Can a Bft franchisee register or claim ownership of any of the Bft trademarks or confusingly similar marks?
Bft Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
You cannot seek to register, re-register, assert claim to ownership of, license or allow others to use or otherwise appropriate to itself any of the Marks or any mark or name confusingly similar to them, except insofar as such action inures to our benefit and has our prior written approval. Upon the termination or cancellation of the Franchise Agreement, you must discontinue use of the Marks, remove copies, replicas, reproductions or simulations thereof from the premises and take all necessary steps to assign, transfer, or surrender to us all Marks which you may have used in connection with the Franchise Agreement.
Source: Item 13 — TRADEMARKS (FDD pages 54–55)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Bft's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees are generally prohibited from registering or claiming ownership of Bft's trademarks or any confusingly similar marks. The FDD states that franchisees cannot seek to register, re-register, assert claim to ownership of, license, or allow others to use or otherwise appropriate to itself any of the Marks or any mark or name confusingly similar to them. The only exception is if such action benefits Bft and has Bft's prior written approval.
This restriction is a standard practice in franchising, as the franchisor needs to maintain control over its brand identity and trademarks. Allowing franchisees to register or claim ownership of the marks could create confusion and dilute the brand's value. Bft retains the sole right to advertise on the Internet and create websites using the Marks as domain names. Franchisees also cannot establish a website on the Internet using any domain name containing the Marks or any variation thereof without Bft's written consent.
Upon termination or cancellation of the Franchise Agreement, the franchisee must discontinue use of the Marks and take all necessary steps to assign, transfer, or surrender to Bft all Marks which they may have used in connection with the Franchise Agreement. This ensures that Bft retains complete control over its trademarks and brand identity even after a franchise relationship ends.
Bft has registered trademarks with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The trademarks include "BFT", with registration numbers 6,477,914 (registered September 7, 2021) and 6,490,486 (registered September 21, 2021).