In all cases, the franchisee and franchisor are business partners. Intrinsic in any business deal, profit is the goal. The franchisor makes money from franchisee and royalty fees, and an ongoing program to open new stores. This can be a happy set-up for many years. But it can become tenuous when the going gets tough.
Difficulties usually start at the cash register.
At LJS, franchisees were willing to try wrap sandwiches, but claim the newcomers did nothing to pump up long-term sales. Besides clouding the chain's fried-fish niche, wraps wreak havoc in the kitchens. At corporate headquarters, however, the wraps represent a menu enhancement, not a departure. Many chains are coming of age. Independent organizations tend to emerge most frequently with older franchise concepts.