As a Carls Jr. franchisee, am I responsible for researching all laws and regulations applicable to my business?
Carls_Jr Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Licenses; Permits; Applicable Laws; and Competition. It is your sole and absolute obligation to research all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations governing the operation of your business and to ensure that such operation does not violate any federal, state or local law or regulation. For example, there are various federal laws that could affect your business and that you must comply with such as the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), the CAN-SPAM Act, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR), and other federal and state anti-solicitation laws regulating marketing phone calls; and federal and state laws that regulate data security and privacy (including but not limited to the use, storage, transmission, and disposal of data regardless of media type). Further, you must comply with all local, state and federal laws and regulations applicable to the operation of your Restaurant, including health, sanitation, food handling, food preparation, waste disposal, smoking restrictions and advertising and point-of-sale disclosures, including statements concerning the nutritional and dietary characteristics of the food served at your Restaurant. You should consult with your attorney concerning all laws and regulations that may affect your Restaurant operations.
In addition, all newly-developed Carl's Jr. Restaurants must contain a charbroiler. The charbroiler has been the subject of regulation in certain areas of the country, including California where, in some regions, chain-driven charbroilers must have catalytic converters. The possibility exists that other states may require that air pollution control equipment be installed in connection with the use of a charbroiler. You would be expected to comply with these regulations, if applicable to your Restaurant, and pay all costs of installation and maintenance of the control equipment.
Source: Item 1 — THE FRANCHISOR, AND ANY PARENTS, PREDECESSORS, AND AFFILIATES (FDD pages 8–20)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Carls Jr. Franchise Disclosure Document, it is the franchisee's sole responsibility to research and ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations governing the operation of their business. This obligation includes, but is not limited to, federal laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the CAN-SPAM Act, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR), and other anti-solicitation laws, as well as federal and state laws regulating data security and privacy.
Carls Jr. franchisees must also comply with all local, state, and federal laws and regulations applicable to the operation of their restaurant. These include regulations related to health, sanitation, food handling, food preparation, waste disposal, smoking restrictions, and advertising and point-of-sale disclosures, including statements concerning the nutritional and dietary characteristics of the food served.
Furthermore, the FDD notes that newly-developed Carls Jr. Restaurants must contain a charbroiler, which may be subject to specific regulations in certain areas, such as California, where chain-driven charbroilers may need catalytic converters. Franchisees are expected to comply with these regulations, if applicable, and bear all costs of installation and maintenance of any required control equipment. Carls Jr. recommends that franchisees consult with their attorney regarding all laws and regulations that may affect their restaurant operations.