Regarding Crisis Situations at a Churchs Chicken franchise, what is the franchisee prohibited from doing without direction from Cajun or public health officials?
Churchs_Chicken Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
A. If an event occurs at the Franchised Restaurant that has, or may reasonably be expected to, cause harm or injury to customers, guests or employees (i.e., food spoilage/poisoning, food tampering/sabotage, slip and fall injuries, natural disasters, robberies, shootings, etc.) or may damage the Proprietary Marks, the System or the reputation of Cajun (collectively "Crisis Situation"), Franchisee shall: (1) immediately contact appropriate emergency care providers to assist it in curing the harm or injury; and (2) immediately inform Cajun by telephone of the Crisis Situation. Franchisee shall refrain from making
any internal or external announcements (i.e., no communication with the news media) regarding the Crisis Situation (unless otherwise directed by Cajun or public health officials).
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPT (FDD pages 68–406)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Churchs Chicken Franchise Disclosure Document, a franchisee is restricted from making internal or external announcements regarding a crisis situation without direction from Cajun or public health officials. A crisis situation is defined as an event that has, or may reasonably be expected to, cause harm or injury to customers, guests, or employees (such as food spoilage/poisoning, food tampering/sabotage, slip and fall injuries, natural disasters, robberies, shootings, etc.) or may damage the Proprietary Marks, the System or the reputation of Cajun.
This means that in the event of a crisis, a Churchs Chicken franchisee must not communicate with the news media or make any other announcements unless specifically instructed to do so by Cajun or public health authorities. This provision is in place to ensure that all communications are handled in a coordinated and consistent manner, protecting the brand's reputation and ensuring accurate information is disseminated.
Cajun, at its discretion, may control how a crisis situation is handled, including communication with the news media, providing care for injured persons, and temporarily closing the restaurant. The franchisee is required to cooperate fully with Cajun or its designee in managing the crisis. This includes adhering to any crisis situation procedures developed by Cajun. Cajun may engage attorneys, experts, doctors, testing laboratories, and public relations firms as it deems appropriate to manage the crisis.
This clause highlights the importance of brand control and reputation management in a franchise system like Churchs Chicken. Franchisees must relinquish some autonomy in crisis situations to allow the franchisor to manage the situation effectively and protect the overall brand. The franchisee is also responsible for any losses and expenses that may result from the exercise by Cajun or its designee of the management rights granted in this section.