Does Del Taco hold any patents material to the Del Taco franchise?
Del_Taco Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
We hold no patents material to the Del Taco franchise.
We claim copyright protection in our Manuals and related materials, although we have not registered those copyrights with the United State Copyright Office. We consider the Manuals and related materials confidential, proprietary and our property. You may use them only in the operation of your Restaurant as provided in the Franchise Agreement. You may not use our confidential and proprietary information in any unauthorized manner and must take reasonable steps to prevent its disclosure to others. Your right to use those materials continues as long as the Franchise Agreement remains in effect.
Source: Item 14 — PATENTS, COPYRIGHTS AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION (FDD pages 41–42)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Del Taco Franchise Disclosure Document, Del Taco does not hold any patents material to the Del Taco franchise. However, Del Taco does claim copyright protection in their manuals and related materials, considering them confidential and proprietary.
This means that while Del Taco franchisees don't benefit from patent protection, the operational methods and training materials are protected by copyright. Franchisees are allowed to use these materials only for operating their Del Taco restaurant, as outlined in the Franchise Agreement.
Franchisees must also take precautions to prevent unauthorized disclosure of this information. The right to use these copyrighted materials is contingent upon the Franchise Agreement remaining in effect. While Del Taco has no obligation to protect their copyrights or confidential information, they intend to do so when it is in the best interest of their system.