What materials must a Dq Treat licensee immediately stop using and displaying upon termination?
Dq_Treat Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
- (A) Licensee must immediately stop using and displaying the Trademarks and any point-of-sale materials and other sales promotion and advertising materials furnished, made available or approved by Company, and must stop using Company's Confidential Information (including the Operations Manual). Licensee must immediately return to Company all copies of the Operations Manual and any other Confidential Information in Licensee's possession or control, or previously disseminated to Licensee's employees.
- (B) Subject to section 14.5, Licensee must, within 20 days, at Licensee's expense, remove or obliterate all Restaurant signage, displays, photos and other materials in Licensee's possession at the Authorized Location or elsewhere that bear any of the Trademarks or names or material confusingly similar to the Trademarks. Licensee must also, within 20 days, alter the appearance of the Restaurant, including removal or substantial modification of any trade dress, so as to differentiate the Restaurant unmistakably from duly licensed restaurants and stores identified by the Trademarks.
- (C) If Licensee does not comply with section 14.2(B) within 20 days, Company may enter the Authorized Location and remove all Restaurant signage, displays, photos or any other materials in Licensee's possession at the Authorized Location or elsewhere that bear any of the Trademarks or names or material confusingly similar to the Trademarks, and Licensee must reimburse Company for Company's costs incurred in connection with this removal.
Source: Item 17 — The following paragraph is added to the end of Item 17 of the Disclosure Document: (FDD pages 70–378)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Dq Treat Franchise Disclosure Document, upon termination of the franchise agreement, a licensee must immediately cease using and displaying all Trademarks, point-of-sale materials, and other sales promotion and advertising materials that Dq Treat furnished, made available, or approved. This also includes stopping the use of Dq Treat's Confidential Information, such as the Operations Manual.
This requirement ensures that the former franchisee does not continue to represent themselves as part of the Dq Treat system after the agreement ends. It protects Dq Treat's brand identity and prevents customer confusion. The licensee must also return all copies of the Operations Manual and any other Confidential Information to Dq Treat.
Furthermore, within 20 days of termination, the licensee is responsible for removing or obliterating all Restaurant signage, displays, photos, and other materials bearing Dq Treat's Trademarks or confusingly similar names from the Authorized Location and elsewhere. The licensee must also alter the appearance of the Restaurant, including removing or substantially modifying any trade dress, to differentiate it unmistakably from licensed Dq Treat restaurants. Failure to comply within this timeframe allows Dq Treat to enter the location and remove these items at the licensee's expense.