Can Chicken Guy designate the form and content of a Chicken Guy franchisee's website?
Chicken_Guy Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Chicken Guy may grant or withhold its consent in its sole discretion and may condition its consent on such requirements as Chicken Guy deems appropriate, including, among other things, that Franchisee obtain Chicken Guy's prior written approval of: (a) any and all Electronic Identifiers related to the Franchised Restaurant; (b) the proposed form and content (including any visible and nonvisible content such as meta-tags) of any Website related to the Franchised Restaurant; (c) Franchisee's use of any hyperlinks or other links; (d) Franchisee's use of any materials (including text, video clips, photographs, images and sound bites) in which any third party has an ownership interest; and (e) any proposed modification of Franchisee's Website.
Chicken Guy may designate the form and content of Franchisee's Website and/or require that any such Website be hosted by Chicken Guy or a third party designated by Chicken Guy, using one or more Websites that Chicken Guy owns and/or controls.
In addition, Chicken Guy may require Franchisee to establish hyperlinks to Chicken Guy's Website or another Website designated by Chicken Guy.
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD page 50)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Chicken Guy Franchise Disclosure Document, Chicken Guy has the authority to designate the form and content of a franchisee's website. Chicken Guy can also mandate that the website be hosted by them or a third party they designate, potentially using websites that Chicken Guy owns or controls. Additionally, Chicken Guy can require franchisees to include hyperlinks to Chicken Guy's main website or another website they specify.
Chicken Guy's control extends to requiring prior written approval for various aspects of a franchisee's online presence. This includes all Electronic Identifiers related to the restaurant, the proposed form and content of any website (including visible and non-visible content like meta-tags), the use of hyperlinks, and any materials used on the website in which a third party has an ownership interest. Furthermore, any proposed modifications to the franchisee's website must also receive prior written approval from Chicken Guy.
These stipulations ensure brand consistency and quality control across all Chicken Guy franchise locations' online presence. By maintaining control over website content and design, Chicken Guy aims to present a unified brand image to customers. For a prospective franchisee, this means limited autonomy over their website's design and content, but it also ensures that the website aligns with Chicken Guy's brand standards and marketing strategies.