Editorial & Corrections Policy

PlainFranchise publishes an editorial franchise comparison registry. This page explains its current source-record limits, the standards we hold it to, and exactly how to flag a record that looks wrong.

Download the compiled FDD summary extract: franchise-fdd-summary.csv (same extract as /statistics).

How Pages Are Produced

PlainFranchise's pages are generated from a structured editorial registry. The current release uses literal seed records: it does not yet retain a direct source-document link, identifier, and retrieval date for every value. The figures, rankings, rates, dates, and breakdowns are therefore not presented as verified copies of official filings.

The same template renders many pages so that every registry record is covered consistently. The editorial work now includes making the limits visible, adding traceable source records before a value is treated as verified, and correcting the source data that generates every affected page. Read the methodology before using a figure in research.

Sourcing Standards

  • Source records before source claims. A value is not described as a verified filing figure until its exact document, year, and retrieval date are retained.
  • Limits in context. Pages identify the registry as editorial until record-level provenance is complete and direct readers to the original current FDD for a material decision.
  • Derived values are labeled. Rankings, trends, and ratios are calculations on registry fields, not independent findings.
  • No invented provenance. A missing source link is disclosed rather than filled with a generic agency citation.

Update Cadence

We do not claim a current update cadence for a record until it has a traceable source and retrieval date. The current registry may be stale; the original current FDD controls.

Corrections Process

If a record on PlainFranchise looks wrong, please tell us. The registry cannot establish that a displayed number matches the current filing, so this is how we handle a report:

  1. Report. Use the contact page with the page URL and the value that looks off.
  2. Verify. We compare the record against the current source filing before representing it as verified.
  3. Fix at the source. If the value is wrong on our side, we correct it in the database and pipeline that generate the page, not just on the single page, so every affected page is fixed at once.
  4. Note it. Material corrections are reflected the next time the page rebuilds and are listed on the public changelog.

We aim to acknowledge data-error reports within a few business days.

Editorial Independence

PlainFranchise is an independent publisher and is not affiliated with the agencies or organizations that publish the underlying data. We do not accept payment, sponsorship, or promoted placement from any covered entity. Our only revenue is contextual display advertising served by Google AdSense; advertisers do not influence what we cover or how we present it.

Appropriate Use

PlainFranchise is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, medical, or other professional advice. Details can change after we ingest a record. For any important decision, confirm the current information with the primary source or a qualified professional. See our full disclaimer.