In the event of a Crave franchisee's death or permanent disability, what happens to the Minimum Performance Schedule?
Crave Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
within six (6) months from the date of death or permanent disability to a third party approved by us. Failure to transfer in accordance with the forgoing will constitute a material default and all that is granted by this Agreement will terminate. For purposes of this Agreement, the term "permanent disability" means a mental or physical disability, impairment or condition that is reasonably expected to prevent or actually does prevent such person from providing continuous and material supervision of the operation of your Crave outlet(s) and remaining Minimum Performance Schedule during the six (6)-month period from its onset.
- 11.7.2 Upon your death or your claim of permanent disability, you or a representative of yours must notify us of such death or claim of permanent disability within ten (10) days of its occurrence. Any transfer upon death or permanent disability shall be subject to the same terms and conditions as described in this Section for any inter vivos transfer.
- 11.7.3 Immediately after your death or permanent disability, or while the rights granted under this Agreement are owned by your executor, administrator, guardian, personal representative or trustee, your Crave outlet(s) and remaining Minimum Performance Schedule shall be supervised by an interim successor manager satisfactory to us, or we, in our sole discretion, may provide interim management at a fee equal to ten percent (10%) of the gross sales generated by your Crave outlet(s) during our operation thereof, plus any and all costs of travel, lodging, meals and other expenses reasonably incurred by us, pending transfer of your Crave outlet(s) and remaining Minimum Performance Schedule to your lawful heirs or successors.
- 11.8 Our consent to a transfer of any interest by you or of any of the Development Rights pursuant to this Section shall not constitute a waiver of any claims we may have against the transferring party, nor shall it be deemed a waiver of our right to demand exact compliance with any of the terms of this Agreement by the transferee.
- 11.9 We shall have the right to assign this Agreement and all of our attendant rights and privileges to any person, firm, corporation or other entity provided that, with respect to any assignment resulting in the subsequent performance by the assignee of our functions: (i) the assignee shall, at the time of such assignment, be financially responsible and economically capable of performing our obligations; and (ii) the assignee shall expressly assume and agree to perform such obligations.
You expressly affirm and agree that we may sell our assets, our rights to the Marks or to the System outright to a third party; may go public; may engage in a private placement of some or all of our securities; may merge, acquire other corporations, or be acquired by another corporation; may undertake a refinancing, recapitalization, leveraged buyout or other economic or financial restructuring; and, with regard to any or all of the above sales, assignments and dispositions, you expressly and specifically waive any claims, demands or damages arising from or related to the loss of said Marks (or any variation thereof) and/or the loss of association with or identification of "CRAVE Franchising, LLC" as Franchisor. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall require us to remain in the restaurant business or to offer the same products and services, whether or not bearing the Marks, in the event that we exercise our right to assign our rights in this Agreement.
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPTS (FDD pages 63–253)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Crave's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, in the event of the death or permanent disability of a franchisee or their principals, the executor, administrator, conservator, or other personal representative is required to transfer the interest in the Franchise Agreement within six months from the date of death or permanent disability to a third party approved by Crave. Failure to transfer within this timeframe constitutes a material default, leading to the termination of the franchise.
Following the death or claim of permanent disability, Crave must be notified within ten days. During the interim period, the franchised business will be supervised by a manager satisfactory to Crave. Alternatively, Crave may provide interim management, charging a fee equal to 10% of the gross sales generated by the business, in addition to all costs of travel, lodging, meals, and other expenses incurred. This arrangement remains in effect until the transfer of the franchise to the deceased or disabled individual's lawful heirs or successors.
Regarding the Minimum Performance Schedule, the FDD states that immediately after death or permanent disability, the remaining Minimum Performance Schedule will be supervised by an interim successor manager satisfactory to Crave, or Crave may provide interim management at a fee of 10% of gross sales plus expenses, pending transfer of the Crave outlet(s) and remaining Minimum Performance Schedule to lawful heirs or successors. This indicates that the Minimum Performance Schedule remains in effect and must be adhered to, even during the transition period following the franchisee's death or disability.