A non traditional location is a franchise unit that operates inside a host venue rather than in a standalone storefront or standard retail space. These units are commonly found in high traffic or captive audience environments such as airports, stadiums, colleges, hospitals, military bases, malls, hotels or convenience stores.
Non traditional locations often have specialized layouts, modified menus or adjusted operational hours to accommodate the needs of the host venue.
Non traditional locations allow franchisors to:
expand brand presence in high traffic areas
reach new customer groups
enter markets where traditional real estate is costly or limited
test new formats or micro footprint designs
strengthen national account partnerships
For franchisees, these locations may offer:
built in foot traffic
lower marketing spend
faster ramp up periods
shorter lease commitments
reduced staffing requirements
These opportunities can be attractive but also require strong operational systems.
Non traditional units are often found in:
airports
train stations and transit hubs
stadiums and arenas
college and university campuses
hospitals and medical centers
hotels and resorts
convenience stores and gas stations
military bases
amusement parks
corporate campuses
Each venue may impose different operational rules, menu limitations or hours of operation.
In Item 12, franchisors often reserve the right to operate:
in non traditional venues
through national accounts
inside captive audience environments
This is why non traditional locations frequently appear in territory disclosures and reserved rights language.
Franchisors use non traditional locations to:
expand brand reach
improve brand visibility
support multi channel distribution
penetrate high value markets
build strategic partnerships
These venues often support smaller footprints such as kiosks, carts, counters or streamlined service models.
Protected Territory
Exclusive Territory
Item 12
National Accounts
Franchise Territory
Market Penetration
Franchise Territory Mapping
Demographic Analysis
Reporting
Point of Interest Search
Last updated: November 26, 2025
