FranCloud Research · Data study

Who mandates a POS, and who leaves it open

In QSR, the POS decision is made before a single franchisee signs. We read 902 filings to map exactly who mandates what, and where a challenger still wins on merit.

73%
of QSR brands mandate the POS, the buyer is HQ, not the operator
26%
leave the POS slot open, 234 brands where a vendor still sells on merit
188
brands mandate Toast, one in three of those that name a specific vendor

What’s inside

  • The complete mandated-vs-open breakdown across 902 QSR brands, who requires what.
  • Vendor rankings: Toast (188 brands), Square (63), Clover (53), Revel (31), Aloha (30), PAR/Brink (21).
  • The corporate-vs-franchisee buying dynamic: why 73% of POS decisions go through HQ procurement.
  • The 234-brand greenfield, exactly which QSR brands leave POS open, ranked by unit count.
  • What the mandate data means if you sell adjacent tools: loyalty, scheduling, inventory, back-office.
FR
FranCloud Research
Every figure computed directly from the latest FDD filings of 902 QSR brands.

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