Can Carbones Pizzeria impose prohibitions on franchisees posting comments about the business on social media?

According to the 2025 Carbones Pizzeria Franchise Disclosure Document, Carbones Pizzeria has the right to impose prohibitions on franchisees posting or blogging about their restaurant, business, or the franchise system on social media. This includes personal blogs, social networks like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, Snapchat and Pinterest, professional networks, business profiles, online review sites like LinkedIn, Google Business Profile or Yelp, live-blogging tools like X and Snapchat, virtual worlds, metaverses, file, audio and video-sharing sites, and other similar social networking or media sites or tools.

This means that as a Carbones Pizzeria franchisee, you may not be able to freely post about your experiences, the business, or the franchise on social media. Carbones Pizzeria maintains control over what is said publicly about the brand and the franchise system. This is a fairly common practice in franchising, as franchisors want to protect their brand image and ensure consistent messaging.

Before establishing any websites, hashtags, profiles, or accounts related to Carbones Pizzeria, your restaurant, your business, or the franchise system, you must obtain approval from Carbones Pizzeria. This requirement, combined with the potential prohibitions on social media posts, gives Carbones Pizzeria significant control over a franchisee's online presence and communications related to the business. Prospective franchisees should carefully consider these restrictions and how they might impact their ability to market their business or share their experiences online.