is a minimum grand opening advertising spend required?
YesItem 7
Franchisee is required to spend $15,000 to promote the grand opening.
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
If Franchisee is not part of a Cooperative, Franchisee must dedicate and spend 1% to 3% of Franchisee’s weekly net sales on local advertising.
Must the franchisee participate in a customer loyalty or rewards program?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall participate in PJ’s customer loyalty program(s) designated by the Franchisor.
Must the franchisee participate in a regional advertising cooperative when one exists?
YesItem 11
If a Cooperative applicable to Franchisee’s PJ’s Unit is established at any time during the term of Franchisee’s Franchise Agreement, Franchisee must become a member of that Cooperative no later than 30 days after the date on which the Cooperative begins operation.
Operations
Must the franchisee buy products from a designated distributor?
YesItem 8
Franchisee must purchase or lease all equipment, inventory, supplies, products, and materials required for the operation of Franchisee’s PJ’s Unit in accordance with specifications set by Franchisor and from approved suppliers, except for general office supplies & equipment and other general business items.
Must equipment be purchased from designated or approved suppliers?
YesItem 8
Franchisee must purchase or lease all equipment, inventory, supplies, products, and materials required for the operation of Franchisee’s PJ’s Unit in accordance with specifications set by Franchisor and from approved suppliers, except for general office supplies & equipment and other general business items.
Payments
Must the franchisee use a payment processor or merchant-services provider designated or approved by the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee also agrees to accept all forms of payment as directed by Franchisor, including certain designated credit and/or debit cards and to purchase or lease all necessary equipment to accept such payment.
Are royalties and other fees collected by automatic bank debit (ACH or electronic funds transfer) from the franchisee's account?
YesItem 6
Franchisor will automatically withdraw all fees from Franchisee’s bank account on a weekly or monthly basis.
Must the franchisee participate in a gift card program?
YesItem 11
Franchisee must participate in Franchisor’s mobile application, loyalty program and gift card platform designated by the Franchisor.
People
Does the franchisor require minimum staffing levels or specific roles?
YesItem 15
Franchisee’s PJ’s Unit must at all times be under the direct, full-time, on-location supervision of Franchisee or a trained and competent employee acting as a full-time manager who has satisfactorily completed Franchisor initial training program.
Must employees wear uniforms specified by the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall cause all employees, while working in the PJ’s Unit, to: (i) wear uniforms of such color, design, and other specifications as Franchisor may designate from time to time;
Point of sale
Must the franchisee use a specific point-of-sale system designated or approved by the franchisor?
YesItem 11
Franchisee must purchase the POS System currently approved by PJ’s, or other POS System that Franchisor may require in the future.
Does the franchisor have independent access to the data in the franchisee's POS or computer system?
YesItem 11
Franchisor will have unlimited independent access to Franchisee’s POS system data, including receipts, reports, and sales information.
Training
Can the franchisor charge the franchisee for additional, refresher or remedial training?
YesItem 11
Franchisor also offers additional optional management and on-site training programs, including both advanced and refresher training, for Franchisee and Franchisee’s employees.
Is attendance at an annual convention or conference mandatory for the franchisee?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee must attend all PJ’s Annual Conventions unless exigent circumstances exist, and Franchisee receives Franchisor’s prior approval not to attend.
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.
HQ leadership: CEO/President + VP Ops/Franchise + a first dedicated IT/systems owner.
VP SalesHead of SalesCROSales Director
- 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%.
- 82.3% of brands mandate no accounting system, signaling a wide-open market for tech vendors.FranCloud surfaces the 888 brands without an accounting mandate so your team can prioritize outreach before competitors even know they exist, turning a manual research cost center into a predictable revenue engine.
- 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.
The vendor opportunity at PJ's Coffee
PJ's Coffee of New Orleans operates 180 total units in the quick-service restaurant space, with a heavy franchisee tilt: 167 franchised locations against just 13 company-owned stores. For a software vendor, this structure means the franchisor holds significant sway over technology adoption. The average unit volume sits at $967,132, and franchisees pay a 5.0% royalty. While year-over-year unit growth is not disclosed in the 2026 FDD, the existing base of 180 locations represents a concentrated, single-decision-maker opportunity if you can win over the corporate office.
Who controls software purchasing
Purchasing authority rests at the headquarters level. The FDD lists a tight executive team. David Mesa, Jr., CFE, serves as President and is the most likely operational decision-maker for technology investments. Danielle Naredo, the Director of Accounting, is a key stakeholder for any financial or back-office software. The ownership group consists of principals John “Scott” Ballard, Paul Ballard, and Steven Ballard, who likely hold final sign-off on major vendor contracts. There are no multi-unit operators mapped in our corpus, reinforcing that the franchisor is the single point of control for system-wide technology mandates.
Mandated and current tech stack
The 2026 FDD is explicit about several technology mandates. Franchisees are required to use the Career Plug employment application program for hiring. A financial management program is mandated, though the specific vendor is not named in the extract. The system also mandates a gift card system, an inventory management program, and a combined mobile application, loyalty program, and gift card platform. A labor management program is listed as a mandate as well. Notably, no specific point-of-sale vendor is named in the available data, which may signal an opening for POS providers to engage the HQ. Any vendor selling against these mandated categories must be prepared to displace an incumbent or demonstrate a clear integration path.
Procurement, renewals, and timing
The procurement model for PJ's Coffee is opaque based on the available FDD extracts. The Item 8 procurement signal is not available, so we cannot confirm whether the franchisor operates a designated supplier program, an approved supplier list, or an open procurement model. Similarly, the initial franchise term length and Item 17 renewal signals are not disclosed, making it impossible to map contract windows or renewal cycles from the FDD alone. Vendors should approach the HQ directly to understand the rhythm of technology review. The absence of a parent company suggests an independently owned system, which can sometimes mean faster decision cycles than a private-equity-backed competitor.
How to read the PJ's Coffee FDD
The full 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document is embedded below. When reviewing it, focus on Item 11 for the franchisor's obligations regarding technology and the specific systems you intend to replace or integrate with. Cross-reference Item 8 to understand any purchasing restrictions that may block franchisees from buying your software directly. Because the operator footprint shows no mapped multi-unit operators, your go-to-market strategy should be entirely HQ-centric. For a ranked target list of franchise systems that match your ideal customer profile, FranCloud can help you prioritize your outreach.
Questions vendors ask
PJ's Coffee of New Orleans, answered from the filing
The buying center is the executive leadership team. Key contacts include President David Mesa, Jr., CFE, and Director of Accounting Danielle Naredo, alongside principals John, Paul, and Steven Ballard.
The 2026 FDD mandates a mobile application, loyalty program and gift card platform, a financial management program, an inventory management program, a labor management program, and the Career Plug employment application program.
The system has 180 total units, comprising 167 franchised locations and 13 company-owned stores, operating in the quick-service restaurant segment.
The specific procurement model is not disclosed in the most recent FDD. The Item 8 extract is not available, so designated versus approved supplier status is unknown.
Contract renewal timing is unclear. The initial franchise term length and Item 17 renewal signals are not disclosed in the 2026 FDD, making window prediction difficult.
The 2026 FDD was filed with state franchise regulators. You can read the full document using the embedded PDF viewer below to analyze the specific mandates and obligations.
Source
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Operator footprint
Who runs the locations
254 operators run 277 mapped locations. 18 of them are multi-unit. Aggregate counts from the filing; no names.
Operators by units owned
Single-unit236
2–9 units18
Top states by locations
| TX | 57 |
|---|---|
| LA | 53 |
| MS | 24 |
| MD | 21 |
| FL | 19 |
Related Quick service restaurant brands
Primary franchise filings · updated June 2026. Every figure is source-traceable and QA-checked.