What uniform standards, specifications, and procedures must a Churchs Chicken franchisee follow when operating the Franchised Restaurant?
Churchs_Chicken Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
System, at such times or on such schedule as Cajun may determine. Cajun shall not be required to give prior notice to Franchisee of an inspection. If Franchisee fails an inspection, Cajun may require Franchisee to reimburse Cajun for all costs (both out-of-pocket and internal overhead) incurred by Cajun to conduct a follow-up inspection.
10. PERFORMANCE STANDARDS AND UNIFORMITY OF OPERATION
In recognition of the mutual benefits that come from maintaining the reputation enjoyed by the System, Franchisee shall comply with all of the requirements of the System as set forth in the Manual or otherwise, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Franchisee shall comply with the following:
A. Standards, Specifications and Procedures
- (1) Franchisee shall operate the Franchised Restaurant in conformity with those uniform standards, specifications and procedures as Cajun may from time to time prescribe in the Manual or otherwise in writing, to ensure that quality, service and cleanliness are uniformly maintained and to refrain from any deviation from these standards and from otherwise operating the Franchised Restaurant in any manner which reflects adversely on Cajun's name, goodwill or Proprietary Marks.
- (2) Franchisee shall maintain in sufficient supply and use only those ingredients, products, materials, supplies, and paper goods as conform to Cajun's standards and specifications, and to refrain from using non-conforming items without Cajun's prior consent.
- (3) Franchisee shall sell or offer for sale only those products and menu items that: (a) have been expressly approved for sale in writing by Cajun; (b) meet Cajun's uniform standards of quality and quantity; and (c) have been prepared in accordance with Cajun's methods and techniques for product preparation. Franchisee shall refrain from selling any products and menu items that are not approved by Cajun or for which Cajun has withdrawn approval.
B. Approved Products, Equipment, Distributors and Suppliers
- (1) Franchisee shall purchase all ingredients, products, materials, supplies, and other items required in the operation of the Franchised Restaurant which are, or incorporate, trade secrets of Cajun, as designated by Cajun ("Trade Secret Products"), only from Cajun or from suppliers and distributors designated by Cajun.
- (2) Upon 30 days' prior notice that Cajun has designated or changed an exclusive beverage supplier or suppliers for any or all beverage products and equipment within the System ("Designated Beverage Products"), Franchisee shall purchase all such Designated Beverage Products solely from Cajun's designated beverage supplier or suppliers.
- (3) Franchisee shall purchase all ingredients, products, materials, supplies, paper goods, and other items required for the operation of the Franchised Restaurant, except Trade Secret Products and Designated Beverage Products, solely from suppliers and distributors who demonstrate, to the continuing reasonable satisfaction of Cajun, the ability to meet Cajun's reasonable standards and specifications for such items; who possess adequate quality controls and capacity to supply Franchisee's needs promptly and reliably; and who have been approved in writing by Cajun and such approval has not thereafter been revoked.
- (4) Franchisee shall use only the fixtures, furnishings, equipment (including, without limitation, fryers, grills, ovens, warmers, refrigerators, freezers, waste disposal units, dishwashers, and display cases) and signs (including digital menuboards) that Cajun has approved for Church's Restaurants as meeting its specifications and standards for quality, design, appearance, function and performance. Cajun may change such specifications and standards from time to time in its discretion.
- (5) If Franchisee desires to purchase any items (that Franchisee is not required to purchase from Cajun or a supplier designated by Cajun) from a supplier or distributor that Cajun has not previously approved, Franchisee shall submit to Cajun a request for approval, or shall request the supplier to seek approval. Cajun may require, as a condition of its approval, that its representatives be permitted to inspect the supplier's or distributor'sfacilities and that samples from the supplier or distributor be delivered, at Cajun's option, either to Cajun or to an independent laboratory designated by Cajun for testing prior to granting approval. Franchisee or the supplier or distributor must pay a charge to Cajun not to exceed Cajun's reasonable cost of inspection and the actual cost of testing.
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPT (FDD pages 68–406)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Churchs Chicken's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees must operate their restaurants in accordance with the uniform standards, specifications, and procedures that Churchs Chicken prescribes in its Manual or in writing. These standards ensure consistent quality, service, and cleanliness. Franchisees must avoid any deviations from these standards that could negatively impact Churchs Chicken's brand or reputation.
Specifically, franchisees must use ingredients, products, materials, supplies, and paper goods that meet Churchs Chicken's standards. They are prohibited from using non-conforming items without prior consent. Franchisees are also required to sell only products and menu items that have been expressly approved by Churchs Chicken, meet the company's quality and quantity standards, and are prepared according to Churchs Chicken's methods. Selling unapproved items or items for which approval has been withdrawn is not allowed.
Furthermore, franchisees must purchase Trade Secret Products, which incorporate Churchs Chicken's trade secrets, exclusively from Churchs Chicken or its designated suppliers. After receiving 30 days' notice, franchisees must also purchase Designated Beverage Products from Churchs Chicken's designated beverage suppliers. Franchisees must use only approved fixtures, furnishings, equipment, and signs that meet Churchs Chicken's specifications for quality, design, appearance, function, and performance, and these standards can change at Churchs Chicken's discretion. If a franchisee wants to buy items from a non-approved supplier, they must seek approval from Churchs Chicken, which may involve inspections and testing at the franchisee's expense. Churchs Chicken will establish uniform criteria for approving suppliers and make reasonable efforts to share these standards with potential suppliers at the franchisee's request.
The Churchs Chicken franchisee must adhere to the standards detailed in the Manual, which covers various aspects of restaurant operations, including product selection, preparation, employee training, marketing, maintenance, and accounting. The Manual is incorporated into the franchise agreement, and Churchs Chicken may update it periodically through various communication methods. Franchisees are responsible for keeping their copy of the Manual current and having the necessary equipment to receive updates. The franchisor's master copy of the Manual will control in case of disputes. The franchisee must also ensure that the Operating Principal has completed the MIT Program and NFOP.