factual

What sections of the Bhc Franchise Agreement address the franchisee's obligations regarding trademarks and proprietary information?

Bhc Franchise · 2025 FDD

Answer from 2025 FDD Document

id license (with right to

sublicense through multiple tiers) to such rights. Franchisee acknowledges there are, and may be, future rights that Franchisee may otherwise become entitled to with respect to the Suggestions not yet existing, as well as new uses, media, means and forms of exploitation throughout the universe exploiting current or future technology yet to be developed, and Franchisee specifically intends the foregoing assignment of rights to Franchisor will include all such now known or unknown uses, media, and forms of exploitation throughout the universe.

9.2 Franchisee's Business Name.

  • (a) In connection with Franchisee's operation of the Franchised BHC Restaurant, Franchisee agrees that at all times and in all advertising, promotions, signs and other display materials, on Franchisee's letterheads, business forms, and at the Franchised BHC Restaurant and other authorized business sites, in all of Franchisee's business dealings related thereto and to the general public, Franchisee will identify the Franchised Business solely under a trade name containing the Mark "BHC" and authorized by Franchisor ("Business Name") together with the words "INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED" on Franchisee's letterhead, contract agreements, invoices, advertising and other written materials containing the Marks as Franchisor may direct.
  • (b) Franchisee must file and keep current a fictitious business name statement, assumed name certificate or similar document regarding Franchisee's Business Name in the county or other designated jurisdiction in which Franchisee is conducting business and at such other places as may be required by law. Before Franchisee commences engaging in the Franchised Business under the Marks, Franchisee must supply evidence satisfactory to Franchisor that Franchisee has complied with relevant laws regarding the use of fictitious or assumed names.
  • (c) On expiration or sooner termination of this Agreement, Franchisor may, if Franchisee does not do so, execute in Franchisee's name and on Franchisee's behalf all documents necessary, in Franchisor's judgment, to end and cause a discontinuance of the use by Franchisee of the Marks and Business Name registrations and Franchisor is hereby irrevocably appointed and designated as Franchisee's attorney-in-fact to do so.
  • (d) Franchisee further agrees it will not identify itself as (i) Franchisor, (ii) a subsidiary, parent, division, shareholder, partner, joint venture, agent or employee of Franchisor or the Owner of the Marks or (iii) any of Franchisor's other franchisees.
    • (i) If Franchisee is an entity, it cannot use the Marks "BHC" in its legal name.

9.3 Trade Secrets and Proprietary Information.

(a) Under this Agreement, Franchisor is granting Franchisee access to the Proprietary Information, and Franchisor's other confidential data and information. Franchisee acknowledges that the material and information now and hereafter provided or revealed to Franchisee pursuant to this Agreement (including in particular, but without limitation, the contents of the Operations Manual) are Franchisor's Trade Secrets and are revealed in confidence, and Franchisee expressly agrees to keep and respect the confidences so reposed, both during the term of this Agreement and thereafter. Franchisor expressly reserves all rights with respect to the Marks, Proprietary Information, methods of operation and other proprietary information, except as may be expressly granted to Franchisee hereby or in the Operations Manual. Franchisor will disclose to Franchisee certain Trade Secrets as reasonably needed for the operation by Franchisee of the Franchised Business by loaning to Franchisee, for the term of this Agreement, the Operations Manual and other written materials containing the Trade Secrets, through

training and assistance provided to Franchisee hereunder, and by and through the performance of Franchisor's other obligations under this Agreement.

  • (b) Franchisee acknowledges that Franchisor is the sole owner of all Proprietary Information, including the Trade Secrets; that such information is being imparted to Franchisee only because of Franchisee's special status as a franchisee of the System; and that the Proprietary Information is not generally known to Franchisor's industry or the public at large and is not known to Franchisee except by reason of such disclosure. Franchisee further acknowledges that Franchisee will acquire no interest in the Proprietary Information disclosed to Franchisee, other than the right to use it in the development and operation of the Franchised BHC Restaurant during the term of this Agreement.
  • (c) Franchisee agrees that Franchisee will not do or permit any act or thing to be done in derogation of any of Franchisor's rights in connection with the Marks, either during the term of this Agreement or thereafter, and that Franchisee will use these only for the uses and in the manner franchised and licensed hereunder and as herein provided. Furthermore, Franchisee and Franchisee's employees and agents will not engage in any act or conduct that impairs the goodwill associated with the Marks.
  • (d) Franchisee agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Franchisor from all "Losses" (as defined in section 16.2(d) below), which Franchisor may sustain as a result of any unauthorized use or disclosure of Proprietary Information or Marks by Franchisee or its employees and agents. Franchisee further agrees and acknowledges that the disclosure or use of Proprietary Information or Marks in a manner not authorized by this Agreement will cause immediate and irreparable damage to Franchisor that would be impossible or inadequate to measure and calculate and could not be fully remedied by monetary damages. Accordingly, Franchisor has the right to specifically enforce this Agreement and seek injunctive or other equitable relief as may be necessary or appropriate to prevent such unauthorized disclosures or use without the necessity of proving actual damages by reason of any such breach or threatened breach of this Agreement. Franchisee further agrees that no bond or other form of security is required to obtain such equitable relief and Franchisee hereby consents to the issuance of such injunction and to the ordering of specific performance. Franchisee further agrees and acknowledges that such remedies are in addition to any other rights or remedies, whether at law or in equity, which may be available to Franchisor, including monetary damages.
  • (e) 18 USC Section 1833(b) states: "An individual shall not be held criminally or civilly liable under any Federal or State trade secret law for the disclosure of a trade secret that (A) is made (i) in confidence to a Federal, State, or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney; and (ii) solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; or (B) is made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal." Accordingly, Franchisor and Franchisee will each have the right to disclose in confidence Trade Secrets to Federal, State, and local government officials, or to an attorney, for the sole purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law. Franchisor and Franchisee also have the right to disclose Trade Secrets in a document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, but only if the filing is made under seal and protected from public disclosure. Nothing in this Agreement is intended to conflict with 18 U.S.C. Section 1833(b) or create liability for disclosures of trade secrets that are expressly allowed by 18 U.S.C. Section 1833(b).

9.4 Modification of Marks and Trade Dress.

Franchisor may add to, substitute, or modify any or all of the Marks or Trade Dress from time to time, by directive in the Operations Manual or otherwise in writing by Franchisor.

Source: Item 9 — Franchisee's Obligations (FDD pages 28–29)

What This Means (2025 FDD)

According to Bhc's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, several sections of the Franchise Agreement outline the franchisee's obligations regarding trademarks and proprietary information. Section 9.3(a) grants the franchisee access to Bhc's proprietary information and confidential data, emphasizing that this information, including the Operations Manual, constitutes trade secrets. The franchisee must maintain the confidentiality of this information during and after the term of the agreement. Bhc retains all rights to its trademarks, proprietary information, and operational methods, except as expressly granted to the franchisee.

Section 9.3(c) states that the franchisee cannot take any actions that infringe upon Bhc's rights concerning its trademarks. The franchisee is permitted to use the trademarks only as licensed and must not engage in any conduct that harms the goodwill associated with the trademarks. Section 9.2(a) requires the franchisee to identify the franchised business using a trade name containing the "Bhc" mark, along with the words "INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED" in all advertising, promotional materials, and business dealings.

Additionally, upon termination or expiration of the agreement, the franchisee must immediately cease using the trademarks and cannot operate under any name that suggests affiliation with Bhc. The franchisee is also obligated to remove references to the trademarks from online review sites and directories. Section 6.3 states that all proprietary information and training materials provided by Bhc remain the exclusive property of Bhc, and the franchisee cannot copy, reproduce, or disseminate this information without prior written consent. These provisions collectively ensure the protection of Bhc's brand and confidential business information.

Disclaimer: This information is extracted from the 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document and is provided for research purposes only. It does not constitute legal or financial advice. Consult with a franchise attorney before making any investment decisions.