Does Angry Chickz have the right to access the Franchised Business to make cosmetic changes after termination?
Angry_Chickz Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
- 15.1 General. In the event of rescission of this Agreement, and/or upon the expiration or termination (including nonrenewal) of Franchisee's rights granted under this Agreement:
- 15.1.1 Franchisee shall immediately cease to use all Confidential Information, the Marks, and any confusingly similar trademark, service mark, trade name, logotype, or other commercial symbol or insignia. Franchisee shall immediately return the Manual(s), all training materials, records, customer lists, IS Data, files, advertising and promotional materials and all other written materials incorporating or containing Confidential Information. Franchisee shall at its own cost make cosmetic changes to the Franchised Business so that it no longer contains or resembles Company's proprietary designs and trade dress. Franchisee shall remove all materials that would identify the Franchised Business as a Restaurant and otherwise as a business operated under the Marks, System and Standards, and remove distinctive cosmetic features and finishes, lighting, FFE, décor, logos, signs, menus, decals, floor and wall coverings and colors, and exterior finishes and colors, as Company may direct. Franchisee shall, at Company's request, immediately grant Company access to the Franchised Business to make cosmetic changes to the Franchised Business so that it no longer resembles a Restaurant. Company is permitted to identify in the Manual(s) additional actions Franchisee must take following termination or expiration (including nonrenewal) to de-identify the Franchised Business, and Franchisee will timely perform all such additional actions.
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD page 54)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Angry Chickz's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, in the event of termination or non-renewal of the franchise agreement, the franchisee is responsible for making cosmetic changes to the Franchised Business so that it no longer resembles Angry Chickz's proprietary designs and trade dress. The franchisee must remove all materials that identify the business as an Angry Chickz restaurant, including distinctive cosmetic features, lighting, furniture, décor, logos, signs, menus, decals, floor and wall coverings, and exterior finishes and colors, as directed by Angry Chickz.
Furthermore, Angry Chickz has the right to access the Franchised Business to make these cosmetic changes themselves if the franchisee does not comply. This means that Angry Chickz can enter the former franchise location and alter it to remove any branding or design elements associated with the Angry Chickz system.
This provision protects Angry Chickz's brand identity and ensures that former franchisees do not continue to benefit from the Angry Chickz name or system after the franchise agreement has ended. It is a fairly standard clause in franchise agreements, as franchisors need to maintain consistency and prevent confusion in the marketplace. The franchisee bears the cost of these changes initially, but Angry Chickz can step in to ensure compliance.