As a City Wide franchisee, what standards and specifications must I follow when using the Marks?
City_Wide Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
February 21, 2023 | 6,987,575 | Registered on the Principal Register |CITY WIDE has made all required renewal and affidavit filings (if any are due) for these registrations.
You are authorized to use the Marks appearing in both tables above, or other Marks subsequently developed and designated by CITY WIDE, in the operation of your Franchised Business, if you do so following CITY WIDE's standards and specifications.
No state registrations of any of the Marks have been applied for or granted. CITY WIDE's Licensor, CITY WIDE Franchise Holding Company, Inc., as the owner of all rights, title, and interest to the Marks, claims common law rights to the Marks.
CITY WIDE is not aware of any presently effective determinations of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the trademark administrator of any state, or any court, or of any pending interference, opposition, or cancellation proceeding, or any pending material litigation concerning any of the Marks.
There are no infringing uses known to CITY WIDE that could materially affect your use of the Marks in this state or in any other state in which the Franchised Businesses are to be located. There are no agreements currently in effect that significantly limit the rights of CITY WIDE to use or license the use of the Marks, trade names, logotypes or other commercial symbols in any manner material to the franchise, except as set forth herein.
CITY WIDE may change or modify the System presently identified by the Marks including the adoption and use of new or modified trade names, service marks, trademarks or copyrighted materials, new programs or systems for the franchise system, new product lines, new employee training, new equipment
or new techniques and you shall accept, use and display any changes in the System as if they were part of the Franchise Agreement at the time of its execution.
All usage of the Marks by you and any goodwill established thereby will inure to the exclusive benefit of CITY WIDE and its Licensor. You are prohibited from contesting the validity or ownership of any of the Marks or assisting any other person in contesting the validity or ownership of any Marks during the term of the Franchise Agreement or at any time thereafter.
You shall promptly notify CITY WIDE of any claim, demand, or cause of action based upon or arising from any attempt by any other person, firm or corporation to use the Marks or any colorable imitation thereof.
Source: Item 13 — TRADEMARKS (FDD pages 39–41)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to City Wide's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, as a franchisee, your use of City Wide's trademarks, service marks, or commercial symbols in any advertising or promotion must conform to the guidelines stated in Section 5 of the Franchise Agreement, Attachment D to the Franchise Agreement, and the Operating Manual, as that Attachment D is periodically modified in the Operating Manual. You are authorized to use the Marks appearing in the tables within the FDD, or other Marks subsequently developed and designated by City Wide, in the operation of your Franchised Business, if you do so following City Wide's standards and specifications. You may not use any of the Marks as part of any corporate or trade name, or in any modified form or in connection with the sale of any unauthorized product or service. You must comply within a reasonable time if City Wide notifies you that the use of any Mark be discontinued or modified.
City Wide or its agents have the right to inspect your Franchised Business at all reasonable times and in a reasonable manner. This includes observing how you render services and conduct operations, as well as inspecting equipment, merchandise, accessories, products, supplies, reports, forms, documents, and related data. These inspections are for content testing and evaluation purposes to ensure your Franchised Business operates according to City Wide's quality control provisions and performance standards.
All usage of the Marks by you and any goodwill established thereby will inure to the exclusive benefit of City Wide and its Licensor. You are prohibited from contesting the validity or ownership of any of the Marks or assisting any other person in contesting the validity or ownership of any Marks during the term of the Franchise Agreement or at any time thereafter. You shall promptly notify City Wide of any claim, demand, or cause of action based upon or arising from any attempt by any other person, firm or corporation to use the Marks or any colorable imitation thereof. You shall notify City Wide of any action, claim, or demand against you relating to the Marks, within 10 calendar days after you receive notice of said action, claim, or demand.