What are the requirements for a Del Taco franchisee to develop their own advertising materials?
Del_Taco Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
We oversee all advertising and promotional programs, with sole discretion to approve or disapprove the creative concepts, materials and media use in the programs and their placement and allocation. We generally work with an advertising agency in developing advertising for print, radio or television. Media coverage may be local, regional, or national. You may develop advertising materials for your own use, at your cost and according to our standards and requirements. We must approve any advertising materials in writing in advance of their use, including, without limitation, any website, home page, or other cyberspace content that you propose to place on the World Wide Web or other computer network, including without limitation, the use of our trademarks or trade names in any electronic media. If you do not receive written approval within 15 days after we receive the materials, you must consider us to have disapproved the materials. You may not use any advertising or promotional materials that we have disapproved.
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND TRAINING (FDD pages 31–38)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Del Taco Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees are permitted to develop their own advertising materials but must adhere to specific requirements. Del Taco maintains complete oversight of all advertising and promotional initiatives, retaining the authority to approve or reject creative concepts, materials, media usage, placement, and allocation.
If a franchisee chooses to create their own advertising content, it must be done at their own expense and in accordance with Del Taco's established standards and requirements. Before any use, all advertising materials, including website content and any online presence featuring Del Taco's trademarks or trade names, must receive written approval from Del Taco.
The FDD states that if written approval is not received within 15 days of submitting the materials, the franchisee must consider the materials disapproved. Franchisees are prohibited from using any advertising or promotional materials that Del Taco has explicitly disapproved. This ensures that all advertising aligns with Del Taco's brand standards and marketing strategies.