Does the Franchise Agreement for Dog Haus require the franchisee to operate in compliance with the Manuals?
Dog_Haus Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
You must operate your Franchised Restaurant in compliance with the terms of your Franchise Agreement and the Manuals.
You alone will exercise day-to-day control over all operations, activities and elements of the Dog Haus Restaurant, including over your employees.
Under no circumstance will we do so or be deemed to do so.
The various requirements, restrictions, prohibitions, specifications and procedures of the Dog Haus System with which you must comply under the Franchise Agreement and the Manuals do not directly or indirectly constitute, suggest, infer or imply that we control any aspect or element of the day-to-day operations of your Dog Haus Restaurant, but only constitute standards to which you must adhere when exercising your control over the day-to-day operations of your Dog Haus Restaurant consistent with our policies. (Franchise Agreement, Section 7.1).
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, MARKETING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS, AND TRAINING (FDD pages 38–53)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Dog Haus's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees must operate their franchised restaurant in compliance with the terms outlined in both the Franchise Agreement and the Manuals. The Manuals, which currently contain 759 pages, provide detailed guidelines and standards for operating a Dog Haus restaurant. Prospective franchisees have the opportunity to review these manuals before signing the Franchise Agreement, ensuring they are aware of the operational requirements.
While franchisees have day-to-day control over their restaurant's operations, they must adhere to the standards and procedures set forth in the Franchise Agreement and the Manuals. These standards do not imply that Dog Haus controls the daily operations but rather serve as benchmarks for franchisees to follow while managing their restaurants. This ensures consistency and quality across all Dog Haus locations, which is a common practice in franchising.
Dog Haus also retains the right to inspect the franchised restaurant to ensure compliance with the Franchise Agreement, the Dog Haus System, and the Manuals. These inspections allow Dog Haus to check operations, food quality, restaurant décor, and overall adherence to standards. Furthermore, Dog Haus may update or change the Manuals at its discretion, and franchisees are expected to stay current with these changes, which may be communicated through a restricted website or intranet.