The Original Dave's Cosmic Subs

The vendor opportunity at The Original Dave's Cosmic Subs

The Original Dave's Cosmic Subs is a quick-service restaurant concept headquartered in Ohio, operating 21 total units as of its 2024 Franchise Disclosure Document. Of those, 11 are franchised and 10 are company-owned, giving software vendors an addressable base of 11 franchised locations. The system is small and has recently contracted, with year-over-year unit growth of -15.385%. No average unit volume (AUV) is disclosed in the FDD, so revenue-per-location benchmarks are unavailable. The royalty rate is 6.0% on gross sales, and the initial franchise term runs 10 years.

For a vendor, this is a compact, HQ-controlled environment. The small unit count means every location matters, and the centralized decision-making structure means a single conversation at the top can unlock the entire system. The brand’s operator footprint is minimal: only one mapped operator appears in the FDD, with a unit-band split of 1:1 and no multi-unit operators. The top state by unit count is Wisconsin, with one location. There is no parent company on file; the brand appears independently owned.

Who controls software purchasing

Software purchasing authority sits with the franchisor’s executive team. The 2024 FDD lists Navpaul Sidhu as President and Chief Executive Officer, making him the primary decision-maker for technology mandates and vendor relationships. Dr. Tejbir Sidhu serves as Vice-President, and Dr. Kanwaljit Sidhu is Treasurer and Secretary. Two additional executives from SRC Hospitality Group for Sidhu Realty hold senior roles: Richard Vaughn, President of SRC Hospitality Group, and James Yashnyk, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Development. For a vendor pitching operational or financial software, Yashnyk and Vaughn are likely influencers or gatekeepers, while Navpaul Sidhu holds final sign-off.

There is no CIO, CTO, or dedicated IT executive listed in the FDD. This suggests technology decisions are made within the existing executive team, likely with input from operations. Vendors should prepare to speak to business outcomes—speed of service, unit-level profitability, compliance—rather than deep technical integration narratives.

Mandated and current tech stack

The 2024 FDD mandates two technology systems. The point-of-sale system is Toast by Toast, Inc., a cloud-based restaurant POS platform. Toast is mandatory for franchisees, meaning any software that integrates with POS data must work within the Toast ecosystem. The second mandated system is Incentivio, a guest engagement and loyalty platform. Incentivio is also mandatory, covering digital ordering, loyalty, and customer analytics.

No other mandated or recommended technology vendors are named in the FDD. This does not mean other systems are absent—franchisees may use additional tools for scheduling, inventory, accounting, or delivery—but those are not standardized at the franchisor level. For a vendor, the Toast + Incentivio stack represents the non-negotiable core. Any pitch that conflicts with or duplicates these systems will face an uphill battle. Conversely, tools that complement Toast and Incentivio—such as labor scheduling that integrates with Toast, or advanced analytics that pull from Incentivio—may find a receptive audience.

Procurement, renewals, and timing

The FDD does not include an Item 8 procurement extract, so the brand’s supplier approval process is not publicly detailed. It is unclear whether franchisees must buy from designated suppliers, may choose from approved suppliers, or have open purchasing discretion. Vendors should clarify this early in any conversation with HQ.

Renewal terms, outlined in Item 17, provide a window into contract cycles. Franchisees must notify the franchisor of their intent to renew no more than 12 months and no less than 6 months before the franchise agreement expires. The initial term is 10 years, and the successor term is also 10 years, with a successor franchise fee of $10,000. Renewal conditions include compliance with brand standards, satisfaction of all monetary obligations, execution of a general release, completion of required training, and refurbishment to then-current standards. For a software vendor, these renewal triggers create natural evaluation periods: as franchisees approach the 12-to-6-month pre-expiration window, they may be more open to new tools that help them meet updated brand standards or improve operational performance.

Given the system’s recent contraction and small size, large-scale RFPs are unlikely. However, the centralized HQ structure means a single vendor approval can cover all franchised locations. Timing outreach around the FDD filing cycle—2024 is the most recent—can help vendors align with any strategic reviews underway at the corporate level.

How to read the The Original Dave's Cosmic Subs FDD

The 2024 Franchise Disclosure Document for The Original Dave's Cosmic Subs is the primary source for the data above. It was filed with state franchise regulators and contains the legal and operational disclosures required under the FTC Franchise Rule. For a software vendor, the most relevant sections are Item 1 (executives and ownership), Item 8 (procurement restrictions), Item 11 (mandated systems and suppliers), and Item 17 (renewal and transfer terms). The embedded PDF viewer below provides the full document. Focus on Items 11 and 17 to understand the tech mandates and the timing of franchisee contract renewals—two factors that directly shape your sales window. If you need a ranked target list of franchise systems matched to your software category, FranCloud can help.