What is Del Taco's position on the proprietary nature of the manuals and related materials?
Del_Taco Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
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 Del Taco's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the company considers its manuals and related materials to be confidential and proprietary. While Del Taco claims copyright protection on these materials, it has not registered those copyrights with the United States Copyright Office. Franchisees are permitted to use these manuals only for operating their Del Taco restaurant, as outlined in the Franchise Agreement.
Del Taco emphasizes that franchisees must take reasonable steps to prevent the disclosure of this confidential information to others and must not use it in any unauthorized manner. The right to use these materials is contingent upon the Franchise Agreement remaining in effect. Del Taco retains ownership of the manuals, and franchisees must keep them secure on the restaurant premises.
Franchisees receive the manuals electronically and must keep them current with revisions issued by Del Taco. In case of any dispute regarding the contents of the manuals, the master copy maintained by Del Taco at its home office will be controlling. Overall, Del Taco takes a strong stance on protecting its proprietary information and ensuring that franchisees adhere to strict confidentiality and usage guidelines.