Is a Coffee News franchisee's online publication allowed to serve communities beyond their licensed territory?

According to the 2025 Coffee News FDD, while Coffee News Online may be accessed by readers outside of a franchisee's territory, the franchisee's publication of Coffee News Online must be restricted to their licensed territory. The FDD states that no publication shall be made to serve communities beyond the franchisee's territory. The franchisor will provide a drop-down menu on its website that allows users to select the specific area served by a franchisee's online version of Coffee News.

This means that while a Coffee News franchisee can solicit advertisements from businesses both inside and outside their territory, the online version of their publication must only target readers within their designated area. This restriction aims to protect the territories of other franchisees and prevent overlap in service areas.

For a prospective Coffee News franchisee, this territorial restriction on online publications is an important consideration. While the internet allows for broad reach, the franchise agreement limits the franchisee's online presence to their specific territory. This could impact the franchisee's digital marketing strategy and potential revenue from online advertising. It is important to understand the boundaries of the territory and how the franchisor enforces these restrictions to avoid any potential conflicts or breaches of the franchise agreement.