> It's absolutely within their ability to track (and force franchisees to track) inventory

Depends on whether or not the franchisee has implemented inventory tracking correctly.

> It's also within Dunkin Corp's ability to give stores the capability to provide refunds from the retail locations

That's the franchisee's decision at that point. Dunkin's corporate was out of the loop in that transaction and as such is reticent.

Dunkin's tends to hold its franchisees to a lower quality bar imo.