What is the Del Taco franchisee required to submit to Del Taco after obtaining zoning approvals and clearances?
Del_Taco Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
After having obtained such approvals and clearances, Franchisee shall submit to Del Taco, for Del Taco's approval, final plans for construction based upon the preliminary plans and specifications.
Del Taco's review and approval of plans shall be limited to review of such plans to assess compliance with Del Taco's design standards for Restaurants.
Once approved by Del Taco, such final plans shall not thereafter be changed or modified without the prior written permission of Del Taco.
Any such change made without Del Taco's prior written permission shall constitute a material default under this Agreement and Del Taco may withhold its authorization to open the Restaurant for business until the unauthorized change is rectified (or reversed) to Del Taco's reasonable satisfaction.
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD pages 58–59)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Del Taco's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, after a franchisee obtains the necessary zoning approvals and clearances for their restaurant location, they must submit final construction plans to Del Taco for approval. These plans must be based on the preliminary plans and specifications that Del Taco provides.
Del Taco's review of these final plans is specifically limited to ensuring that the plans comply with Del Taco's design standards for restaurants. This means Del Taco is primarily concerned with maintaining a consistent brand image and layout across all franchise locations. Once Del Taco approves the final plans, the franchisee cannot make any changes or modifications without obtaining prior written permission from Del Taco.
Making changes to the final construction plans without Del Taco's approval constitutes a material default under the Franchise Agreement. In such a case, Del Taco has the right to withhold authorization for the franchisee to open the restaurant until the unauthorized changes are rectified to Del Taco's satisfaction. This provision underscores the importance of adhering to Del Taco's approved design and construction standards to avoid delays and potential breaches of the franchise agreement.