What constitutes acceptable evidence of compliance with termination obligations for an Aw franchisee?

According to Aw's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, a franchisee must furnish evidence satisfactory to Aw within 30 days after the effective date of termination or expiration of the franchise agreement to demonstrate compliance with specific post-termination obligations. These obligations primarily revolve around ceasing the use of Aw's trademarks and confidential information.

Specifically, the franchisee must stop identifying themselves as a current or former Aw franchisee, discontinue using Aw's marks or any similar identifying elements, and return or destroy all materials bearing Aw's marks. They also need to cancel any registrations related to the use of Aw's marks, notify the telephone company and listing agencies about the termination of their right to use associated telephone numbers and listings, and authorize the transfer of these to Aw. Additionally, franchisees must assign to Aw all rights to domain names, websites, and social media presences using Aw's marks.

Acceptable evidence of compliance would likely include documentation showing the removal of Aw's branding from the restaurant, cancellation of relevant registrations, transfer of domain names and social media accounts, and confirmation from the phone company regarding the transfer of phone numbers. Franchisees should maintain thorough records of all actions taken to ensure they can provide sufficient proof of compliance to Aw within the specified timeframe. Failure to provide satisfactory evidence could potentially lead to legal repercussions or disputes with Aw.