Under what conditions is a Churchs Chicken franchisee exempt from the Franchised Restaurant Renovation requirement?
Churchs_Chicken Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
- (2) At its sole cost and expense, Franchisee shall complete a full reimaging, renovation and refurbishment of the Franchised Restaurant ("Franchised Restaurant Renovation") to modernize and conform the Franchised Restaurant to the image of the System for new Church's Restaurants within the time frame required by Cajun. Cajun shall not require the Franchised Restaurant Renovation if there is less than 5 years remaining on the Initial Term (unless Franchisee plans to exercise its renewal option) or any Renewal Term. Cajun shall not require the Franchised Restaurant Renovation more often than once every 7 years (provided that if Franchisee completed its previous Franchised Restaurant Renovation after a system-wide deadline imposed by Cajun, then the 7-year period shall run from such deadline). The Franchised Restaurant Renovation may include changes to the building design, parking lot, landscaping, equipment, signs, interior and exterior décor items, fixtures, furnishings, trade dress, color scheme, presentation of the Proprietary Marks, supplies and other products and materials, to meet Cajun's thencurrent standards, specifications and design criteria for Church's Restaurants, including, without limitation,
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPT (FDD pages 68–406)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Churchs Chicken's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, a franchisee is exempt from the Franchised Restaurant Renovation requirement under specific time-related conditions. Churchs Chicken will not require a franchisee to complete a full renovation if there is less than five years remaining on the initial franchise term, unless the franchisee intends to exercise their renewal option.
Additionally, Churchs Chicken will not require renovations more often than once every seven years. However, there is an exception to this rule: if a franchisee completed their previous renovation after a system-wide deadline imposed by Churchs Chicken, the seven-year period is calculated from that deadline, not from the date of the individual franchisee's renovation.
These stipulations provide some predictability for franchisees regarding renovation costs, allowing them to plan financially. However, the clause regarding system-wide deadlines introduces a potential variable, as a franchisee might need to renovate sooner than seven years from their last renovation if they previously renovated to meet a system-wide deadline.