From the filings
The Meadows Original Frozen Custard's 2025 FDD requires franchisees to buy core supplies — formula mixes, machines, cones and syrups — from franchisor-designated suppliers. The quick-service chain runs 29 franchised locations, each independently operated, with unit count up 11.5% year over year. Item 19 of the FDD makes no financial performance representation.
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Live signals
Ongoing fee load
The recurring percentage of gross sales named in this filing, before rent, labour or any technology fee.
2%of gross sales (FY2025)
15% reference
Franchisor behaviours
14 requirements the franchisor states in this filing, each in its own words; 5 explicit no's; 15 questions the text does not settle, which is not a no.
Accounting
Must the franchisee submit periodic financial statements (monthly, quarterly or annual) to the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
In addition to furnishing the Monthly Operating Statement required by Section 4.A. hereof, Franchisee shall, within sixty (60) days after the end of each calendar year, furnish Franchisor compiled financial statements as defined by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Statement on Standards for…
How the franchisor buys
Does the franchisor reserve the right to change designated suppliers or systems at any time?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisor may add suppliers to or remove suppliers from the list of designated suppliers at any time in Franchisor’s sole discretion.
How much revenue did the franchisor and its affiliates earn from franchisee purchases in the last fiscal year?
215887Item 8
in the year ending November 30, 2024, Meadows' revenue from required purchases, namely revenue from Meadows' designated supplier of frozen custard and frozen yogurt formula mixes, was $215,887 or 73.5% of Meadows' total revenues of $293,553.
Does the franchisor or an affiliate receive rebates, commissions or other revenue from designated or approved suppliers?
YesItem 8
Meadows may also receive rebates from product manufacturers under certain conditions such as volume thresholds and growth programs.
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?
25Item 8
We estimate that these required purchases are 3% of the cost you will incur in the establishment of your Custard Stand and 25-30% of the cost you will incur in the operation of your Custard Stand.
Does the franchisor charge a fee to evaluate a proposed supplier?
YesFranchise agreement
A charge not to exceed the actual cost of the test may be made by Franchisor or by an
Can a franchisee propose a new supplier for the franchisor's approval?
YesItem 8
The franchisor will approve or disapprove within 30 days alternate suppliers if the franchisee requests such approval in writing.
Franchise management
Does the franchisor conduct periodic inspections, audits or evaluations of the franchised business?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisor intends to periodically conduct inspections (both announced and unannounced) of the Custard Stand to evaluate compliance by Franchisee with The Meadows Original Frozen Custard System and this Agreement ("Inspection").
Can the franchisor change the operations manual and brand standards unilaterally?
YesItem 17
Meadows may modify the Meadows System and the Manuals.
Must the franchisor approve the franchisee's site or location before opening?
YesItem 11
You select the site for your Custard Stand after you sign the Option Agreement, subject to our approval.
Marketing
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 must, however, advertise your Custard Stand locally, spending each month, at a minimum, 2% of the Gross Sales of your Custard Stand for local advertising and promotion.
Operations
Must the franchisee buy products from a designated distributor?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall purchase the formula mix for the frozen custard and frozen yogurt solely from Franchisor or such supplier(s) as has(have) been designated by Franchisor.
Must equipment be purchased from designated or approved suppliers?
YesItem 8
you must purchase the formula mixes for the frozen custard and the frozen yogurt, the frozen custard machines, cones, disposables (napkins, spoons, bowls, lids, bags, straws), add-ins (nuts, candies, toppings), syrups, and all items bearing the Meadows logo solely from suppliers that we designate.
Training
Can the franchisor charge the franchisee for additional, refresher or remedial training?
YesItem 6
Additional Training $50 per day Prior to commencement of training.
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.
The Meadows Original Frozen Custard runs 29 franchised locations, with no company-owned units, under its own single-brand holding company. Unit count is up 11.5% year over year, and Item 19 of the FDD makes no financial performance representation. All 29 mapped operators run a single location each, concentrated in Pennsylvania, Virginia and Maryland.
Item 11 of the FDD sets The Meadows Original Frozen Custard's technology requirements; the filing below carries the specific terms. With every mapped operator running a single unit, purchasing influence sits close to the individual franchisee rather than a concentrated multi-unit group.
Item 11 of the FDD sets The Meadows Original Frozen Custard's technology requirements. See the embedded filing below for its specific POS and software terms.
Item 8 sets an approved-supplier list model: core items — formula mixes, machines, cones, disposables, add-ins, syrups and logo items — must come solely from designated suppliers, while other items may come from any source meeting the franchisor's standards, subject to prior approval. Renewal runs for an additional 10-year term and requires timely notice, full compliance, a remodel, a renewal fee, a new agreement and a signed release.
The Meadows Original Frozen Custard FDD is filed with state franchise regulators in 2025. The embedded PDF viewer below lets vendors confirm Item 8's supplier language directly. Talk to FranCloud for a ranked target list across the quick-service restaurant segment.
Questions vendors ask
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.
View only A one-time purchase: the original filing, yours to keep.
FDD alert
We’ll email you the moment The Meadows Original Frozen Custard files a new annual FDD, usually the freshest signal of a vendor change.
Operator footprint
29 operators run 29 mapped locations. 0 of them are multi-unit. Aggregate counts from the filing; no names.
Operators by units owned
Top states by locations
| PA | 19 |
|---|---|
| VA | 3 |
| MD | 2 |
| NC | 1 |
| GA | 1 |
Ownership
single_brand_holdco of The Meadows Original Frozen Custard.
Related Quick service restaurant brands
Primary franchise filings · updated September 2026. Every figure is source-traceable and QA-checked.