Mary Brown's is a Canadian-owned chicken chain with its deepest roots in Ontario, and its footprint stretches beyond conventional plazas into non-traditional sites — Toronto Pearson Airport among them. A location inside a transportation hub answers to an airport authority instead of an ordinary landlord, which changes the premises step of a resale in ways a freestanding drive-thru never has to deal with.
Mary Brown's Chicken resales follow the franchisor's own approval process on top of the usual purchase mechanics — here's how the two run together.
Getting approved
The offer sets price and structure, conditioned on franchisor consent and confirmation of what kind of site is being sold — a standard plaza unit or a non-traditional site with its own landlord.
1–2 weeks†The franchisor reviews the proposed buyer and may exercise a right of first refusal before the sale can proceed.
several weeks, typically†A franchise disclosure document may still be required for this resale — Ontario courts read the resale-disclosure exemption narrowly, so franchisor involvement in the sale can trigger it even where it's called a private deal.
assessed early†Getting to closing
A standard commercial lease needs the landlord's written consent to assign; a non-traditional site such as an airport location instead runs through the site authority's own concession or licence terms, which typically add security clearance and badging requirements on top of the usual assignment paperwork.
2–8 weeks†The incoming owner, or a designated manager, typically completes the franchisor's training program before or shortly after taking over.
1–3 weeks†Funds and keys change hands, inventory is counted and settled, and the franchisor confirms the transfer is complete.
1 day, once conditions are met†Wholly Canadian-owned chain with a dedicated Franchising page on its official site
Ontario has more locations than any other province, with continued openings including Toronto Pearson Airport
This is the first real decision in a Mary Brown's Chicken resale — and it changes what you're buying, what you're taking on, and how the franchise agreement moves.
| Question | Asset purchase | Share purchase |
|---|---|---|
| What you buy | The unit's assets — equipment, leasehold improvements, inventory, and the franchise agreement's benefit, subject to franchisor consent. | The shares of the operating company — everything it owns, and everything it owes. |
| Seller's liabilities | Generally stay behind with the seller's existing corporation. | Generally come with the company, known and unknown. |
| Franchise agreement | Consent required for the specific unit, often paired with a current-form agreement. | Consent required for the change of control itself. |
| The premises | A commercial lease needs landlord consent to assign; a non-traditional site (airport, transit hub) runs through the site authority's own concession terms instead. | Usually stays in place, unless the lease or concession agreement has its own change-of-control clause. |
| Health-unit standing | A fresh inspection or notice of change of operator is typically scheduled around closing. | Standing generally continues with the corporation, but the local public health unit is notified of the ownership change. |
| Tax angle | Buyer gets a stepped-up cost base on the assets purchased. | Seller may access the lifetime capital gains exemption on qualifying shares. |
| Typical use | The default for most single-unit resales. | Less common — occasionally used where an operator holds several units under one company. |
The unit's assets — equipment, leasehold improvements, inventory, and the franchise agreement's benefit, subject to franchisor consent.
The shares of the operating company — everything it owns, and everything it owes.
Generally stay behind with the seller's existing corporation.
Generally come with the company, known and unknown.
Consent required for the specific unit, often paired with a current-form agreement.
Consent required for the change of control itself.
A commercial lease needs landlord consent to assign; a non-traditional site (airport, transit hub) runs through the site authority's own concession terms instead.
Usually stays in place, unless the lease or concession agreement has its own change-of-control clause.
A fresh inspection or notice of change of operator is typically scheduled around closing.
Standing generally continues with the corporation, but the local public health unit is notified of the ownership change.
Buyer gets a stepped-up cost base on the assets purchased.
Seller may access the lifetime capital gains exemption on qualifying shares.
The default for most single-unit resales.
Less common — occasionally used where an operator holds several units under one 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 freestanding or plaza-based Mary Brown's location changing hands between one buyer and one seller, with a straightforward lease assignment.
Start my file →A non-traditional site such as an airport or transit-hub location where the site authority's concession terms need negotiating alongside the franchisor's consent, or a multi-unit operator adding a location to an existing portfolio.
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.
It does. Instead of a conventional commercial landlord, the site typically answers to the airport authority's own concession terms, which usually add security clearance and staff badging requirements on top of the standard lease-assignment paperwork — worth building extra time into your closing timeline for.
The consent process itself follows the same general pattern as most franchise resales — buyer review, possible right of first refusal, a current-form agreement. Domestic ownership doesn't change the legal steps, though dealing with a Canadian head office can simplify day-to-day communication during the process.
Ontario is home to a larger share of the brand's locations than any other province, which generally means more resale activity, more comparable deals to benchmark against, and an established base of experienced operators in the market.
Possibly. Ontario courts have read the resale-disclosure exemption narrowly, and franchisor involvement in matching a buyer to a seller can be enough to trigger a full disclosure requirement even where the deal is framed as a private resale.
Beyond the usual financials and equipment review, a non-traditional site adds the site authority's own concession terms, security requirements, and sometimes operating-hours restrictions to the list of things worth confirming before you commit.
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 Mary Brown's Chicken or its franchisor.
Tell us about your Mary Brown's Chicken resale — we'll point you the right way and confirm the cost in writing before any work begins.