What are the requirements for the organizational structure of a Developer entity for a standard Bojangles franchise, specifically regarding the number and type of shareholders or members?
Bojangles Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
III. DEVELOPER ORGANIZATION AND CAPITAL STRUCTURE
- A. Developer shall be a corporation or a limited liability company composed solely of no more than six (6) shareholders/members who are individuals and not corporations, limited liability companies, or any other legal entities, and shall comply with the following requirements:
- (1) Developer shall be organized and validly existing in good standing under the laws of the state of its incorporation or organization;
- (2) Developer shall be qualified to do business in all states in which its business activities or the nature of the properties owned by it requires such qualification;
- (3) Developer shall be newly organized and its Articles of Incorporation or Charter, or if Developer is a limited liability company, Developer's Articles of Organization and Operating Agreement, shall at all times provide that Developer was organized and has authority only to develop, own and operate Bojangles restaurants; and that Developer shall not engage or invest in any business other than development, ownership and operation of Bojangles restaurants; [For Bojangles Express Restaurants, delete Paragraph III.A.(3) and substitute the following: "Developer shall be authorized to develop, own and operate Bojangles restaurants and shall be authorized to enter into this Agreement."]
- (4) If Developer is a corporation, copies of Developer's Articles of Incorporation or Charter, Bylaws, and other governing documents, and any amendments thereto, including the resolution of the Board of Directors authorizing entry into this Agreement, shall be furnished to Franchisor on or before execution of this Agreement;
- (5) If Developer is a limited liability company, copies of Developer's Articles of Organization, Operating Agreement and other governing documents, and any amendments thereto, including the consent of all limited liability company members authorizing entry into this Agreement, shall be furnished to Franchisor on or before execution of this Agreement.
- (6) Developer shall maintain stop-transfer instructions against the transfer on its records of any equity securities; and each stock certificate of Developer, or other evidence of
ownership if Developer is a limited liability company, shall have the following legend conspicuously endorsed upon its face:
The shares represented by this certificate, or other evidence of ownership if Developer is a limited liability company, are subject to the terms of an agreement dated [date] between [name of issuing corporation or limited liability company] and BOJANGLES OPCO, LLC, which, inter alia, restricts transfer, restricts activities in which [name of issuing corporation] may engage, and imposes restrictions on shareholders or members.
[For Bojangles Express Restaurants, delete Paragraph III.A.(6)]
- (7) Developer shall sign each Franchise Agreement for the Restaurants developed hereunder and may not form separate legal entities to operate the Restaurants. Developer shall not be owned by two (2) owners who each own fifty percent (50%) of the ownership interests in Developer. Developer shall maintain a current list of all owners of record, including all members if Developer is a limited liability company, and all beneficial owners of any class of securities of Developer and shall furnish the list to Franchisor at such time as Franchisor may request.
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPTS (FDD pages 82–573)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Bojangles's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, a Developer entity must adhere to specific organizational and structural requirements. The Developer must be either a corporation or a limited liability company. The ownership must be composed of no more than six individual shareholders or members; these owners cannot be corporations, LLCs, or other legal entities.
Bojangles requires that the Developer be properly organized and in good standing under the laws of its state of incorporation or organization. The Developer must also be qualified to conduct business in any state where its activities or properties necessitate such qualification. The Developer's governing documents (Articles of Incorporation or Organization, Charter, Operating Agreement) must stipulate that its sole purpose is to develop, own, and operate Bojangles restaurants, and it cannot engage in or invest in any other business.
Furthermore, Bojangles mandates that the Developer maintain stop-transfer instructions against the transfer of any equity securities. Each stock certificate or ownership evidence must bear a legend indicating that the shares are subject to an agreement with Bojangles OpCo, LLC, which restricts transfer, limits the activities the entity can engage in, and imposes restrictions on shareholders or members. Additionally, the Developer cannot be owned by two owners who each hold fifty percent of the ownership interests. The Developer must also maintain a current list of all owners of record and beneficial owners of any class of securities, providing this list to Bojangles upon request.