Under what conditions can a Cinnaholic franchisee use the mark as part of a domain name?
Cinnaholic Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
You must follow the Franchise Agreement, the Operations Manual, our specifications, and directives when you use the Mark. The Mark is the only mark you may use to identify the Bakery. You may not use any Mark as part of any corporate or trade name or as part of any domain name or electronic address you maintain on the Internet, the worldwide web, or any other similar proprietary or common carrier electronic delivery system unless we expressly authorize you to do so in writing. You may not use the Mark in connection with the sale of an unauthorized product or service or in a manner not authorized in writing by us. Your use of the Mark and any goodwill is to our exclusive benefit and you retain no rights in the Mark other than a license to use the Mark during the terms of the Franchise Agreement. You are not permitted to make any changes of any kind in or to the use of the Mark unless we permit.
Source: Item 13 — TRADEMARKS (FDD pages 37–39)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Cinnaholic's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, a franchisee cannot use the Cinnaholic mark as part of any domain name or electronic address unless Cinnaholic expressly authorizes them to do so in writing. This restriction extends to any corporate or trade name the franchisee might use.
This means that while Cinnaholic grants franchisees the right to operate a bakery under the Cinnaholic name, this right does not automatically extend to using the name online. A franchisee who wishes to incorporate "Cinnaholic" into their domain name or any other online identifier must first obtain explicit written permission from Cinnaholic.
This policy is fairly common in franchising, as franchisors like Cinnaholic need to protect their brand identity and ensure consistent representation across all online platforms. By maintaining control over how the brand name is used in domain names, Cinnaholic can prevent unauthorized or inappropriate use that could damage its reputation. Prospective franchisees should discuss domain name usage and online branding guidelines with Cinnaholic during their due diligence to understand the scope of permitted online activities.