What conditions must be met for Fat Shack Inc. to waive its rights under the Guaranty?
Fat_Shack Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
If Franchisee is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other business entity, the following additional conditions must be met, along with any other conditions as may be established by FSI for entity franchisees:
- a. Contemporaneously with the business entity acquiring the franchise rights, thereafter upon the issuance or transfer of any ownership interests in the business entity or the appointment or election of any person as director, officer, member or manager of the business entity, and at any other time requested by FSI, the shareholders, members, partners, other owners, directors, officers, managers (as applicable), and any other individuals as designated by FSI will execute the Guaranty and Assumption of Franchisee's Obligations attached hereto as Exhibit V and incorporated herein by reference, personally guaranteeing full payment and performance of Franchisee's obligations to FSI and individually undertaking to be bound, jointly and severally, by all the terms of this Agreement.
- b. No shares in the capital of such corporation or other interest in the business entity shall be issued nor shall Franchisee directly or indirectly, voluntarily or involuntarily, by operation of law or otherwise, sell, assign, transfer, convey, donate, pledge, mortgage or otherwise encumber any such shares or other interest or other interest or offer or attempt to do so or permit the same to be done without FSI's prior written consent. Such actions shall be deemed a transfer, as defined in Section 17.1, and subject to the requirements of Article 17 below.
- c. The business entity shall maintain stop transfer instructions against the transfer of ownership on its records subject to the restrictions of this Agreement and shall have all outstanding certificates of ownership endorsed with the following legend printed conspicuously upon the face of each certificate:
The transfer of the shares represented by this certificate is subject to the terms and conditions of a certain Franchise Agreement with Fat Shack Inc..
d. The articles of incorporation or organization and by-laws, operating agreement or other governing documents of the business entity shall provide that its objectives or business is confined exclusively to the operation of the FAT SHACK Restaurant as provided for in this Agreement, and recite that the issuance and transfer of any ownership interest in the business
Source: Item 23 — Receipts (FDD pages 53–223)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
Based on the 2025 Fat Shack Franchise Disclosure Document, if a franchisee is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or other business entity, certain conditions must be met to ensure the obligations to Fat Shack Inc. are secured. Specifically, the shareholders, members, partners, other owners, directors, officers, managers, and any other individuals designated by Fat Shack Inc. must execute a Guaranty and Assumption of Franchisee's Obligations. This agreement ensures they personally guarantee the full payment and performance of the franchisee's obligations to Fat Shack Inc. and are individually bound by all terms of the Franchise Agreement. This requirement is ongoing, applying not only when the franchise rights are initially acquired by the business entity but also upon any subsequent issuance or transfer of ownership interests or changes in the entity's leadership.
Furthermore, the FDD states that no shares or interests in the business entity can be issued, sold, assigned, transferred, or otherwise encumbered without Fat Shack Inc.'s prior written consent. Such actions are considered a transfer and are subject to additional requirements. The business entity must also maintain stop transfer instructions against the transfer of ownership on its records, and all outstanding certificates of ownership must be endorsed with a legend indicating that the transfer of shares is subject to the terms and conditions of the Franchise Agreement with Fat Shack Inc.
Finally, the articles of incorporation or organization and by-laws, operating agreement, or other governing documents of the business entity must stipulate that its objectives are exclusively confined to the operation of the Fat Shack restaurant as outlined in the Franchise Agreement. These documents must also state that the issuance and transfer of any ownership interest in the business are subject to the restrictions of the Franchise Agreement. These measures ensure that Fat Shack Inc. maintains control over who operates and owns the franchise, safeguarding their interests and the integrity of the Fat Shack brand. The FDD does not explicitly state conditions under which Fat Shack Inc. would waive its rights under the Guaranty, but it outlines the conditions under which the Guaranty is required.