Does Checkersrallys have any patents or pending patent applications that are material to the franchise?
Checkersrallys Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
There are no patents or pending patent applications that are material to the franchise. We claim copyright protection for the Operations Manual and printed advertising and promotional materials. We have not registered the materials to which we claim copyright protection.
We consider certain information relating to the development and operations of Restaurants to be our trade secrets and proprietary information. This information includes:
- (i) ingredients, recipes and methods of preparation and presentation of certain food products;
- (ii) site selection criteria for Restaurants and plans and specifications for the development of Restaurants;
- (iii) sales, marketing and advertising programs and techniques for Restaurants;
- (iv) identity of suppliers and knowledge of specifications and pricing for authorized food products, materials, supplies and equipment;
- (v) knowledge of operating results and financial performance of Restaurants, other than your Franchised Restaurant;
- (vi) methods of inventory control, storage, product handling and management of Restaurants;
- (vii) computer systems and software programs; and
- (viii) any and all other information we provide you that is designated orally or in writing as proprietary or confidential or by its nature would reasonably be understood to be proprietary or confidential, regardless whether such information is specifically designated as proprietary or confidential.
Source: Item 14 — PATENTS, COPYRIGHTS, AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION (FDD pages 63–64)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Checkersrallys Franchise Disclosure Document, Checkersrallys states that there are no patents or pending patent applications that are material to the franchise. However, Checkersrallys does claim copyright protection for its Operations Manual and printed advertising and promotional materials, though these materials have not been registered for copyright protection.
Checkersrallys considers certain information regarding the development and operation of its restaurants to be trade secrets and proprietary information. This proprietary information includes ingredients, recipes, preparation methods for food products, site selection criteria, restaurant development plans, sales, marketing and advertising programs, supplier identities, knowledge of specifications and pricing for authorized products, operating results, financial performance of restaurants, methods of inventory control, computer systems, and software programs.
As a Checkersrallys franchisee, you are obligated to protect this confidential information. This means you cannot disclose these trade secrets or proprietary information to unauthorized parties. This protection of trade secrets is a common practice in franchising, as it helps maintain the brand's competitive advantage and uniformity across all franchise locations.