More than 90% of Domino's Canadian franchisees started as in-store staff before buying in — meaning a lot of Domino's resales in Ontario involve a buyer who already knows the specific store from the inside, rather than an outside investor. We act as independent counsel for buyers and sellers of individual Domino's Pizza locations in Ontario; this page is not affiliated with or endorsed by Domino's Pizza.
Domino's Pizza resales follow the franchisor's own approval process on top of the usual purchase mechanics — here's how the two run together.
Getting approved
Where the buyer is an existing manager or staff member being promoted into ownership, some of the usual site-diligence conditions can be lighter — but franchisor consent and financing conditions still apply in full.
1–2 weeks†Review of the buyer's background, financial capacity, and — where relevant — internal operating history with the specific store.
3–6 weeks†Confirming kitchen equipment and delivery operations meet current brand standards.
2–3 weeks, in parallel†Getting to closing
A franchisor-facilitated resale, even an internal-promotion sale, can look exempt from Arthur Wishart Act disclosure requirements — Ontario courts have read that resale exemption narrowly, so we assess whether disclosure may still be required.
assessed early, runs in parallel†Landlord consent to assign the lease on the store's smaller, delivery-focused footprint.
2–4 weeks†Domino's typically requires ownership-track training beyond routine operating experience before final transfer approval and closing.
3–5 weeks, then closing†Domino's Pizza of Canada actively franchises; industry FDD listings and coverage confirm hundreds of Canadian store openings under an active franchise program
Hundreds of Ontario locations as part of Domino's national Canadian network
Most of Domino's Canadian franchisees began as in-store staff before buying in; internal promotion into ownership of existing stores is a well-documented path
This is the first real decision in a Domino's Pizza resale — and it changes what you're buying, what you're taking on, and how the franchise agreement moves.
| Question | Asset purchase | Share purchase |
|---|---|---|
| Franchise agreement | New agreement issued to the incoming operator, on Domino's then-current terms. | Existing agreement can stay in place, with Domino's still reviewing and consenting to the ownership change. |
| Lease / premises | Landlord consent to assign the lease into the buyer's name. | Lease usually continues unless it carries its own change-of-control clause. |
| Delivery vehicles / equipment | Kitchen equipment and, where included, delivery vehicles are itemized and transfer with the assets, confirmed against any leases or liens. | Vehicles and equipment stay with the corporation; existing insurance and lease arrangements carry over. |
| Staff (ESA) | Employment Standards Act continuity rules typically govern how crew and drivers carry over to the buyer. | Employment generally continues without interruption — the employer doesn't change. |
| Tax angle | Buyer gets a stepped-up cost base on the assets purchased; an HST election may apply. | Seller may access the lifetime capital gains exemption on qualifying shares. |
| Typical use | The default structure, common for both internal-promotion buyers and outside operators. | Less common — sometimes used by multi-location operator groups selling the holding company. |
New agreement issued to the incoming operator, on Domino's then-current terms.
Existing agreement can stay in place, with Domino's still reviewing and consenting to the ownership change.
Landlord consent to assign the lease into the buyer's name.
Lease usually continues unless it carries its own change-of-control clause.
Kitchen equipment and, where included, delivery vehicles are itemized and transfer with the assets, confirmed against any leases or liens.
Vehicles and equipment stay with the corporation; existing insurance and lease arrangements carry over.
Employment Standards Act continuity rules typically govern how crew and drivers carry over to the buyer.
Employment generally continues without interruption — the employer doesn't change.
Buyer gets a stepped-up cost base on the assets purchased; an HST election may apply.
Seller may access the lifetime capital gains exemption on qualifying shares.
The default structure, common for both internal-promotion buyers and outside operators.
Less common — sometimes used by multi-location operator groups selling the holding company.
We tell you which structure fits — before you sign anything.
No open-ended hourly surprises — the cost is confirmed in writing before any work begins.
| Type of work | Fee | How it's confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| Straightforward purchase or sale | Starting from $3,388.87 Our charges · taxes included | Confirmed in writing once we see the agreement. |
| Larger or more complex deal | Quoted to scope | Short call → fixed written quote before any work begins. |
| Searches, filings & third-party fees | At cost | Itemized on your invoice, not marked up. |
A single Domino's location changing hands — often to a current manager or staff member moving into ownership — with a standard commercial lease.
Start my file →A multi-location Domino's operator selling several stores together, or an external buyer with no prior history at that specific location.
Book a consultation →Not sure which you are? That's our job to figure out, not yours. As a rough guide, most deals under a couple of million dollars are the first kind — above that, you're usually in Mergers & Acquisitions territory.
Domino's has documented that more than 90% of its Canadian franchisees began as in-store staff before buying in, which means a meaningful share of Ontario resales involve someone who already knows the specific store's operations, customers and staff. That familiarity doesn't remove the need for franchisor consent, financing, and the usual closing conditions — it just changes what the diligence conversation looks like.
Yes — even where you already know the store, you're still signing a franchise agreement, taking on lease obligations, and closing a purchase transaction with real legal consequences, and the seller — often your current employer — has different interests than you do in how those terms are set. We represent your interests specifically, separate from the franchisor's or the seller's.
Financing approaches vary by buyer — some first-time owner-operators use conventional small business financing, and franchise systems have at times offered internal financing or profit-sharing pathways for qualifying candidates, though we can't speak to what's currently available. We help you build a financing condition into your offer that protects you either way.
Kitchen equipment typically transfers as part of an asset sale, subject to confirming what's owned versus leased or financed; delivery vehicle arrangements vary by store and need their own review, whether they're company-provided or driver-owned. We run the searches to confirm what's actually included before you finalize price.
You'll go through the same franchisor consent and training process as any other buyer, just without the head start of already knowing the store's specific operations — which usually means putting more weight on financial and operational due diligence during your conditions period. We tailor your diligence checklist to your actual starting point, not a generic template.
Related
Where we close franchise resale deals
Treadstone Law is an independent law firm. We act for buyers and sellers of franchise businesses. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or retained by Domino's Pizza or its franchisor.
Tell us about your Domino's Pizza resale — we'll point you the right way and confirm the cost in writing before any work begins.