Does Crisp & Green currently have any registered patents or copyrights material to the franchise?

There are not currently any registered patents or copyrights that are material to the franchise, nor are there any pending applications for any such patents or copyrights, and you do not receive the right to use any registered patents or copyrights. However, we do claim copyright ownership and protection for various elements of our Marks and for our Operations Manual, website, training materials, and other materials.

There are currently no effective material determinations of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the United States Copyright Office, or any other similar regulatory body or court, relating to any patent or copyright of ours, or to any application of ours for any patent or copyright. There are no agreements that limit our rights to use or license the use of any patents or copyrights, and we do not know of any infringing uses that could materially affect your use of any patent or copyright pursuant to the Franchise Agreement.

We claim proprietary rights in trade secrets and other confidential information relating to the development and operation of Restaurants and our franchise system. Some of this confidential and proprietary information will be communicated to you in our Operations Manual and in other manuals, guides, and specifications that we provide to you from time to time. Such confidential and proprietary information includes, without limitation: (1) ingredients, recipes, and methods of preparation and presentation of food products we authorize; (2) site selection criteria for Restaurants and plans and specifications for the development of Restaurants; (3) sales, marketing and advertising programs and techniques for Restaurants; (4) identity of suppliers, and knowledge of specifications and pricing for food products, materials, supplies and equipment, we authorize; (5) knowledge of operating results and financial performance of Restaurants, other than the Franchised Restaurant and other Restaurants you own; (6) methods of inventory control, storage, product handling, training and management relating to Restaurants; (7) computer systems and software programs; and (8) any and all other information we provide you, your owners, or your affiliates that is designated by us as proprietary or confidential, or that by its nature would reasonably be understood to be proprietary or confidential, whether or not such information is specifically designated as proprietary or confidential. The Franchise Agreement contains restrictions on your use of our confidential and proprietary information.

Source: Item 14 — PATENTS, COPYRIGHTS, AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION (FDD pages 49–50)