ation software we deem necessary to run a Circle K Store, or to collect data from your Store. We currently require you to use Verifone or Radiant for your point of sale system and SSCS as your back of
From the filings
TMC Franchise
Retail foodTMC Franchise's Franchise Agreement mandates Verifone or Radiant for the point-of-sale system and SSCS for the back office, with the TMC Network required at non-fuel and branded locations. The brand franchises 569 of its 6,125 US convenience stores, operating under Circle K Stores.
For software vendors selling into US franchise brands.
Live signals
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.
1.25%of gross sales (FY2025)
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.
e system, and/or any other computer system or communication software we deem necessary to run a Circle K Store, or to collect data from your Store. We currently require you to use Verifone or Radiant
Franchisor behaviours
What the franchisor requires
26 requirements the franchisor states in this filing, each in its own words; 5 explicit no's; 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?
YesItem 11
You must obtain an integrated electronic point of sale scanning cash register/motor fuel dispenser controller system (the “EPOS System”) for the management of your Store.
Does the franchisor have direct or independent electronic access to the franchisee's financial, sales or customer records?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisor will have ownership of, and direct and full access to, all Store-related data and related information by such means as Franchisor may from time to time require, including without limitation, via third party vendors, direct access telephone, data transmission lines, or modem, and Franchisor may use same to…
Must the franchisee submit periodic financial statements (monthly, quarterly or annual) to the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
In addition, Franchisee is required to provide Franchisor with Franchisee’s monthly profit and loss statements in a format prescribed by Franchisor.
How the franchisor buys
Is the franchisor or an affiliate itself a supplier of required products, services or systems?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee acknowledges and agrees that certain approved supplies may only be available from one source, and Franchisor or Franchisor’s Affiliate may be that source.
Is there a franchisee advisory council, association or committee?
YesItem 20
In April 2016, we created our Franchise Advisory Council.
Does the franchisor reserve the right to change designated suppliers or systems at any time?
YesItem 8
We reserve the right to require you to purchase additional products or services from us or our affiliates in the future.
How much revenue did the franchisor and its affiliates earn from franchisee purchases in the last fiscal year?
4205466Item 8
During the year ended April 27, 2025, we derived revenue from the sale of motor fuel to our franchisees in the amount of $4,205,466 (5.9%) of our total revenue of $71,167,087.
Does the franchisor or an affiliate receive rebates, commissions or other revenue from designated or approved suppliers?
YesItem 8
We process rebates for certain designated and approved suppliers.
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?
50Item 8
The cost of products, services or other items purchased according to our specifications could reasonably represent more than 50% of your total purchases and leases in connection with establishment of your Branded Business and more than 50% of your purchases and leases in operating the Branded Business.
Can a franchisee propose a new supplier for the franchisor's approval?
YesItem 8
If you wish to have a supplier or service provider designated as an “approved” supplier, you may submit information about the supplier and its relevant products or services to us for review.
Communications
Does the franchisor own or control the business telephone numbers, or take them over when the agreement ends?
YesFranchise agreement
At Franchisor’s request, Franchisee will assign to Franchisor or its nominee all telephone numbers and listings, including social media accounts, used in the operation of the Store.
Data and IT
Must the franchisee comply with PCI, data-security or cybersecurity standards set by the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
It is Franchisee’s responsibility to make sure that it is in compliance with all laws that are applicable to the EPOS System or other technology used in the operation of Franchisee’s Store, including all data protection, privacy or security laws as well as payment card industry (PCI) and Europay, MasterCard and Visa…
Franchise management
Does the franchisor conduct periodic inspections, audits or evaluations of the franchised business?
YesItem 11
During the operation of your Franchised Business, we will: 1) Periodically inspect your Store to determine whether you are operating and maintaining it as required by the Convenience Store Franchise Agreement and Business Systems Manuals, and provide you with written quality performance reviews on each inspection
Can the franchisor change the operations manual and brand standards unilaterally?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisor reserves the right to revise, combine or eliminate any part of the Business Systems Manuals at any time during the Term and Franchisee agrees to operate the Store in accordance with all such revisions.
Must the franchisor approve the franchisee's site or location before opening?
YesItem 11
1) Review your site and consult with you regarding site selection, but you are ultimately responsible for locating and obtaining an acceptable site (Convenience Store Franchise Agreement, Section 2.1).
Marketing
Is a minimum grand opening advertising spend required?
YesFranchise agreement
Unless exempted by Franchisor, Franchisee will conduct a grand opening advertising and promotional campaign in connection with the opening of the Store within one hundred (100) days of the date that Franchisee begins conducting business at the Store hereunder.
Must the franchisee participate in a customer loyalty or rewards program?
YesItem 8
You must participate in any loyalty programs and other marketing and promotional initiatives that we may from time to time establish.
Operations
Must the franchisee buy products from a designated distributor?
YesItem 8
Our approved primary suppliers typically deliver approximately 50% of the merchandise recommended for sale at Circle K Stores, and you must purchase this merchandise from the primary supplier that serves the region in which your Store is located.
Must equipment be purchased from designated or approved suppliers?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee agrees to purchase or lease (for the term of the Franchise Agreement) and install on the Premises the electronic point of sale equipment and back office system as set forth on Exhibit A attached hereto and/or from time to time designated by TMC (collectively, “Equipment”)
Payments
Must the franchisee use a payment processor or merchant-services provider designated or approved by the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee agrees that all sales at the Premises made using credit cards, credit identifications, fleet cards, debit cards, gift cards, pre-paid cards or other similar transaction authorization cards will be made pursuant to a point of sale (“POS”) system for processing such cards as designated by Franchisor.
Are royalties and other fees collected by automatic bank debit (ACH or electronic funds transfer) from the franchisee's account?
YesItem 6
All monthly payments required by the Convenience Store Franchise Agreement must be paid by electronic funds transfer via the Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) or wired to us or our affiliate by the 25th day of each month for the preceding calendar month’s business activity.
Must the franchisee participate in a gift card program?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee agrees that all sales at the Premises made using credit cards, credit identifications, fleet cards, debit cards, gift cards, pre-paid cards or other similar transaction authorization cards will be made pursuant to a point of sale (“POS”) system for processing such cards as designated by Franchisor.
People
Must employees wear uniforms specified by the franchisor?
YesItem 1
which includes required signage; uniform standards, specifications and procedures of operation; quality and uniformity of products and services offered; and business assistance.
Point of sale
Must the franchisee use a specific point-of-sale system designated or approved by the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall purchase, install and maintain, at Franchisee’s expense, an electronic point-of-sale cash register system, designated by Franchisor that meets standards and specifications established by Franchisor, as modified by Franchisor from time to time in response to business, operations and marketing…
Does the franchisor have independent access to the data in the franchisee's POS or computer system?
YesItem 11
We must have full access to the Store-related data contained in your EPOS System, back office system, and Computer System.
Training
Can the franchisor charge the franchisee for additional, refresher or remedial training?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisor has the right to hold refresher and/or additional training programs for Franchisee and/or its Store Manager at a location or locations selected by Franchisor.
The filing answers no to 5 questions
- Must the franchisee participate in a customer-satisfaction or net-promoter survey program?Item 6
- Is the franchisee prohibited from operating its own website or social media accounts, or required to use pages the franchisor provides?Item 11
- Is the franchisee required to spend a minimum amount on local advertising or marketing, as a percentage of sales or a fixed amount?
- Must the franchisee participate in a regional advertising cooperative when one exists?Item 11
- Is attendance at an annual convention or conference mandatory for the franchisee?Franchise agreement
The vendor opportunity at TMC Franchise
TMC Franchise (Circle K's franchised convenience-store business) franchises 569 of its 6,125 US locations, with 5,556 company-owned. Franchised outlets fell 2.901% year over year, and the filing makes no Item 19 financial performance representation this year. TMC Franchise operates under Circle K Stores.
Who controls software purchasing
TMC Franchise, owned by Circle K Stores Inc., sets store technology centrally. The franchisor currently requires Verifone or Radiant for the electronic point-of-sale system and SSCS as the back-office system, and can designate a third party to handle POS, back-office or communication software instead.
Tech named in the FDD, and what is actually required
Every Store must run an integrated electronic point-of-sale scanning cash register and motor fuel dispenser controller system (the EPOS System). The franchisor currently requires Verifone or Radiant for that EPOS System and SSCS as the back-office system, and each franchisee must sign a Software Agreement covering its TMC Software. Locations that do not sell fuel, or that execute a Motor Fuel or Branding Agreement, must also utilize the TMC Network — the franchisor's electronic point-of-sale network — and purchase its designated back-office system, licensed software and firmware, and other computer equipment it designates.
Procurement, renewals, and timing
Item 8 runs an approved-supplier list: motor fuel and the TMC Network must come from the franchisor or its affiliate, and approved primary suppliers deliver roughly half of recommended merchandise, purchased from the primary supplier serving each Store's region. Franchisees may propose an alternate supplier for approval. A franchisee in good standing can renew for one renewal term after the initial 10-year term, executing the then-current franchise agreement.
How to read the TMC Franchise FDD
The embedded PDF viewer below holds TMC Franchise's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, covering the EPOS, SSCS and TMC Network mandates and the full Item 8 supplier terms.
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Questions vendors ask
TMC Franchise, answered from the filing
Read the filing itself
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FDD alert
Tell me when this brand refiles.
We’ll email you the moment TMC Franchise files a new annual FDD, usually the freshest signal of a vendor change.
Operator footprint
Who runs the locations
94 operators run 100 mapped locations. 5 of them are multi-unit. Aggregate counts from the filing; no names.
Operators by units owned
Top states by locations
| CA | 29 |
|---|---|
| VA | 15 |
| FL | 8 |
| NJ | 8 |
| TX | 7 |
Ownership
The portfolio behind TMC Franchise
unknown of circle k stores.
Related Retail food brands
Primary franchise filings · updated September 2026. Every figure is source-traceable and QA-checked.