Is a Carls Jr. franchisee required to use the Olo program for all existing and future locations they own?
Carls_Jr Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Operator agrees to require the Olo program for all existing and future locations owned by Operator.
Google Rails Premium Addendum
This Addendum (this "GRP Addendum") forms a part of the Agreement and is applicable upon execution of the Agreement and in conjunction with a Customer Order Form in which Olo and Customer have agreed that Olo will provide Operator with Google Rails Premium ("GRP"). In the event that this Addendum conflicts with the Agreement, or there is an inconsistency, this Addendum shall control. Unless otherwise defined herein, capitalized terms have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Agreement.
1. Definitions
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPTS (FDD pages 76–364)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Carls Jr. Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees are required to use the Olo program for all existing and future locations they own. The Olo program provides services such as e-commerce, delivery enablement, and payment solutions. Olo also integrates with Aggregators, which are entities that allow customers to order from various brands through a single platform. While franchisees must use the Olo program, they retain the right to use Aggregators at their discretion.
The Olo program uses a service called "Rails" to connect Aggregators to the Olo platform. Through Rails, Aggregators can receive store information like location, menu, and pricing, and transmit orders to the franchisee's point of sale (POS) system. The franchisee must consent to allow Olo to share data with Aggregators for the limited purpose of using Rails, but Olo will not share any Personally Identifiable Information (PII).
Carls Jr. designates Olo as the exclusive provider of integration services for Aggregator ordering platforms. Franchisees are prohibited from using, testing, or supporting any Aggregator-initiated ordering service other than the Licensed Applications provided by Olo. This exclusivity ensures that all digital ordering processes are standardized and managed through the Olo platform, which Carls Jr. believes will maintain consistency and quality across all franchise locations.