What are some of the registered trademarks and service marks that Benihana owns?
Benihana Franchise · 2024 FDDAnswer from 2024 FDD Document
- A. BNC is the exclusive licensee in the United States of America, including its territories and possessions (collectively, the "Territory") of all proprietary and other property rights and interests in and to certain trade names, service marks and/or trademarks, including BENIHANA®, BENIHANA OF TOKYO®, and the "Flower" symbol (collectively, the "Marks").
- B. BNC owns, operates, sponsors, franchises, and licenses the Marks for use at a system of restaurants utilizing the Marks and operating under the name BENIHANA (the "BENIHANA Restaurants"); and the BENIHANA Restaurants offer distinctive products and services utilizing a distinctive business format, including color schemes, designs, signage, equipment, layouts, operating systems, methods, procedures, standards, techniques and proprietary information, and marketing and advertising standards and formats, all of which have been and may be modified, amended, supplemented or further developed from time to time (the "BENIHANA System"); and
- C. As part of the BENIHANA System, BNC has and continues to establish specific operating standards for various aspects of the BENIHANA System, including the location, physical characteristics and operating procedures and business processes of BENIHANA Restaurants; the BENIHANA menu; products sold; product specifications; qualifications of suppliers; qualifications, organization and training of franchisees and their personnel; marketing of products and the BENIHANA System in use at BENIHANA Restaurants; and all other things affecting the experience of consumers who patronize BENIHANA Restaurants (the "BENIHANA Standards").
- D. BNC has expended time, effort and money to acquire experience and skill in the development of the BENIHANA System and the BENIHANA Standards, and BNC continues to develop, use and control the use of the Marks in order to identify for the public the source of services and products marketed and offered at BENIHANA Restaurants, and to represent the high standards of quality, cleanliness, appearance and service that are part of the BENIHANA System as represented by the BENIHANA Standards.
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD pages 73–74)
What This Means (2024 FDD)
According to Benihana's 2024 Franchise Disclosure Document, Benihana National Corporation (BNC) is the exclusive licensee in the United States of America, including its territories and possessions, of all proprietary and other property rights and interests in and to certain trade names, service marks and/or trademarks. These include BENIHANA®, BENIHANA OF TOKYO®, and the "Flower" symbol. These marks are collectively referred to as the "Marks" in the FDD.
Benihana owns, operates, sponsors, franchises, and licenses the Marks for use at a system of restaurants utilizing the Marks and operating under the name BENIHANA. These restaurants offer distinctive products and services utilizing a distinctive business format, including color schemes, designs, signage, equipment, layouts, operating systems, methods, procedures, standards, techniques and proprietary information, and marketing and advertising standards and formats. These elements constitute the Benihana System.
As part of the Benihana System, BNC has established specific operating standards for various aspects, including the location, physical characteristics, operating procedures, Benihana menu, product specifications, supplier qualifications, franchisee and personnel qualifications and training, marketing, and all other factors affecting the consumer experience. BNC continues to develop and control the use of the Marks to identify the source of services and products marketed at Benihana Restaurants and to represent the high standards of quality, cleanliness, appearance, and service that are part of the Benihana System.