Upon termination or expiration of the Bojangles franchise agreement, what documents and materials related to operating the franchised business must the franchisee deliver to the franchisor, and what exceptions are there to this requirement?

According to Bojangles's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, upon termination or expiration of the franchise agreement, the franchisee must immediately deliver to Bojangles all manuals, including the operations manual, records, files, instructions, correspondence, and all materials related to operating the franchised business. This includes, but is not limited to, brochures, agreements, invoices, and any and all other materials relating to the operation of the franchised business in the franchisee's possession, and all copies thereof. All of these materials are acknowledged to be Bojangles's property.

The franchisee must not retain any copy or record of any of the aforementioned items, with the exception of the franchisee's copy of the franchise agreement and any correspondence between the franchisee and Bojangles. This requirement ensures that Bojangles maintains control over its proprietary information and operational methods after the franchise relationship ends.

This provision is standard in most franchise agreements to protect the franchisor's brand standards, trade secrets, and operational procedures. By requiring the return of all materials, Bojangles aims to prevent the former franchisee from using its confidential information to operate a competing business or otherwise infringing on Bojangles's intellectual property rights. Franchisees should be aware of this obligation and ensure they comply with it to avoid potential legal issues after the termination or expiration of their franchise agreement.